PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lawerence Hooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Blake Nichols (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Blake Nichols will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Hooper
vs
Nichols

152 cm
18
214 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Lawerence Hooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Blake Nichols!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Daniel Bishop and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nichols lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Lawerence Hooper has been cut.

Nichols closes the distance and pushes Hooper back into the cage.
Hooper drops down looking for an ankle pick but Nichols pulls his leg out and moves away.
Blake Nichols seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Nichols clinches with his opponent.
Nichols keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hooper's efforts to push away.
Nichols tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hooper is trying to push Nichols away but Nichols has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Nichols makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nichols works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Nichols working Hooper over with knees to the body.
Hooper is breathing heavily.
Nichols stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Nichols lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hooper backwards.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Nichols has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hooper is trying to keep an underhook but Nichols manages to get the takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nichols looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Hooper taking some punishment here, with Nichols in his half guard.
Hooper could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Nichols sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hooper defending well though.
Well, if Nichols is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Hooper blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nichols.
Nichols thows a huge punch but Hooper dodges it nicely.
Nichols seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Nichols is taking a breather. Hooper says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hooper avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nichols.
Nichols moves nicely into side control.
Nichols working the ground and pound but Hooper is defending the strikes.
Nichols is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Hooper will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nichols tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nichols has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Nichols 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.

Nichols thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Nichols creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Hooper sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Hooper managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Nichols.
The ground and pound from Nichols seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nichols throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Nichols looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
A lull in the action here.

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

Nichols closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hooper wants to sweep but Nichols has passed to side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Nichols dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lawerence Hooper's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Nichols lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

Nichols has Hooper up against the cage in a clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Nichols.
A frustrated look appears on Hooper's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Nichols lands a body punch in the clinch.

Nichols wants the takedown. Hooper is fighting it off but Nichols persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Hooper's guard against the cage.
Hooper knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nichols on the ground.
Nichols slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Nichols has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nichols decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Nichols closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nichols gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Nichols perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Nichols throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nichols sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hooper defending well though.
Nichols is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Nichols moves nicely into side control.
Nichols has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Nichols working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Blake Nichols has got the better of the ground game so far.

Nichols stands up and beckons Hooper to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hooper tries to sprawl but Nichols drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Nichols controlling the action here.
Nichols missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hooper blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nichols.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nichols thows a huge punch but Hooper dodges it nicely.
Nichols throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hooper blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nichols.
Nichols is taking a breather. Hooper says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Nichols throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Nichols thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hooper's head.
Nichols seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Let's hope that Nichols has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Nichols moves into range and clinches up with Hooper.
Nichols lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hooper backwards.

Nichols turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Hooper parries the strikes from Nichols easily there. Nichols is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Hooper to escape.

Nichols decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Nichols pushes Hooper up against the cage in a clinch.
Nichols pressing his opponent against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Nichols is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Hooper can't fight it off and eventually Nichols manages to take the fight to the floor. Hooper looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hooper might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Nichols decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Nichols showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Lawerence Hooper's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Nichols drives through and clinches with Hooper against the cage.
The referee calls for Nichols to work.

Nichols has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Hooper clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Nichols struggling to land strikes to the head as Hooper covers up.
Nichols has good solid back control here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hooper covering up well and avoiding damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nichols throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nichols is riding his opponent, not letting Hooper buck him off.

Hooper preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Nichols.
Nichols missing with punches from the back.

Nichols looking for the RNC.
Nichols missing with punches from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nichols is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Hooper has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Nichols is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Hooper knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Hooper for a finish.
Even with his hooks in, Nichols manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Nichols throwing wild punches that miss their target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nichols tightening his grip on Hooper, looking for the choke.
Hooper covering up well under a barage of strikes.

Nichols looking to break Hooper's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Hooper remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Nichols will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

Nichols is looking for the choke from the back position but Hooper is controlling his hands well.
Nichols throwing damaging strikes from the back! Hooper could be in trouble here!
Nichols really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Hooper.
Nichols's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Blake Nichols is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nichols somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Nichols biding his time, looking for the opening.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Blake Nichols comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nichols 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 James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30

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