PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nick Horton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nathaniel Price (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Horton kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is New Divide. The crowd seem to be enjoying Price's choice of entrance music: Thunderstruck. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Horton
vs
Price

177 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nick Horton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nathaniel Price!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Steve Erwin and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Horton moves into range and clinches up with Price.

Horton breaks from the clinch.
Horton with a lazy takedown attempt

and Price counters with a nice double leg into side control. Horton won't be happy with that.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Horton wants to get back to his feet but Price is dominant here and he's now got Horton's back!
Price has the hooks in. Horton is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Price controlling the positon.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
It looks like Price might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Price landing with strikes.
Horton is trapped and Price is scoring with shots to the head and body.

Horton fending off the submission attempt from Price.
Price has good solid back control here.

Price is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Horton knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Horton for a finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Price lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.

Price working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Horton wants to escape the position.
Price has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Horton's body.
Let's hope that Price has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Price lands a shot to the head.
Price punches Horton on the ear.
Horton trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
I would not like to be Horton right now.

Horton showing good submission defense here.
Price scores with punches to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Horton defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Price's arms.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Horton looking very determined here, making life difficult for Price.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Price lands a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathaniel Price 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.

Price fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Horton tries to score a power double leg takedown but Price sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Horton somewhat.
Horton shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Price as he jumps to the side.
No luck for Price with that takedown attempt.
Price throws a sloppy head kick and Horton moves out of range easily.
Price tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Price tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Horton paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Price closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Price lands in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horton is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Price wants to control from the top but Horton keeps moving.

Horton is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Priceis looking to pass into half guard but Horton pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Horton is in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Price working for a triangle but Horton defends it easily.
Price is pulling down on Horton's head to control his posture.
Price is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Horton stands up and waves to Price to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Price tries to close the distance and clinch up but Horton swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Price throws a head kick that misses.

Price looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Horton wants to stand up but Price is controlling him.
Price chips away with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Price passes Horton's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Price wants to pass to mount but Horton is defending the position.
Price perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Price is looking for a kimura but Horton is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Price to get the leverage.
Horton trying to control but Price postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Horton tries to get to full guard but Price has control of the leg.
Price performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathaniel Price showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Price shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Price trying to control but Horton is working from the bottom.
Price stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Horton swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Price wants to control from the top but Horton keeps moving.

Nathaniel Price has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Horton shoots in and drives through. Price sprawls well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horton shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Price counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Price.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Price is trying to push Horton away but Horton has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Price jumps guard but Horton stands there with Price around his waist. Price gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Price has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Horton is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Price gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Horton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horton is looking for a takedown.

Price breaks from the clinch.

Price shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Price showed some decent athleticism there.
Still in half guard, Price seems content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Price trying to pass the guard but Horton defending well.
Price slows the pace down in half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Nathaniel Price hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Price shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Price forces his way into half guard.

Price looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Price decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Price or perhaps it was just good defense by Horton which made him look bad.
Nick Horton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Horton fails to land the takedown.
Price shoots for a takedown but Horton saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Horton shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Price misses with a head kick.

Price scores with a takedown into Horton's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Price accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathaniel Price really dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Price tries to clinch but Horton is having none of it.
Horton swinging wildly here.

Price shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Price lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Price avoids the attempt from Horton to control.
Price tries to control but Horton wriggling away.
Horton is working to get back to half guard.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Horton is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Price raining down hammerfists from mount.
Price with good strikes from the mount here!

Price has control of Horton's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Horton regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Horton tries to hold on but Price postures up.

Price is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Price tries to close the distance and clinch but Horton swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Horton gets caught flat footed, as Price shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Price with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Price gets to his feet. Horton looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Price tries to clinch but Horton moves out of range.

Price shoots in and bounces Horton off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Price wants to control from the top but Horton keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Horton isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Price stacks Horton on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Price!

Price decides to stand back up. Price steps back and let's Horton get back to his feet.
Horton throws a head kick that misses.
Horton throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Horton tries to sprawl but Price drives through with a takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horton wants to get back to full guard.
Price is pressing down on Horton's thigh, looking to free his foot. Horton is holding on for now.
Horton wants to get back to full guard.
Price slows the pace down in half guard.
Price looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Horton with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Horton taking some punishment here, with Price in his half guard.
Price is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathaniel Price dominated that fourth round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Price looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Price swats away the attempt to clinch by Horton.
Price tries to close the distance and clinch up but Horton swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Price wants to clinch up but Horton keeps it at a distance.
Price keeps the fight on the outside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Price keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Price shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Horton pinned against the cage. Horton gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Price tries to close the distance and clinch but Horton swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Price misses with a double jab.
Horton fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Price throws a right hand that Horton ducks under and follows up with a left that Horton also avoids with ease.
Horton tries to clinch there but Price circles away.

Price closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Price lands in his opponent's guard.
Price slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Price looking to pass the guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Horton wants to sweep here but Price controlling him for the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nathaniel Price was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Horton tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Price paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horton shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Price as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Horton. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Price feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Horton wants to stand and escape but Price is having none of it.
Price seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Horton trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Nathaniel Price.
Price misses with a jab, cross combination.

Price looking to score a takedown here. Horton is defending well but Price drives through and ends up in Horton's guard.
Horton is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Price passes Horton's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Price tries to stand but can't do so whilst Horton controls his leg.
Nick Horton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nathaniel Price is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Price keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nathaniel Price comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Price 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 45:50
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 45:50
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nathaniel Price!
In his post fight interview, Nathaniel Price started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.