PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nate Great (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Higgins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandon Higgins struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 171.3lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Great
vs
Higgins

185 cm
29
180 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

184 cm
28
185 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nate Great!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Brandon Higgins !
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice body punch from Great.
Great throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A looping hook to the body misses from Great. Higgins does a little dance to reset his feet.
Great lands with a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Higgins throws a lazy right hand but Great sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Great thows a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Higgins uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Great.
Great jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Great misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Higgins throws a right hand that misses
and Great counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Great lands with a good body shot.
Higgins uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Great.
Great misses with a looping left.
Great looks to score with a jab to the body but Higgins is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Higgins looks to throw the jab but Great is out of range.
Great misses the shot to the body.
A slow jab from Higgins misses its intended target.
Great throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Higgins avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Great dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Higgins loads up on a big right hand but Great slips the punch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Great throws a body punch but Higgins moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Great dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Higgins avoids the body shot from Great.
Great fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Great jabs Higgins to the body, keeping him at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Higgins keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Higgins throws a shot from downtown. Great moves away and avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Higgins drives through with a takedown into guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Great is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Higgins throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Great works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Higgins throwing strikes from guard but Great blocks nicely.
Higgins must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Great is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Higgins is aware though and is defending well.
Higgins stopping the sweep attempt from Great.

Great has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Higgins can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Great trying to control the position.
Higgins throwing strikes but missing.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Higgins throwing strikes from guard but Great blocks nicely.

Great is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Higgins looking to pass the guard.

Great looking for a guillotine here but Higgins defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Higgins postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Great is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Higgins distracts Great with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Great is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Higgins throwing strikes but missing.
Higgins trying to control the position from guard on top but Great is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Higgins scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Great working for a triangle but Higgins defends it easily.

Great is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Higgins landing some decent shots from guard.
Higgins is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Brandon Higgins has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Higgins makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
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!
Higgins stopping the sweep attempt from Great.
Higgins lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Higgins showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Higgins keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Great defending well as Higgins loads up on a big left hand.

Higgins closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Great's guard.

Great working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Higgins doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Higgins manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Great keeping moving, preventing Higgins from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Higgins throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Great works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Higgins controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Higgins distracts Great with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Great is looking for a triangle but Higgins pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Higgins trying to control but Great is working from the bottom.

Great is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Higgins defends well.
Higgins is stalling in the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Higgins pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Great is keeping the position for now.
Higgins scoring with punches to the head and body.
Higgins trying to control the position from guard on top but Great is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Great isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Higgins stacks Great 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 Higgins !
Higgins gets to mount! Great was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Higgins lands a big shot there that rocks Great but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Higgins landing strikes from the mount and Great is in trouble!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Higgins lands with some strikes.
Higgins punishing his opponent with strikes.
Great is wriggling around trying to escape.
Higgins landing strikes, looking to finish!
Higgins looking to control but Great is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Great is trying to escape the mount.
Higgins lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Great can't escape the position.
Higgins looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Great is rocked!
Higgins with the ground and pound from mount.
Oh Great is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Higgins postures up and throws a massive shot that knocks Great out cold! Two more strikes to his unconscious opponent for good luck and this one is all over! Higgins goes absolutely crazy with his corner! Wow, you can see how much that win means to him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Brandon Higgins !