PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Toshyiu Nickitaua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leonardo Davinci (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Nickitaua
vs
Davinci

186 cm
20
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
20
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Toshyiu Nickitaua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Leonardo Davinci!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nickitaua scoring well with a low kick there.
Nickitaua tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Davinci swivels and escapes.
Davinci misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Davinci tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Davinci is defended easily by Nickitaua.
Davinci throws a head kick but Nickitaua moves out of range.
Nickitaua misses with a head kick.

Nickitaua drives through with a takedown into guard.
Davinci is looking to stand back up but Nickitaua counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Davinci.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nickitaua is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickitaua not doing much here.
Davinci trying to control from the bottom.
Nickitaua controlling the action here.
Nickitaua seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Davinci for as long as he can get away with.

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.

Nickitaua decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Nickitaua looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Davinci tries to kick Nickitaua off in order to stand up. Nickitaua Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Nickitaua content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Davinci tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nickitaua slows the pace down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nickitaua 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.
Davinci is looking to regain half guard here but Nickitaua keeps moving and retains side control.

Nickitaua decides to stand up, so the ref orders Davinci to his feet.
Davinci tries for a takedown but Nickitaua sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nickitaua is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Toshyiu Nickitaua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leonardo Davinci.
Davinci doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Nickitaua counters with a straight right hand.
Davinci tries to clinch up but Nickitaua circles away and keeps his distance.
Davinci with a poor takedown

and Nickitaua counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Davinci tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Nickitaua avoids it.
Nickitaua tries to pull guard but Davinci holds him up against the cage and eventually Nickitaua drops back down to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Davinci utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Nickitaua fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Davinci unloads a knee to the mid-section. Nickitaua lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Nickitaua is breathing heavily.
Davinci trying to control the position but instead, Nickitaua has worked for underhooks and has pushed Davinci into the cage.

Nickitaua breaks from the clinch.
Nickitaua defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Davinci.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Davinci wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Davinci fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Davinci throws a body kick that misses.
Davinci gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Nickitaua moves into the clinch.
Nickitaua is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Davinci can do to turn this around?
Davinci is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Davinci gets underhooks to prevent Nickitaua's takedown attempt.
Nickitaua lands a nice knee to the body.
Nickitaua can't get the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Davinci trying to stall but Nickitaua improves his position.

Nickitaua breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Davinci moves to clinch but Nickitaua breaks away
and Davinci takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Davinci tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nickitaua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nickitaua appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nickitaua forces Davinci back against the cage and clinches.
Davinci connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Toshyiu Nickitaua has been cut.

Nickitaua breaks from the clinch.

Nickitaua shoots in and gets a takedown into Davinci's guard.
Davinci is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Nickitaua dives into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Nickitaua tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nickitaua has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Davinci is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Nickitaua throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nickitaua controlling the position from side mount.
Davinci wants to control but Nickitaua postures up.
Davinci seems a little lost for a moment, as Nickitaua dominates the positioning.
Davinci tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Nickitaua easily slips into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davinci is working to get back to half guard.
Davinci is still trying to improve position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nickitaua throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Nickitaua stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Davinci tries to clinch up but Nickitaua circles away and keeps his distance.
Nickitaua drops down looking for a counter takedown but Davinci sprawls and moves away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Davinci looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Davinci looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Davinci tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nickitaua was well out of range. Poor timing from Davinci.
Davinci tries for a takedown but Nickitaua sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Toshyiu Nickitaua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leonardo Davinci.
The fight stays on the outside here - Davinci looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nickitaua swinging wildly here.
Davinci doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Nickitaua counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nickitaua blocks a head kick by Davinci.
Davinci stuffs the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toshyiu Nickitaua dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Toshyiu Nickitaua's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Davinci is looking to clinch but Nickitaua is avoiding it.
Davinci tries to clinch but Nickitaua moves out of range.
Toshyiu Nickitaua is winning the standup battle so far.
Nickitaua tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Davinci swivels and escapes.
Davinci is looking to clinch but Nickitaua is avoiding it.

Nickitaua moves into the clinch successfully.
Nickitaua is trying to pull guard but Davinci turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Davinci looking to slow down the pace here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Davinci gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Nickitaua.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Toshyiu Nickitaua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Davinci is trying to maintain a safe position but Nickitaua gets an underhook and turns Davinci into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davinci is looking to control Nickitaua's arms but Nickitaua gets an underhook and turns him. Now Davinci has his back to the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Nickitaua as Davinci tries to tie him up.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Leonardo Davinci.
Davinci tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nickitaua sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Davinci somewhat.
Davinci wants to clinch up but Nickitaua keeps it at a distance.

Davinci gets tackled into the cage by Nickitaua. Nickitaua maintains the clinch.
Davinci connects with a knee to the head.
Davinci letting Nickitaua take a breather here.
Davinci stalling in the clinch but Nickitaua improves position.
Davinci tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nickitaua tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Davinci wants to stall.
Nickitaua managing to block the knees to the body from Davinci.
Davinci is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Davinci tries a knee to the head but Nickitaua blocks it.
Nickitaua is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Davinci pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nickitaua is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Davinci is defending well.
Davinci with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Davinci tries a knee to the head but Nickitaua blocks it.
Davinci throws a knee to the head but misses.

Nickitaua jumps into guard, dragging Davinci to the mat.

Nickitaua escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Davinci gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davinci trying to control the position from guard on top but Nickitaua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Davinci might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Nickitaua haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Davinci wants to get up but he can't break Nickitaua's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Nickitaua keeping full guard, as Davinci tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Davinci trying to control the position from guard on top but Nickitaua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Davinci doesn't manage to clinch there - Nickitaua circles away.
Davinci tries to clinch but Nickitaua moves out of range.
A clash of legs there as Nickitaua blocks the low kick.
Nickitaua keeps the fight on the outside.
Nickitaua throws a series of strikes that have Davinci backpedaling.
A punch combination from Nickitaua misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Davinci shoots in and drives through. Nickitaua sprawls well.
Nickitaua shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Davinci pinned against the cage. Davinci gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Toshyiu Nickitaua showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nickitaua, 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Toshyiu Nickitaua!