PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Melchor Nico (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tinashe Kweku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Nico
vs
Kweku

174 cm
18
197 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Melchor Nico!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tinashe Kweku!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Yves DeLean and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kweku throws a series of punches but Nico avoids them all with ease.

Kweku gets tackled into the cage by Nico. Nico maintains the clinch.

Nico breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nico moves into range and clinches up with Kweku.
Kweku missing with knees to the body.
Kweku keeps control of Nico as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Nico is looking to break free of the clinch but Kweku has double underhooks.
A frustrated look appears on Nico's face as he tries to break the clinch.

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

Nico has managed to clinch.

Nico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nico takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Nico moves into the clinch.
Nico could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Nico breaks from the clinch.

Nico instigates a clinch.

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

Nico clinches with his opponent.

Nico breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kweku tries a head kick but it misses.

Nico rushes Kweku and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kweku stalling in the clinch but Nico improves position.

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

Nico moves into the clinch.
Kweku lands an elbow inside that Nico shrugs off.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nico breaks the clinch.

Nico closes the distance and pushes Kweku back into the cage.
Nico wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Nico working hard to break the clinch.
Kweku is trying to stall.
Nico wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nico is trying to force a seperation but Kweku has the dominant position.

Nico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Kweku rushes Nico and presses him up against the cage.

Nico breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nico has Kweku up against the cage in a clinch.

Nico manages to break the clinch.

Kweku forces Nico back against the cage and clinches.
Nico on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Nico manages to break the clinch.

Nico gets a clinch.
Kweku missing with knees to the body.
Nico is trying to force a seperation but Kweku has the dominant position.

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

Nico instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Nico has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Nico breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kweku throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Nico's head.

Nico rushes Kweku and presses him up against the cage.

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

Kweku clinches up against the cage.
Kweku pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Nico escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Kweku. Nico shrugs it off though.

Nico closes the distance and clinches.
Nico has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Nico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Nico has taken the fight to the clinch.
Kweku is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Nico is trying to break free.

Nico breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nico rushes Kweku and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kweku is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Nico breaks from the clinch.

Nico forces Kweku back against the cage and clinches.

Nico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Nico moves into the clinch successfully.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Nico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Nico moves into the clinch.
Kweku tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Nico avoids it.
Kweku comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Kweku looks gassed!
Nico tries to circle away but Kweku has him pinned against the cage.

Nico manages to break the clinch.

Nico rushes Kweku and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

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

Nico forces Kweku back against the cage and clinches.

Kweku turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Kweku manages to end up in side control.
Nico is trying to buck Kweku off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Nico is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Kweku is controlling him well.
Kweku controlling the position.
Nico is trying to buck Kweku off.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melchor Nico dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Nico moves into the clinch.

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

Nico clinches up with Kweku and pushes him back against the cage.

Nico escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Nico moves into range and clinches up with Kweku.

Nico breaks the clinch.

Nico gets a clinch.

Nico escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Nico moves into range and clinches up with Kweku.
Kweku looking to slow down the pace here.

Nico breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kweku gets tackled into the cage by Nico. Nico maintains the clinch.

Nico breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Nico fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kweku, pushing him back against the cage.
Nico wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kweku has him pressed against the cage.

Nico breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nico gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Nico breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Nico takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nico tries to circle away but Kweku has him pinned against the cage.
Kweku throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Nico manages to break the clinch.
Nico steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Kweku. That one must have hurt.
Melchor Nico is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Kweku tries to keep at a distance but Nico has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nico wants to break free but Kweku has control.
Nico is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Nico has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Nico has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Nico is trying to force a seperation but Kweku has the dominant position.

Nico breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Nico has Kweku up against the cage in a clinch.
Nico is trying to break the clinch but Kweku is controlling him.
Kweku is trying to stall.
Nico is trying to break free.
Nico wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kweku has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kweku leaning against his opponent.
Kweku missing with knees to the body.
Kweku keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Nico's efforts to push away.
With the fighters up against the cage, Kweku throws an elbow but misses.

Nico breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nico takes the fight into the clinch.
Kweku is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Nico wants to get back to striking at distance but Kweku won't allow it.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kweku obliges.
Kweku lands an elbow inside that Nico shrugs off.

It looks like Melchor Nico has been cut.
Nico is trying to break the clinch but Kweku is controlling him.
Kweku keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Nico's efforts to push away.

Nico breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Kweku instigates a clinch.
Kweku misses with an elbow over the top.
Nico is trying to break the clinch but Kweku has him pressed against the cage.

Nico breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nico rushes Kweku and presses him up against the cage.
Kweku keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Nico's efforts to push away.
Nico wants to break the clinch but can't.

Nico breaks from the clinch.

Nico clinches with his opponent.
Kweku prevents Nico from breaking the clinch.
Nico has had enough of the clinch but Kweku keeps him there for the moment.
Nico wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Nico is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Kweku has Nico pressed against the cage, preventing Nico from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Nico wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Nico tries to break the clinch but Kweku is controlling the position.
Nico wants to get back to striking at distance but Kweku won't allow it.
Nico has had enough of the clinch but Kweku keeps him there for the moment.
Melchor Nico has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Nico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Nico darts in and clinches Kweku up against the cage.
Nico looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Nico working hard to break the clinch.
Kweku unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Kweku has Nico pushed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nico wants to break free but Kweku has control.
Nico avoiding damage as Kweku throws knees to the body.
Kweku looking to slow down the pace here.
Kweku gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Kweku keeps control of Nico as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A frustrated look appears on Nico's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Kweku stalling.
Nico working hard to break the clinch.

Nico breaks the clinch.
Kweku lands a head kick!

Nico clinches.
Nico is trying to force a seperation but Kweku has the dominant position.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Kweku just misses with a elbow thrown towards Nico's brow.
Nico blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kweku is pushing Nico up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Kweku prevents Nico from breaking the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melchor Nico dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Melchor Nico's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Nico takes the fight into the clinch.

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

Nico darts in and clinches Kweku up against the cage.

Nico breaks from the clinch.

Nico clinches up with Kweku and pushes him back against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Nico manages to break the clinch.

Nico drives through and clinches with Kweku against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Kweku throws an elbow but misses.
Nico is looking to break free of the clinch but Kweku has double underhooks.
Kweku keeps control of Nico as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Nico working hard to break the clinch.
Nico tries to break free but Kweku pushes him back against the cage.
Nico wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Nico breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Nico breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Nico moves into range and clinches up with Kweku.
Nico is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nico breaks from the clinch.

Nico closes the distance and clinches.
Nico is trying to break free.

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

Nico has taken the fight to the clinch.
Nico wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kweku has him pressed against the cage.

Nico breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kweku closes the distance and pushes Nico back into the cage.

Nico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nico takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Nico pushes Kweku up against the cage in a clinch.

Nico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Kweku closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Kweku takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kweku looking to slow down the pace here.
Nico is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Kweku keeps control of Nico as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Nico breaks the clinch.

Nico fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kweku, pushing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nico tries to circle away but Kweku has him pinned against the cage.
Nico is trying to break the clinch but Kweku has him pressed against the cage.

Nico breaks the clinch.

Nico fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kweku, pushing him back against the cage.
Kweku keeps control of Nico as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Nico manages to break the clinch.

Nico gets caught flat footed, as Kweku shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kweku postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Nico is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kweku is controlling him.

Nico is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Nico tries to break the clinch but Kweku is controlling the position.
Nico tries to break the clinch but Kweku is controlling the position.

Nico breaks from the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kweku throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Nico rushes Kweku and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nico escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Kweku gets tackled into the cage by Nico. Nico maintains the clinch.
Kweku is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Nico wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Kweku's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Kweku missing with knees to the body.

Nico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Nico closes the distance and clinches.
Nico is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Nico wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kweku has him pressed against the cage.

Nico breaks the clinch.
Melchor Nico is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Kweku has managed to clinch.
Nico tries to circle away but Kweku has him pinned against the cage.

Kweku has Nico pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Kweku pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Nico tumbling to the mat - Kweku dives into Nico's guard.
Nico wants to stand up but Kweku is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nico scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Nico takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Melchor Nico seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kweku clinches up against the cage.

Nico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Nico fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kweku, pushing him back against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kweku stalls.

Nico breaks the clinch.
Tinashe Kweku has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kweku buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Melchor Nico showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nico, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Melchor Nico!