PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Stone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kalesh Nikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stone's entrance music is CUZ I GOT HIGH. Ben's smoking a joint right now? What a guy.. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Stone
vs
Nikov

185 cm
36
179 lbs
35 - 14 - 0

170 cm
35
211 lbs
26 - 20 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ben Stone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 20 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kalesh Nikov!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Paul Aken and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nikov shoots in and gets a takedown into Stone's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikov trying to control but Stone is working from the bottom.
Stone is trying to control the position but Nikov postures up.
Nikov trying to control the position from guard on top but Stone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Stone escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nikov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Nikov works a leg free and moves into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters are battling for position here. Stone manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Stone keeping moving, preventing Nikov from controlling successfully.
Nikov controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stone is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nikov is aware though and is defending well.

Stone has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nikov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Nikov looking to pass the guard.

Stone isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Nikov stacks Stone on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Nikov!

Nikov thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

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.
Stone is looking to regain half guard here but Nikov keeps moving and retains side control.
Nikov is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stone is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nikov tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Stone is not content to let Nikov control the position.
Nikov moves into full mount!
Stone is trying to escape the mount but Nikov keeps good control and instead manages to take Stone's back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stone breaks Nikov's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Stone is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Nikov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Stone wants to control from the top but Nikov keeps moving.
Stone pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nikov is keeping the position for now.
Stone will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Stone passes into half guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Nikov looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Nikov trying to control but Stone postures up.
Stone wants to control but Nikov is keeping him busy.

Nikov is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Stone pulls his head out easily.
Stone wants to take a breather but Nikov is having none of it.
Nikov trying to control but Stone postures up.

That's six 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.
Nikov might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Stone haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nikov has a takedown stuffed.
Nikov shoots in for a takedown but Stone shows good takedown defense.
Nikov tries for a takedown but Stone sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ben Stone has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kalesh Nikov.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Nikov.
Stone is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Nikov's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Stone is staying active underneath Nikov, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Stone works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Nikov trying to control the position from guard on top but Stone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nikov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Stone swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stone is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nikov slips nicely into half guard.
Stone is staying active underneath Nikov, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Stone wants to control but Nikov is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's eight 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.
Stone is in trouble now - Nikov has advanced to mount!
Nikov trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nikov looking to control and managing it successfully.
Nikov is looking to work his way around to Stone's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Nikov tries to control but Stone wriggling away.
Stone tries to reverse the position but Nikov maintains control.
Nikov wants to take Stone's back but he can't do it this time.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Nikov trying to control but Stone is having none of it.

Nikov looking to secure an arm triangle but Stone defends it well.
Stone tries to hold on but Nikov pushes him away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stone is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Stone is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kalesh Nikov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Stone defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nikov.

Nikov shoots in and bounces Stone off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Nikov wants to control from the top but Stone keeps moving.
Nikov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stone is keeping the position for now.
Nikov is pushing down on Stone's leg trying to pass to half guard. Stone is fighting to maintain full guard but Nikov has managed to sneak the leg through.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stone regains full guard. Nicely done.

Stone is looking for a triangle but Nikov pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone keeping moving, preventing Nikov from controlling successfully.
Stone is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Stone looking for a guillotine here but Nikov defends easily.
Nikov wants to pass the guard but Stone is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nikov preventing the sweep.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Nikov drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Stone prevents Nikov from improving position.
Stone tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Nikov wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikov tries to advance to mount but Stone denies him.
Stone manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Stone is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Nikov is trying to maintain the position but Stone is very close to passing his half guard.
Stone trying to control from half guard but Nikov is working away.

Stone is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone is trying to control. Nikov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Stone is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Stone wants to pass the guard but Nikov is defending well.
Stone uses his free foot to push down on Nikov's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Nikov.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Nikov wants to control but Stone is having none of it.
Nikov working to try and regain half guard.
A nice elbow there by Stone.
Nikov really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Nikov wants to hold on but Stone pushes him away.
Nikov working to try and regain half guard.
Stone wants to control the pace but Nikov is squirming around nicely.
Nikov keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Stone can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nikov is looking to escape.
Nikov is looking to improve his position but Stone isn't that keen on the idea.
Ben Stone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Stone tries to control but Nikov wriggling away.
Stone punishing his opponent with strikes.
Nikov manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Stone scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Stone lands with a punch from half guard.

Stone is working for an americana but Nikov has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Stone was thinking about the submission.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Nikov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nikov tries to pass the half guard into mount. Stone knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Stone is defending against the submission attempts here by Nikov.
The fighters are battling for position here. Stone manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Nikov trying to control but Stone is working from the bottom.
Nikov is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Stone is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nikov is aware though and is defending well.
Stone keeping moving, preventing Nikov from controlling successfully.
Nikov wants to pass the guard but Stone is keeping the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nikov controlling from the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ben Stone.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 19:19
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 19:19
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 19:19

The fight is ruled a draw!