PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Holyfield (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bastian Nokia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bastian Nokia is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Holyfield
vs
Nokia

190 cm
24
190 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

182 cm
33
197 lbs
6 - 33 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Holyfield!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 33 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bastian Nokia!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Cecil Peabody and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holyfield pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Holyfield tries to close the distance and clinch but Nokia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Holyfield takes the fight into the clinch.

Nokia pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Holyfield doesn't manage to clinch there - Nokia circles away.
Holyfield tries to clinch up.
Holyfield tries to clinch up
and Nokia counters with a head kick. That will keep Holyfield thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holyfield pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Holyfield.
Holyfield is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Holyfield knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nokia on the ground.
Holyfield tries to advance to mount but Nokia instead regains half guard.
Nokia is refusing to be controlled, as Holyfield sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Holyfield decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Holyfield looks to land a body kick but Nokia moved away.

Holyfield throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Nokia was covering up waiting for the punch and Holyfield finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Holyfield showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Holyfield trying to control but Nokia is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nokia pushes Holyfield off and scrambles back to his feet.

Holyfield scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Holyfield is just content to waste time from the top position. Nokia takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Holyfield trying to control the position from guard on top but Nokia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holyfield stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nokia swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Holyfield trying to control but Nokia is working from the bottom.
Holyfield has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Holyfield trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Holyfield stands and steps away. Nokia gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holyfield looks to clinch

and Nokia counters with a takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Holyfield wants to control but Nokia postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that James Holyfield will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Holyfield scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Holyfield is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Holyfield throwing strikes but missing.

Nokia manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nokia's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Holyfield tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nokia swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Holyfield darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
James Holyfield overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nokia is defending against the submission attempts here by Holyfield.
Nokia wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Holyfield is looking for a kimura but Nokia is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Holyfield to get the leverage.
Nokia is trying to stand back up but Holyfield is controlling him
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Nokia is trying to escape back to his feet but Holyfield uses the scramble to pass into side control.

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

Holyfield decides to stand up, so the ref orders Nokia to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holyfield shoots in and gets a takedown into Nokia's guard.
Holyfield is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nokia can do to turn this around?
Holyfield tries to stand but Nokia is controlling from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holyfield pushing down on Nokia's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Nokia makes his way to full guard, as Holyfield worked for a kimura.
Holyfield trying to control but Nokia is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holyfield looking to sit in guard and control but Nokia gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Holyfield holds on and takes a little breather.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nokia sitting in guard here, content to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Holyfield dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Holyfield shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Holyfield stops Nokia from getting back to his feet.

Nokia makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nokia circles away from the clinch attempt.
James Holyfield seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Holyfield changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Nokia looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Holyfield trying to control the position but Nokia is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holyfield wants to take a breather but Nokia manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Holyfield.

Holyfield gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Nokia avoids the body shot from Holyfield.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Holyfield, as that shot connected.
Holyfield misses with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Holyfield shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Holyfield was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Nokia wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Holyfield goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Nokia rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Holyfield's guard! Nice work there by Nokia!
Nokia is stalling in the full guard.
Holyfield working a defensive guard but Nokia manages to pass into side control anyway.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nokia taking a breather here.
Nokia tries to move to mount but Holyfield blocks the move with his legs.
Holyfield manages to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Holyfield trying to control from the bottom.
Nokia controlling the pace.
Nokia prevents Holyfield from improving his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holyfield has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nokia is working away from the top position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Holyfield showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Holyfield, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Holyfield!