PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Newton Guthrie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mads Nielsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nielsen has chosen Metallica - Enter Sandman as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Guthrie
vs
Nielsen

211 cm
21
215 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
21
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Newton Guthrie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mads Nielsen!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Chris Downing and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nielsen tries to clinch up but Guthrie circles away and keeps his distance.
Nielsen tries to clinch there but Guthrie circles away.

Guthrie rushes Nielsen and presses him up against the cage.

Guthrie drags the fight down to the ground.
Nielsen won't allow Guthrie to get back to his feet.
Nielsen wants to control from the top but Guthrie keeps moving.
Guthrie bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nielsen's guard.
Guthrie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Nielsen is trying to keep Guthrie in close.
Guthrie wants to stand and escape but instead Nielsen has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Guthrie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nielsen defends well.
Nielsen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Guthrie swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guthrie working a defensive guard here.
Guthrie on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Guthrie tries to get out of the position.
Nielsen stopping the sweep attempt from Guthrie.
Guthrie wants to stand but Nielsen is controlling the position.
Guthrie looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen wants to control from the top but Guthrie keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Newton Guthrie.
Nielsen is looking to clinch.

Guthrie drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Nielsen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nielsen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Nielsen working for submissions but it's allowed Guthrie to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Guthrie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Nielsen is trying to stand up here but Guthrie is controlling him well.
Nielsen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Guthrie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nielsen is looking to improve his position.
Guthrie really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Guthrie performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen is looking to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Newton Guthrie.
Nielsen dives in for a single leg takedown but Guthrie sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Nielsen wants to take the fight to the mat but Guthrie manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Nielsen is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Guthrie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nielsen dives in and grabs Guthrie's left leg, looking for a takedown. Guthrie pushes down on Nielsen's head and hops out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Newton Guthrie dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Guthrie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Guthrie wants to stand but Nielsen has his arm trapped.
Guthrie advances to full mount.
Guthrie lands a heavy elbow.
Nielsen tries to hold on but Guthrie pushes him away.
Guthrie in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Guthrie tries to control but Nielsen wriggling away.
Guthrie sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Nielsen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guthrie tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Nielsen tries to hold on but Guthrie pushes him away.
Guthrie breaks from Nielsen's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Newton Guthrie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Guthrie content just to control the position here.
Guthrie landing strikes from the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Guthrie controlling the position easily from mount.
Guthrie's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Nielsen in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
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!
Guthrie lands a big elbow.
Guthrie scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Nielsen?
Nielsen looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

Guthrie tightening his grip on Nielsen, looking for the choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Guthrie.

Guthrie working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Guthrie looking to break Nielsen's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Nielsen remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Guthrie will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Guthrie 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Guthrie looking for the RNC.
Guthrie is punishing Nielsen with some ground and pound.

Guthrie is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Nielsen is in bad spot here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Guthrie doesn't have the hooks in and Nielsen manages to turn into his guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Guthrie holds on and takes a little breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Newton Guthrie dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Guthrie tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Nielsen defends well and Guthrie ends up having to push Nielsen into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Guthrie is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Nielsen gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Nielsen wants to get back to striking at distance but Guthrie won't allow it.

Guthrie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nielsen darts in looking for a takedown but Guthrie gets double underhooks and turns Nielsen into the cage.

Guthrie manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Nielsen wants to control from the top but Guthrie keeps moving.
Guthrie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nielsen is one step ahead there.
Nielsen trying to control the position from guard on top but Guthrie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Guthrie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Nielsen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Nielsen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Nielsen wants to control from the top but Guthrie keeps moving.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Guthrie working for a triangle but Nielsen defends it easily.
Guthrie preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen passes Guthrie's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Guthrie tries to get to full guard but Nielsen has control of the leg.
Guthrie controlling the position for now.
Nielsen tries to pass to full mount but Guthrie defends it.
Nielsen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nielsen is looking to advance position but Guthrie won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen trying to control from half guard but Guthrie is working away.
Guthrie is looking to control Nielsen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Guthrie avoid being mounted?
Nielsen tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Guthrie.
Guthrie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Guthrie looking for a sweep. Not yet Guthrie, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen is fighting to break Guthrie's control of his arms but Guthrie is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nielsen stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Newton Guthrie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nielsen shoots in and drives through. Guthrie sprawls well.
Guthrie fails to land the takedown.
Nielsen tries to close the distance and clinch but Guthrie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Nielsen. No joy for Guthrie on that attempt.

Nielsen shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Guthrie is trying to defend but Nielsen finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Nielsen is working for a kimura but Guthrie is defending it quite comfortably.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mads Nielsen.
I think Guthrie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Newton Guthrie!