PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Filip Olic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Caleb Pickett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Olic
vs
Pickett

164 cm
20
147 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Filip Olic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Caleb Pickett!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Wesley Smith and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Olic shoots in for a takedown but Pickett shows good takedown defense.
A head kick from Pickett lands but Olic takes it in his stride.
Olic blocks a head kick by Pickett.

Olic gets the takedown into side control.
Pickett wants to get back to his feet but Olic is dominant here and he's now got Pickett's back!
Pickett is trying to remain composed but Olic is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Pickett looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pickett is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Olic landing with strikes.

Olic looking for the choke from the back.

Pickett manages to escape to his feet.
Olic leaves Pickett with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Pickett looks gassed!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Olic moves into the clinch.
Olic pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pickett pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Olic tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pickett swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Olic keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Olic tries to clinch but Pickett is having none of it.
Pickett swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Olic avoids the head kick by Pickett.
Pickett tries to clinch
and Olic counters with a two punch combo.

Olic gets a clinch.
Pickett is trying to push Olic away but Olic has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Olic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Olic uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Pickett.

Olic has closed the distance and engaged Pickett in a clinch.
Pickett wants to get back to striking at distance but Olic won't allow it.
Pickett is trying to break free.
Olic stalling against the cage.
Pickett is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pickett dodges an elbow strike from Olic.
Pickett can't break the clinch.
Olic utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Olic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Olic drops Pickett with a beautiful combination! Pickett stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Olic is looking for the KO!

It looks like Caleb Pickett has been cut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A combination from Olic does no damage.

Olic darts in and clinches Pickett up against the cage.
Pickett wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Olic ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Olic no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Olic looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Olic scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Olic has Pickett pulled in close to control his posture.

Olic uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Olic throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Pickett was covering up waiting for the punch and Olic finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Olic with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Olic slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Olic has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Olic is standing up over Pickett. Pickett looks to escape but Olic dives into side control.

Olic tries for a kimura but Pickett is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Olic lands an elbow.
Pickett tries to escape but Olic is in control.
Olic has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Olic taking a breather here.
Olic's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Olic stands up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Filip Olic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Caleb Pickett's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Pickett tries to keep at a distance but Olic has taken the fight into the clinch.
Pickett wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nice elbow from Olic.
Olic wants a takedown but no success here.
Olic gets through Pickett's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Pickett wants to break free but Olic has control.
Pickett working hard to break the clinch.
Pickett wants to break the clinch but can't.
Olic stalling.
Pickett has had enough of the clinch but Olic keeps him there for the moment.
Olic lands a shoulder strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pickett wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Olic tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Olic tries for a takedown but Pickett manages to get underhooks.
Olic controlling the action here for a moment.

Olic has clasped his hands together around Pickett's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pickett is trying to buck Olic off.
Pickett is breathing heavily.
Olic trying to control the position but Pickett is working away.
Pickett is letting Olic control him for a moment.
Pickett on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Olic works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Olic scores with a couple of short elbows.
Olic wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pickett keeps working.
Olic taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pickett is trying to get back to his feet.
Olic taking a breather here.
Pickett is not content to let Olic control the position.
Olic controls the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Filip Olic has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Olic throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Pickett tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Olic is in Pickett's guard.

Pickett manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Olic tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Olic wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pickett throws a sloppy body shot
and Pickett takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Olic tries to clinch up but Pickett circles away and keeps his distance.
Sloppy strikes from Olic. Those never looked like landing.
Olic has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Filip Olic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Olic doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Olic fails with an attempt to clinch.

Olic closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Pickett working hard to break the clinch.
Pickett wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Olic has him pressed against the cage.
Pickett tries to circle away but Olic has him pinned against the cage.

Pickett pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Olic is looking to clinch.
Pickett with a poor takedown
and Olic counters with a three punch combo that has Pickett backing up. Pickett nods at Olic to acknowledge the strikes.
Olic wants to clinch up but Pickett keeps it at a distance.
Pickett swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Olic cracks a nice hook into Pickett's ribs.
Olic tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pickett paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pickett tries to keep at a distance but Olic has taken the fight into the clinch.
Olic lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Pickett is looking to break free of the clinch but Olic has double underhooks.
Pickett wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Nice body punch from Olic - that landed with a thud.

Olic manages to break the clinch.

Olic takes the fight into the clinch.

Olic wants the takedown. Pickett is fighting it off but Olic persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Pickett's guard against the cage.
Pickett wants to get back to his feet but Olic is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Olic forces his way into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Olic prevents Pickett from standing back up.
Olic takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Filip Olic dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Caleb Pickett's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Olic throws the kick towards the body but Pickett avoids it.
Olic is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pickett can do to turn this around?
Olic tries to close the distance and clinch but Pickett swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A head kick misses from Pickett.
Olic keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Olic shoots for a takedown but Pickett saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Olic moves out of range of the strikes.
Pickett avoids the body shot from Olic.
Pickett lands with an overhand left.
Pickett misses the jab.
Pickett tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Olic connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Pickett throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Olic darts in and clinches Pickett up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Olic looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Olic escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pickett is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Olic rather than just go for the knockout.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Olic swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Pickett.

Olic darts in and clinches Pickett up against the cage.
Pickett tries to circle away but Olic has him pinned against the cage.
Olic taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Olic is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Pickett can't fight it off and eventually Olic manages to take the fight to the floor. Pickett looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Olic is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Pickett manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Olic is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Pickett moves into range and clinches up with Olic.
Pickett wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Olic has him pressed against the cage.
Pickett is trying to break the clinch but Olic is controlling him.
Olic trying to land knees to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Pickett's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Olic holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pickett wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Olic has Pickett pressed against the cage, preventing Pickett from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Pickett wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Olic dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Olic scores with a shoulder strike.
Pickett has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Olic keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Pickett's efforts to push away.
Olic changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Pickett fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Olic darts in and clinches Pickett up against the cage.
Pickett tries to break the clinch but Olic is controlling the position.
Pickett is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Pickett is trying to break the clinch but Olic has him pressed against the cage.
Olic leaning against his opponent.

Pickett escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Olic tries to clinch but Pickett moves out of range.

Olic has Pickett up against the cage in a clinch.
Olic lands a left hand that snaps the head of Pickett backwards.

Pickett manages to break the clinch.
Caleb Pickett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pickett lands with a right hand.
Olic doesn't manage to clinch there - Pickett circles away.
Olic tries to clinch up.

Olic shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Pickett wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Olic landing strikes from the mount and Pickett is in trouble!
Pickett squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Caleb Pickett has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Filip Olic is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Olic controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Filip Olic showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Olic has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Filip Olic!