PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ted Butler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Nygard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ted Butler has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Butler
vs
Nygard

209 cm
23
189 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Alpha-Male Nutritional Supplements (q160)

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ted Butler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Nygard!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, John Roberts and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nygard clinches with his opponent.
Butler is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Nygard is keeping busy.
Nygard prevents a takedown attempt there.
A right handed body shot lands from Nygard.
Butler tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Nygard just stands there and leans against the cage.

Nygard has picked Butler up - he's going for a ride! Nygard dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Nygard throws a strike but Butler avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Nygard postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nygard's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Butler preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nygard is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Butler is looking to stand up but Nygard isn't so interested in that idea.

Butler pushes Nygard off and scrambles back to his feet.
No joy there for Nygard, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Butler really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nygard throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Butler clinches with his opponent.
Butler is trying to pull guard but Nygard turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ted Butler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nygard has had enough of the clinch but Butler keeps him there for the moment.
A nice right hand lands inside from Nygard.
Butler looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Nygard is looking to break free of the clinch but Butler has double underhooks.
Nygard keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Butler's efforts to push away.
A right hook to the body lands for Nygard.
Butler is breathing heavily.
Butler has had enough of the clinch but Nygard keeps him there for the moment.

Nygard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mike Nygard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Butler checks a leg kick.

Nygard clinches up against the cage.
Butler tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Nygard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Nygard manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Nygard, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Nygard darts in and clinches Butler up against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Nygard.

Nygard has hold of one of Butler's legs. Butler is fighting the takedown attempt but Nygard gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Nygard makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Nygard throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Butler works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nygard postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Nygard is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Butler working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nygard.
Nygard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Butler throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Nygard scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Butler looking to control.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nygard's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nygard postures up and lands a big shot to Butler's brow.
Nygard lands a couple of digs.
Nygard keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Butler's head.
Nygard working some strikes from top position.
Nygard must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Nygard scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Nygard stands up over Butler, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Nygard is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Nygard scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Nygard postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Nygard lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Nygard postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Butler wants to stand and escape but Nygard is having none of it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nygard is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nygard postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Butler trying to keep a closed guard but Nygard is proving a slippery customer.
Butler has momentary wrist control but Nygard slips an elbow through the middle.
Butler wants to stand but Nygard is controlling the position.
Butler trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Nygard throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Butler works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nygard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nygard makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Butler has momentary wrist control but Nygard slips an elbow through the middle.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nygard's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Nygard 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.

Butler slips a jab and a cross from Nygard.
Butler stuffs the takedown.
Butler is looking to clinch but Nygard is avoiding it.

Nygard gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Butler tries to pull guard but Nygard forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Butler tries to pull guard but Nygard won't allow it.
Nygard stalling in the clinch.

Nygard has Butler pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Nygard pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Butler tumbling to the mat - Nygard dives into Butler's guard.
Butler striking off his back but it's not causing Nygard any problems.
Nygard is in close to Butler's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Nygard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nygard is breathing heavily.
Butler utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nygard accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butler is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nygard is looking to escape.
Butler looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Nygard is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nygard is trying to control but can't.
Butler prevents Nygard from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nygard pushes Butler off looking to stand but Butler dives back in and keeps control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Ted Butler.
Butler tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nygard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nygard swinging wildly here.
Butler scores with a hook.
Butler tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Butler tries to clinch but Nygard is having none of it.
Butler shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ted Butler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Butler checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Nygard swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Butler closes the distance and clinches up with Nygard, looking for a takedown. Butler pushes Nygard against the cage but Nygard circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nygard wants to clinch up but Butler keeps it at a distance.
Butler keeps the fight on the outside.
Butler shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Nygard defends it nicely.
Nygard throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Nygard forces Butler back against the cage and clinches.

Butler manages to pull guard.
Nygard has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nygard scoring with some ground and pound.

Butler looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Nygard is in close to Butler's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Butler utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butler looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nygard postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nygard really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Butler. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nygard chips away with some ground and pound.

Butler pushes Nygard off and gets back to his feet.
Nygard misses with the combination.
Butler tries to clinch up but Nygard circles away and keeps his distance.
Nygard misses with the combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Butler fails with the takedown.
Butler tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mike Nygard will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Nygard misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nygard misses with a low kick.
Nygard pivots, looking for a leg kick but Butler is out of range and Nygard settles back down.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Butler. Nygard shrugs it off though.
Butler moves out of range as Nygard strikes.
Nygard is looking to clinch but Butler is avoiding it.

Nygard gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Butler tries to pull guard but Nygard holds him up against the cage and eventually Butler drops back down to his feet.
Butler jumps guard but Nygard stands there with Butler around his waist. Butler gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Butler tries to stall but Nygard uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Butler tries to pull guard but Nygard forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ted Butler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Butler is trying to pull guard but Nygard turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Good body shot from Nygard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nygard is trying to break the clinch but Butler has him pressed against the cage.
Nygard throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Nygard tries to land knees in the clinch but Butler avoids the damage to the body.

Nygard pulls guard effortlessly.
Nygard is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Nygard thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nygard can do anything to dispel that myth.
Butler missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Nygard is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Butler dives into side control.
Nygard can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nygard is trying to work for a sweep but Butler has mounted him!
Nygard can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nygard tries to hold on but Butler postures up.
Butler looking to control but Nygard is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nygard is wriggling around trying to escape.
Nygard tries to hold on but Butler postures up.
Nygard is looking to get to half guard.
Nygard is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butler controlling the pace for now.
Nygard is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ted Butler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mike Nygard is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Mike Nygard has got the better of the ground game so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Nygard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nygard 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Nygard!