PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Franky Syn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kert Nigobson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Syn's entrance music is Truth by Alexander. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Syn
vs
Nigobson

190 cm
29
212 lbs
15 - 9 - 0

188 cm
30
213 lbs
21 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Zipp Zapp

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 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Franky Syn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kert Nigobson!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Syn is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Nigobson.
Nigobson throws a leg kick but Syn sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Syn lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Syn doesn't manage to clinch there - Nigobson circles away.
Nigobson tests Syn's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nigobson fakes the leg kick and cracks Syn in the body.
Nigobson throws a leg kick which misses Syn's front leg but catches the back leg as Syn tries to avoid it.
Nigobson throws a nice inside leg kick.
Nigobson throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Nigobson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Syn was well out of range. Poor timing from Nigobson.

Nigobson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Nigobson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Syn defending well though.
Syn slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nigobson wants to control from the top but Syn keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nigobson works over Syn with some ground and pound from guard.
Nigobson postures up in Syn's guard and throws a big left but Syn blocks it.
Nigobson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nigobson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nigobson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nigobson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Nigobson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nigobson throws a big right hand that misses.
Nigobson trying to control the position from guard on top but Syn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
We've been told by Syn's head coaches at 11th Planet MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Syn tries to land a front kick but Nigobson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nigobson throws a nice outside leg kick.
Syn scores with a body shot.
Nigobson swinging wildly here.
Franky Syn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nigobson lands a leg kick that knocks Syn off balance momentarily.
Kert Nigobson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Syn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Syn looks to score with a jab to the body but Nigobson is just out of range.
Syn misses with a straight right.
Nigobson lands with an overhand left.

Nigobson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Nigobson working some strikes from top position.
Nigobson throwing strikes from guard but Syn blocks nicely.
Syn working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Syn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Syn being controlled here, momentarily.
Nigobson throws an elbow that misses. Syn uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Nigobson's guard. Nice move by Syn!

Nigobson wants to sweep here but Syn controlling him for the moment.
Nigobson has his hands on Syn's head, controlling the position.
Nigobson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Nigobson is controlling Syn's posture.
Nigobson looking to control.
Syn pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nigobson is keeping the position for now.
Syn wants to control from the top but Nigobson keeps moving.
Nigobson working a defensive guard here.
Nigobson looking for a sweep. Not yet Nigobson, not yet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Syn chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Nigobson gets the takedown into side control.
Nigobson sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Syn is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Nigobson working the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kert Nigobson 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.

Nigobson has a takedown stuffed.
Syn throws a jab when Nigobson was well out of range.
Syn throws a jab but it's blocked by Nigobson.
Some wild striking there from Nigobson.
Syn tries to clinch there but Nigobson circles away.
Syn takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Nigobson blocks a low kick nicely.
A head kick by Nigobson misses
and Syn counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nigobson moves in looking to clinch but Syn pushes him off.
Syn lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circling - Syn throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
An inside leg kick from Nigobson misses.
Nice body kick there by Nigobson.
Syn throws a low kick but Nigobson moves out of range easily.
Syn is looking to chop away at Nigobson's legs.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Nigobson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Syn looks to throw the jab but Nigobson is out of range.
Syn walks into a stiff left hand from Nigobson.
Syn loads up on a big right hand but Nigobson slips the punch.
Nigobson dodges the punch combination from Syn.
Nice shot by Nigobson.
Nigobson takes a swing at Syn's ribcage but misses.
Syn thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nigobson moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Nigobson checks a leg kick.
Syn on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Nigobson. Nigobson obviously looking to wear him down.
Syn finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Nigobson dives in and grabs Syn's left leg, looking for a takedown. Syn pushes down on Nigobson's head and hops out.
No luck for Nigobson with that takedown attempt.
Franky Syn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kert Nigobson.
Nigobson is looking to score with low kicks.
Syn throws a leg kick but Nigobson sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nigobson throws an overhand right that lands on Syn's shoulder, as Syn tries to avoid the shot.
Nigobson feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Syn's calf.
Syn tries to clinch but Nigobson is having none of it.
Nigobson throws out a powerful jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Syn clinches up against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Syn.
Syn taking a breather.
Syn throws a punch but it's blocked by Nigobson.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Nigobson tightens his grip and picks Syn up, before dumping him to the ground. Syn manages to land in guard.
Nigobson trying to control but Syn is working from the bottom.
Nigobson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Syn works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nigobson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Nigobson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Nigobson trying to control but Syn is working from the bottom.
Syn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nigobson trying to control but Syn is working from the bottom.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Nigobson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

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.
Nigobson misses with a leg kick.
Nigobson connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Nigobson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Syn sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Nigobson walks into a jab.

It looks like Kert Nigobson has been cut.

Nigobson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Nigobson is trying to drag Syn to the mat but Syn just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Syn doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Syn is trying to stall.
Nigobson is looking to control Syn's arms but Syn gets an underhook and turns him. Now Nigobson has his back to the cage.
Syn fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nigobson has a couple of punches blocked by Syn.
Nigobson tries to stall but Syn uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kert Nigobson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kert Nigobson's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A left lands for Syn.
Syn misses with a body shot.
Nigobson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Syn moves out of range of the leg kick from Nigobson.
Nigobson has a takedown stuffed.
Syn tries to bum rush Nigobson with a series of wild strikes but Nigobson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nigobson misses with a wild body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Syn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nigobson throws an overhand right that lands on Syn's shoulder, as Syn tries to avoid the shot.
Syn throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Nigobson thumps Syn with a low kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Syn misses with a low kick.
Nice body punch from Syn.
Nigobson gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Syn.
Nigobson misses with an attempted mid kick.
Nigobson throws a leg kick but Syn checks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Syn takes a swing at Nigobson's ribcage but misses.
Syn misses with a low kick.

Syn darts in and clinches Nigobson up against the cage.
Nigobson tries to pull guard but Syn holds him up against the cage and eventually Nigobson drops back down to his feet.
Syn prevents the takedown attempt.
Franky Syn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kert Nigobson.
Syn is looking to control Nigobson's arms but Nigobson gets an underhook and turns him. Now Syn has his back to the cage.
Syn misses with the head strike.
Nigobson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Syn displaying some good clinch control by pressing Nigobson up against the cage.
Syn is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Syn is pressed up against the cage. Nigobson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Syn down to the mat. Syn avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nigobson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Nigobson darts in and clinches Syn up against the cage.
Nigobson is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nigobson is looking for a takedown.
Nigobson scores with a nice hook to the head.

Nigobson lands a takedown into guard.
Nigobson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Syn is keeping the position for now.
Nigobson throwing strikes from guard but Syn blocks nicely.
Nigobson looking to pass the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nigobson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Nigobson passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nigobson connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Syn some visible discomfort.
Nigobson looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Syn is avoiding damage well.

Nigobson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Syn is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nigobson misses with the ground and pound.
Nigobson creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Syn sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Nigobson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nigobson misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Franky Syn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Syn tries to bench press Nigobson off him but Nigobson keeps the position.

Nigobson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Syn knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Nigobson throws an elbow but Syn slips to the side and avoids it well.
Nigobson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Syn keeps working.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nigobson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Syn.
Syn turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nigobson explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kert Nigobson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Nigobson 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kert Nigobson!
Kert Nigobson spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.