PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jeff Nichols (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrjez Masson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Nichols
vs
Masson

150 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

151 cm
18
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jeff Nichols!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Andrjez Masson!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Dillan Fox and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Masson gets tackled into the cage by Nichols. Nichols maintains the clinch.
Masson fails to pull guard.
Nichols tries to score a body lock takedown but Masson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Masson takes an elbow to the forehead.

Nichols breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nichols rushes Masson and presses him up against the cage.

Nichols jumps guard.
Nichols lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Masson!
Masson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nichols has hold of Masson's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Masson manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Masson tries to hold on but Nichols postures up.
Poor strikes thrown by Nichols there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Masson avoids a series of strikes thrown by Nichols.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nichols wants to get back to his feet but Masson is holding on tight.

Nichols is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Masson is surviving well by controlling Nichols's body position as best he can.
Nichols looking to finish with strikes here!
Masson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nichols is working for a guillotine from mount but Masson frees his head quite easily.
Nichols avoids the attempt from Masson to control.

Nichols is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Masson can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Nichols controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masson wants to control but Nichols is having none of it.
Nichols can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Masson is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeff Nichols 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.

Masson fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Nichols checks it well.
Nichols fails with a takedown attempt.
Nichols could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Masson tries to clinch up but Nichols circles away and keeps his distance.
Masson fails with an attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nichols throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nichols works over Masson's head and body with a nice combination.

It looks like Andrjez Masson has been cut.
Masson tries to clinch up but Nichols circles away and keeps his distance.

Masson moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Masson is trying to pull guard but Nichols has him pressed against the cage.

Nichols pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nichols is looking to clinch.
Masson tries to close the distance and clinch but Nichols swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nichols throws a head kick that misses.
Masson tries to clinch
and Nichols counters with a stiff right hand.
Jeff Nichols is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nichols shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Masson eats them both and turns towards Nichols to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Masson just misses with a punch to the body.
Nichols looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Masson is looking to chop away at Nichols's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Masson attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Masson wants to land a leg kick but Nichols is out of range.
An inside leg kick from Masson misses.
Masson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Nichols.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Nichols. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Masson is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Nichols.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nichols throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nichols tries to clinch there but Masson circles away.

Nichols moves into the clinch successfully.
Masson is trying to pull guard but Nichols has him pressed against the cage.

Nichols decides to pull guard.
Masson trying to move into half guard but instead Nichols has managed to sweep!
Masson is controlling Nichols's posture.
Nichols trying to control but Masson is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Nichols trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

We're going to have a standup here because Jeff Nichols wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Masson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Nichols manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Andrjez Masson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Masson tries to land a leg kick but Nichols saw it coming and moves away.
Nichols with a lazy takedown attempt

and Masson counters with a single leg into guard. Nichols didn't expect that.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Masson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nichols is keeping the position for now.
Nichols utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Masson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Nichols dives on top into guard.
Masson pulls Nichols in close to prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeff Nichols dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Andrjez Masson's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Masson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Masson wants it to stay on the feet.
Nichols shoots in looking for a takedown. Masson tries to sprawl out of it but Nichols keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Masson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Masson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Nichols manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nichols checks the leg kick nicely there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masson tries a low kick but Nichols avoids it.
Nichols blocks a leg kick.
Nichols changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Masson tries to avoid it but Nichols manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Masson to the ground. Masson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Nichols. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nichols misses with a head kick.
Jeff Nichols seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Masson throws a front kick aimed at Nichols's knee but Nichols avoids it well.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nichols is defended easily by Masson.
Masson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Nichols manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Masson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nichols was well out of range. Poor timing from Masson.
Masson wants to clinch up but Nichols keeps it at a distance.
Masson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Masson tries to clinch
and Nichols counters with a three punch combo that has Masson backing up. Masson nods at Nichols to acknowledge the strikes.
Masson is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nichols throws a shot to the body.
Masson is looking to clinch.
Nichols pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Jeff Nichols is winning the standup battle so far.
Masson throws a low kick but Nichols avoids it.
Nichols throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Masson throws a right and a left that Nichols avoids nicely.
Nichols fails with the takedown.
The fight stays on the outside here - Masson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Masson wants to clinch up but Nichols keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nichols keeps the fight on the outside.
Masson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nichols changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Masson tries to avoid it but Nichols manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Masson to the ground. Masson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Masson is looking to clinch but Nichols is avoiding it.

Masson closes the distance and clinches.
Masson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nichols looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Masson is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Nichols to keep the fight standing.
Nichols is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Masson jumps guard but Nichols turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Andrjez Masson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masson is trying to pull guard but Nichols has him pressed against the cage.
Nichols is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Masson is defending well.
Masson jumps guard but Nichols turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Masson is trying to drag Nichols to the mat but Nichols just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Masson tries to pull guard but Nichols won't allow it.
Masson is looking for a takedown.

Nichols breaks from the clinch.
Masson stuffs the takedown attempt from Nichols. Nichols gets slowly back to his feet.
Jeff Nichols is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A low kick from Masson is predictable there
and Nichols counters with a nice uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrjez Masson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nichols has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28

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