PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dylan Nicholson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Nicholson
vs
Li

196 cm
19
193 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

188 cm
19
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dylan Nicholson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Chris Li!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Paul Gruel and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nicholson chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Li can pounce on him.
Li lands a head kick. Nicholson smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Li shoots in and drives through. Nicholson sprawls well.
Nicholson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Li tries to avoid it but Nicholson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Li to the ground. Li escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Li throws a wild body kick that Nicholson sees coming a mile off.
Li moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Li has closed the distance and engaged Nicholson in a clinch.
Nicholson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Nicholson jumps guard and drags Li to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Li wants to get up but he can't break Nicholson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Li is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Nicholson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li wants to stand but Nicholson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Nicholson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Li trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Nicholson manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Li is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Li wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Li working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Nicholson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Nicholson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Li is looking to sweep but instead, Nicholson has passed into half guard.
Li is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are battling for position here. Li manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Nicholson wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Nicholson is looking to stand up but Li won't let him.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li seems keen to control Nicholson's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Li forces Nicholson back against the cage and clinches.
Li wants a takedown.
Nicholson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nicholson is stalling here.
Li lands with a short shot to the head.

Nicholson breaks the clinch.
Nicholson misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nicholson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Li but Li pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Li fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nicholson, pushing him back against the cage.

Li manages to pull guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Li tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Li seems keen to control Nicholson's posture.
Li is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Li wants to free his trapped foot but Nicholson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Li dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Li dives in for a single leg takedown but Nicholson sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Nicholson stuffs the takedown.
Li throws a head kick but Nicholson moves out of range.
Li jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nicholson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Li avoids it really well and circles away.
A little jabbing left from Li on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Li tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nicholson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nicholson fails to land the takedown.
A slow jab from Li misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicholson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Li paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nicholson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nicholson misses with a takedown

and Li counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dylan Nicholson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Li is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Nicholson is pressed up against the cage. Li has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Nicholson down to the mat. Nicholson avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Li closes the distance and clinches up with Nicholson, looking for a takedown. Li pushes Nicholson against the cage but Nicholson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Li closes the distance and clinches.

Li drags the fight down to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nicholson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Li swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Li is trying to control the position but Nicholson postures up.

Nicholson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Li has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nicholson has managed to get both his arms back between Li's legs - danger averted.
Li is breathing heavily.
Li manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nicholson manages to get himself to full guard.

Nicholson is trying to keep Li in close.
Nicholson looking for a sweep. Not yet Nicholson, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Nicholson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Li stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nicholson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nicholson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Li is one step ahead there.
Li stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nicholson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Li trying to stand up but can't free himself from Nicholson's guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nicholson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Li is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Li gets tackled into the cage by Nicholson. Nicholson maintains the clinch.

Li breaks the clinch.
Nicholson fails to land the takedown.
Li shoots for a takedown but Nicholson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nicholson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Li showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. And we move into the final round!

Li instigates a clinch.

Nicholson pulls guard effortlessly.
Li controlling from the top position.

Li stands and steps away. Nicholson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nicholson misses with a head kick.
Nicholson tries for a takedown but Li sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Li unleashes a big counter combination but Nicholson bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Li tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nicholson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Li somewhat.
Nicholson changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Li forces Nicholson back against the cage and clinches.
Li is trying to pull guard but Nicholson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Li keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Nicholson's efforts to push away.

Nicholson jumps guard.
Li postures up in Nicholson's guard and throws a big left but Nicholson blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li wants to control from the top but Nicholson keeps moving.
Li controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Li stands and steps away. Nicholson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Li stuffs the takedown attempt from Nicholson. Nicholson gets slowly back to his feet.
Nicholson closes the distance and clinches up with Li, looking for a takedown. Nicholson pushes Li against the cage but Li circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dylan Nicholson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nicholson blocks a head kick by Li.
A head kick from Nicholson lands but Li takes it in his stride.
Li throws a body shot but no joy.

Li gets a clinch.

Li breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nicholson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Li is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nicholson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Nicholson wants it to stay on the feet.
Nicholson tries to clinch but Li moves out of range.
Li has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Li throws a head kick but Nicholson moves out of range.
Nicholson seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Li tests Nicholson's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Li lands a nice looking kick to the body. Nicholson takes a step back to recover.

Nicholson rushes Li and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nicholson with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Li can't get the takedown.
Li drops down looking for an ankle pick but Nicholson pulls his leg out and moves away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nicholson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Li swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Dylan Nicholson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Chris Li is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nicholson goes for a double leg but Li avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Li continues to drive forward.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Li comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Li has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Li!