PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kimbo Rice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elijah Nichols (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nichols has chosen I'm So Hood as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Kimbo Rice has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Rice
vs
Nichols

180 cm
21
225 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
245 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Nemesis Cage Clothing

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kimbo Rice!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Elijah Nichols!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nichols blocks the body kick.
Nichols looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Rice tries to clinch but Nichols moves out of range.
Rice throws a leg kick that misses.
Nichols throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rice sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rice fails to land the takedown.
A slow jab from Rice misses its intended target.
Rice closes the distance and clinches up with Nichols, looking for a takedown. Rice pushes Nichols against the cage but Nichols circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nichols drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

It looks like Elijah Nichols has been cut.
Rice closes the distance and clinches up with Nichols, looking for a takedown. Rice pushes Nichols against the cage but Nichols circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kimbo Rice. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nichols uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rice.
Rice tries to clinch but Nichols is having none of it.
Nichols shoots for a takedown but Rice saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rice tries to clinch but Nichols is having none of it.
A combination from Rice does no damage.
Rice shoots in but no luck this time.
Rice throws a jab when Nichols was well out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rice gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Nichols counters with a big head kick but Rice shrugs it off.
Nichols bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nichols slips a jab from Rice.
Rice closes the distance but Nichols moves to the side

and Nichols counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Nichols holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Nichols breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rice throws a leg kick that is checked

and Nichols counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Nichols.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rice bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nichols's guard.
Rice working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rice's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Nichols has a closed guard, preventing Rice from standing up.
Nichols wants to stand but Rice is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nichols is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nichols should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Nichols pulls Rice in to control the position.
Rice working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nichols wants to stand up but Rice is controlling him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nichols circles away from the clinch attempt
and Nichols counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rice is lucky that one didn't land flush.
A slow jab from Rice misses its intended target.
Rice clinches but Nichols breaks the clinch

and Nichols moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nichols gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rice.
Nichols lands a knee to the body.
Nice body punch from Nichols.
Nichols prevents a takedown attempt there.

Nichols pulls guard effortlessly.
Rice trying to control the position from guard on top but Nichols is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nichols can't keep his opponent in guard - Rice advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rice is tying to control. Nichols wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Nichols is looking for a sweep. Rice is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rice not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Nichols looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Nichols wants to get back to full guard.
Rice wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nichols keeps working.
Nichols really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rice. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Rice wants to clinch
and Nichols connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rice clinches but Nichols breaks the clinch

and Nichols counters by clinching up.
Rice is looking to break free of the clinch but Nichols has double underhooks.
Nichols goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rice prevents it.
Rice managing to block the knees to the body from Nichols.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elijah Nichols dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Elijah Nichols's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rice shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Nichols counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rice's guard now.
Nichols in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rice thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Nichols tries to free his leg and advance position but Rice is retaining full guard.
Rice manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rice lands a big shot there that rocks Nichols but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Rice looking to control but Nichols is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nichols is wriggling around trying to escape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nichols is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rice prevents Nichols from getting the reversal.
Rice connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Nichols is looking to get to half guard.
Nichols squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Nichols tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nichols in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Rice has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Nichols's face.
Nichols is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rice lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Nichols working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rice landing shots from mount.
Nichols throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Nichols sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Nichols is trying to stand.
Rice scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Nichols wants to control but Rice passes into side.
Rice lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Rice working the ground and pound.
Nichols is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Rice is controlling him well.
Rice scores with punches from side control.
Rice is looking to take a break and control but Nichols is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rice tries to clinch but Nichols moves away
and Nichols counters with a series of strikes. Rice will be more careful next time no doubt.
Kimbo Rice seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Nichols gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Nichols breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nichols avoids the body shot from Rice.
Rice tries to clinch but fails miserably

so Nichols counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nichols is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rice is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Nichols throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Rice thows a huge punch but Nichols dodges it nicely.
Nichols on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Rice throwing shots but Nichols is blocking nicely.
Nichols regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rice has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nichols looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rice passes into side control.
Nichols manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Nichols wants to sweep but Rice has passed to side control!
Check out the look on Rice's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Nichols is looking to regain half guard here but Rice keeps moving and retains side control.
Rice cracks Nichols with a big right hand but Nichols just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Rice swings around for an armbar but Nichols sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rice's guard.
Nichols tries to free his leg and advance position but Rice is retaining full guard.
Nichols trying to control but Rice is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elijah Nichols showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Elijah Nichols's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rice tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Nichols counters with a low kick, right behind Rice 's knee.
A slow jab from Rice misses its intended target.
Nichols connects with a high kick.
Rice fails with the takedown

and Nichols counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rice won't be happy with that.
You can see the frustration on Rice's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Nichols tries to stand but Rice is controlling his head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nichols sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Rice is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Rice pushes Nichols away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Nichols gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Nichols misses with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rice regains half guard.
Rice won't allow Nichols to pass to mount.

Nichols stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Nichols uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rice.
Rice misses with a takedown attempt
and Nichols counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rice is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Nichols 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.

Nichols gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Rice tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Nichols counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Nichols moves nicely into side control.

Nichols is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rice has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nichols looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Rice is trying to get back to half guard.
Nichols working the head with strikes.
Nichols postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Nichols lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Nichols wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rice, who protects the arm well.
Nichols cracks Rice with a big right hand but Rice just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rice punishes Nichols's body with a nice straight punch.
Rice misses with a takedown

and Nichols counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kimbo Rice. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nichols landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Nichols prevents Rice from breaking the clinch.
Nichols blocks an uppercut.

Nichols breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nichols circles away from the clinch attempt

and Nichols counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rice won't be happy with that.
Kimbo Rice has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rice is trying to escape the position but Nichols is controlling the position.
Nichols throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rice is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Nichols cracks Rice with a big elbow.
Nichols lands a nice forearm strike.

Nichols decides to stand back up. Nichols steps back and let's Rice get back to his feet.
Rice throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Nichols counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Rice tries to clinch
and Nichols counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nice defenses there by Nichols.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rice misses with a straight left.
Rice lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rice.
Rice takes a swing at Nichols's ribcage but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elijah Nichols comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Nichols winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elijah Nichols!