PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lucio Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elijah Nichols (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santos comes to the cage accompanied by Get It. Nichols has chosen I'm So Hood as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Santos
vs
Nichols

202 cm
22
270 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
245 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nichols keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Santos.
Nichols looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Santos wants to clinch.
Santos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Santos fails in his attempt to clinch.
A jab lands there for Santos.

It looks like Elijah Nichols has been cut.

Santos closes the distance and clinches.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Santos creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Santos takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Nichols is trying to break the clinch but Santos has him pressed against the cage.
Santos prevents a body shot from Nichols.
A shot in the inside from Santos.
A short right from Santos.
A shot in the inside from Santos.
Santos lands a body shot in the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Santos lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Nichols or not.
Santos lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Nichols backwards.

That has opened up Elijah Nichols's cut even more.
Santos throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Nicholss head.
Santos lands with a short shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos pressing his opponent against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Santos creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Santos lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nichols backwards.
Santos lands with a left to the head.
Stalling in the clinch from Santos.
Santos tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Santos scores with a nice hook to the head.
A nice left hand lands by Santos.
Santos scores with a nice hook to the head.

The cut above Elijah Nichols's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Santos makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Santos pressing his opponent against the cage.
Santos lands with a short shot to the head.
Santos throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Santos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Santos throws a combination. Nichols tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Santos is looking to clinch.
Santos misses with a head kick.
Santos lands with a thumping leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Santos throws a head kick that misses.
Lucio Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Santos pushes Nichols up against the cage in a clinch.
Santos is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Santos is looking to break free of the clinch but Nichols has double underhooks.
A bit of stalling here from Santos.

Santos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nichols fails to land with a series of punches.
Santos tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Nichols darts in and clinches Santos up against the cage.
Nichols misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Santos.

Santos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nichols moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Horrible takedown by Nichols or perhaps it was just good defense by Santos which made him look bad.
Santos with a poor takedown
and Nichols counters with an inside leg kick.

Santos tries to keep at a distance but Nichols has taken the fight into the clinch.
Santos tries to land knees in the clinch but Nichols avoids the damage to the body.

Nichols manages to break the clinch.
Santos tries to clinch but Nichols moves away

and Nichols counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Santos has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Nichols off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Nichols.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nichols creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Santos sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Nichols sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Santos is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Santos sneaks back into half guard.
Nichols wants to control but Santos is keeping him busy.
Santos tries to kick Nichols off but Nichols keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Nichols wants to stand up but Santos has a hold of him and won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santos is looking to escape.
Nichols is keen to just control but Santos is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucio Santos dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Elijah Nichols's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Santos throws a head kick that half lands.

Elijah Nichols's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Santos tries to clinch
and Nichols counters with a leg kick.
Santos tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Nichols counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Santos misses with a double jab.
Santos looks to clinch

and Nichols counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Santos looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Nichols tries to stand but Santos is controlling from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nichols throws a strike but Santos rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Nichols is looking for a triangle here but Santos uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nichols looking for a sweep but Santos has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Santos controlling his opponent.
Nichols is wriggling around trying to escape.
Santos controlling the pace for now.
Santos has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
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.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Lucio Santos just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Santos clinches but Nichols breaks the clinch

and Nichols counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Nichols.
Santos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nichols wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santos has Nichols pulled in close to control his posture.
Santos throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Santos will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Santos is on top in guard.
Nichols throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Nichols wants to control the position but Santos says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Nichols is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Santos sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Santos can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nichols is looking to escape.
Nichols keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Elijah Nichols will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Elijah Nichols's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Santos tries to clinch but Nichols moves out of range.
Santos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Santos throws a hook to the side of Nichols's head but Nichols sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nichols has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Nichols there as he acknowledges the shot.
Nichols circles away from the clinch attempt

and Nichols holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Santos presses Nichols against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Santos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nice uppercut there from Santos.
Santos tries to clinch up

and Nichols counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Santos's guard now.
Santos is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nichols being controlled here momentarily.
Santos wants to stand but Nichols is controlling the position.
Santos is pulling down on Nichols's head. It's preventing any offense from Nichols, at least for the moment.
Nichols with a nice head shot there.
Nichols wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.
Nichols wants to get up but he can't break Santos's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nichols stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Santos swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Santos tries to clinch up
and Nichols counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Santos darts in trying to clinch

and Nichols counters by moving into the clinch.

Santos breaks the clinch.
Nichols keeps the fight on the outside.
Santos tries a head kick but it misses.
Santos tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Nichols decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Santos's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos controlling the position.
Santos bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nichols's guard.
Santos has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Nichols is proving hard to escape from.

Santos stands up and waves to Nichols to follow him.
Nichols tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Santos closes the distance and clinches.
Santos manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Santos.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nichols wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Santos looking to slow down the pace here.

Nichols breaks the clinch.
Nichols closes this distance looking for a takedown but Santos circles away.

Santos moves into the clinch.
Santos drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Santos is trying to stall.
Santos is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Santos has Nichols pushed against the cage.
Santos tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Nichols takes a knee right on the jaw!
Nichols has Santos pressed against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Elijah Nichols.
I think Nichols has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

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