PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Don Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dick Niaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Don Nelson had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 266.2lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Don Nelson has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Nelson
vs
Niaz

150 cm
28
290 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

196 cm
19
275 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Great wrestler
Counter striker
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Don Nelson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dick Niaz!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nelson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nelson lands with a light punch inside.

It looks like Dick Niaz has been cut.
Nelson tries a body shot but Niaz blocks it.
Niaz lands with a short shot to the head.

It looks like Don Nelson has been cut.
Nelson softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
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!
Nelson stalling against the cage.
Niaz misses with a hook to the ribs.
Niaz cracks Nelson with a nice body shot.
Nelson is breathing heavily.
Niaz prevents the takedown attempt.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Niaz working aggressively here.
Nelson misses with a body punch.
Niaz tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nelson.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Niaz.
Nelson throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Niaz swings wildly with an uppercut but Nelson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nelson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niaz tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Nelson dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Nelson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Niaz misses with a hook from the clinch.
Niaz on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Niaz is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Niaz tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Nelson smiles and moves away.
Niaz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nelson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Nelson looking to score a takedown here. Niaz is defending well but Nelson drives through and ends up in Niaz's guard.
Nelson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Niaz manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Nelson can't escape the position.

Niaz working for a submission but Nelson is keeping him at bay.

Niaz is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Nelson to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Nelson shrugs it off.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Niaz looking to control but Nelson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nelson is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Niaz goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Nelson is on top in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Niaz is on top in guard.
Nelson keeping full guard, as Niaz tries to pass.
Niaz is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Niaz passes Nelson's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Niaz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niaz prevents Nelson from improving his position.
Nelson trying to control here.

Niaz is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Nelson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Nelson tries to get out of the position.

Niaz is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Nelson sees it coming and defends easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Niaz moves nicely into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nelson wants to control but Niaz postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dick Niaz dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Niaz scores with a crisp jab that stopped Nelson in his tracks.

Niaz drops Nelson with a big left hand and mounts him. Nelson is in big trouble!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Niaz connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Nelson is rocked!
Niaz controlling the position easily from mount.
Oh Nelson is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Niaz throwing strikes here but Nelson is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Niaz trying to control but Nelson is having none of it.
Nelson seems to have got his legs back now.
Niaz takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Nelson wants to escape the position but for the time being he's just trying to control the pace.
Dick Niaz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nelson tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson taking shots to the head.
Nelson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Nelson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Nelson is trying to escape the mount but Niaz keeps good control and instead manages to take Nelson's back.

Niaz looking for the choke from the back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nelson has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Niaz.
Niaz punches the canvas rather than the man.

Niaz looking for the choke from the back.

Niaz working for a choke but Nelson is defending well.

Niaz is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nelson wants to control his opponent's hands but Niaz gets his hands free.

Niaz looking for the RNC.

Niaz is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niaz is striking well from the back but Nelson escapes and manages to control the positon and works his way to half guard. A much better position - the crisis is over for the time being.
Nelson wants to control but Niaz is keeping busy.
Nelson is staying active underneath Niaz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Niaz seems to be working for a kimura but Nelson defends the submission attempt.
Niaz is trying to control. Nelson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Niaz is trying to work for a kimura but Nelson is defending well.

Niaz wants to work for an arm triangle but Nelson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Niaz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Niaz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nelson won't allow Niaz to pass to mount.
Niaz is looking to take a break and control but Nelson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dick Niaz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Nelson doesn't manage to clinch there - Niaz circles away.

Nelson rushes Niaz and presses him up against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Niaz misses with a short punch on the inside.
Niaz struggles to land a body shot inside as Nelson controls his hands.
Nelson blocking some punches.
Nelson manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Niaz stalling in the clinch but Nelson improves position.
Nelson swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Niaz tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Niaz throws a head punch that misses.
Nelson lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Niaz wants to get back to striking at distance but Nelson won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nelson misses with a body punch.

Niaz pulls Nelson into guard.
Nelson won't allow Niaz to sweep him here.
Nelson trying to control the position from guard on top but Niaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Niaz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nelson is aware though and is defending well.
Niaz keeping moving, preventing Nelson from controlling successfully.
Niaz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nelson.
Nelson won't allow Niaz to sweep him here.
Nelson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Nelson trying to control but Niaz is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Don Nelson wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Nelson rushes Niaz and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Niaz stalling in the clinch but Nelson improves position.
Niaz tries to pull guard but Nelson won't allow it.
Nelson manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Niaz stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Nelson has a couple of punches blocked by Niaz.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Nelson as Niaz tries to tie him up.
Nelson leaning against his opponent.
Nelson keeps control of Niaz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Dick Niaz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nelson is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Niaz working hard to break the clinch.
Niaz working aggressively here.

Nelson has picked Niaz up - he's going for a ride! Nelson dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Nelson looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nelson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Niaz is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Nelson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Nelson's back!

Niaz patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niaz is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Nelson is in bad spot here.
Nelson is working hard here to advance position.
What can Nelson do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Niaz has the hooks in. Nelson is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Don Nelson.
Well Niaz has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dick Niaz!