PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chris Nilan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ebeneezer Darkk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Nilan
vs
Darkk

168 cm
21
165 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

182 cm
22
160 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris Nilan!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ebeneezer Darkk!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Eddie Farnsworth and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nilan throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Nilan gets a clinch.
Darkk wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Nilan has a couple of punches blocked by Darkk.
Nilan misses with some punches.
Nilan misses with a body punch.
Nilan tries a body shot but Darkk blocks it.
A short left from Darkk.
Darkk is trying to break the clinch but Nilan is controlling him.
Nilan scores with a nice hook to the head.
Darkk throws a head punch that misses.
A hook to the body from Nilan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darkk.

Darkk's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Darkk slips a jab from Nilan.
Darkk fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Nilan looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Darkk tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nilan was well out of range. Poor timing from Darkk.
Darkk misses with an uppercut. Nilan saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nilan takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Nilan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Darkk.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Darkk! But no joy.
Nilan throws the left hand but Darkk avoids the punch easily.
Nilan has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Darkk.
Darkk connects with a right hand. Nilan shakes it off.

Nilan closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nilan misses with an elbow over the top.
Nilan tries to throw a body punch but Darkk avoids it by throwing Nilan back against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Nilan creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Darkk blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Darkk lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Darkk scores with a nice hook to the head.

Darkk's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Darkk just misses with a punch to the body.
Darkk bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nilan throws a body punch but Darkk moves out of range.
Nilan looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Nilan misses.
Nilan misses with a jab, cross combination.
Darkk gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Nilan counters by moving into the clinch.
Nilan swings wildly with an uppercut but Darkk uses good head movement to avoid it.
A left hand lands to the body for Nilan.

Darkk breaks the clinch.
Darkk scores with a leg kick.
A jab lands there for Darkk.
Nilan is looking to clinch but Darkk is avoiding it.
Darkk throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Darkk punishes Nilan's body with a nice straight punch.
Darkk ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nilan misses with a lunging right hand
and Darkk cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nilan misses with a two punch combination.

Nilan gets a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nilan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Nilan taking a breather.
Nilan can't find room to land a body shot as Darkk controls the action.
Darkk looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Nilan works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A right hook to the body lands for Nilan.
Nilan is stalling here.
Darkk goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nilan stalling the fight.
Darkk blocking some punches.
Darkk misses with a hook from the clinch.
Darkk has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Nilan seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Darkk can turn it around.

Darkk breaks the clinch.
Nilan is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Darkk's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Darkk lands with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darkk tries to land a front kick but Nilan steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Nilan looks to score with a jab to the body but Darkk is just out of range.
Darkk is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

Nilan rushes Darkk and presses him up against the cage.
Nilan working aggressively here.
A short right from Darkk on the inside.
Darkk tries to break free but Nilan pushes him back against the cage.
Darkk lands a shot to the body.
Darkk lands a left hand.
Darkk takes an elbow to the forehead.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head punch on the inside from Nilan fails to land.
Nilan is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Darkk wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Darkk breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Chris Nilan will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Darkk pushes Nilan away with a front kick.
Nilan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Darkk misses with a straight right.
Nilan was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Nilan connects with a good right hand that stumbles Darkk. Darkk circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Darkk throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Nilan.
A thudding body kick lands there by Darkk!
Nilan misses with a double jab
and Darkk connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nilan closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Nice defenses there by Darkk.
The crowd cheers as Darkk lands an impressive looking overhand right. Nilan doesn't seem phased though.
Darkk scores with a push kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Darkk just misses with a punch to the body.
Darkk scores with a leg kick.
Nilan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ebeneezer Darkk seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nilan takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darkk slips a straight right by Nilan.
Darkk throws a wild body kick that Nilan sees coming a mile off.
Darkk cracks Nilan with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Nilan takes a swing at Darkk's ribcage but misses.
Nilan misses with a wild body shot.
Darkk doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Nilan scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Darkk misses with a looping right.
Nilan closes the distance but Darkk moves to the side
and Darkk makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nilan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A nice inside leg kick there by Darkk. That's going to slow Nilan down.
Nilan wants to clinch up but Darkk keeps it at a distance.
Darkk lands a head kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nilan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Darkk swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Darkk avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Darkk paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Nilan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nilan scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nilan swings for the body but Darkk moves out of range.
Darkk thinks about the counter body kick.
Darkk misses with an uppercut. Nilan saw that one coming.
The crowd cheers as Darkk lands an impressive looking overhand right. Nilan doesn't seem phased though.
Darkk throws a nice outside leg kick.
Nilan misses with a shot to the body
and Darkk counters with a left to the body.
A punch combination from Nilan misses.
Darkk tries to land a front kick but Nilan steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Nilan has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Darkk.
Darkk scores with a hook.
Nilan wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nilan. Darkk does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nilan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Darkk lands with a thumping leg kick.
Nilan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Darkk throws a body kick that misses.
Nilan connects with a single shot there.
Nilan takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Nilan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Darkk moves away.
Darkk throws a lazy body kick
and Darkk takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nilan lunges at Darkk with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Darkk's hand.
Darkk scores with a push kick.
Darkk thows a left - swing and a miss!
Darkk keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Darkk there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Darkk lands with an uppercut that bounces Nilan off the cage and back into range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Nilan clinches with his opponent.
Nilan scores with a nice hook to the head.
Nilan misses with a punch on the inside.
Nilan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Darkk's elbow.
Darkk lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nilan throws a head punch that misses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Nilan.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nilan.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Darkk is trying to break the clinch but Nilan has him pressed against the cage.
Darkk blocking some punches.
Nilan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ebeneezer Darkk showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Darkk lands with a nice body punch.
Darkk feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Nilans jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Darkk throws a jab when Nilan was well out of range.
Nilan takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Nilan wants to clinch up but Darkk keeps it at a distance.
Darkk misses with a leg kick

and Nilan holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Nilan lands with a short shot to the head.
Nilan tries to throw a body punch but Darkk avoids it by throwing Nilan back against the cage.
Darkk looking to slow down the pace here.
Nilan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Nilan will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nilan misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darkk.
Nilan prevents a body shot from Darkk.
A bit of stalling here from Nilan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nilan lands with a short shot to the head.
Darkk prevents a body shot from Nilan.

Darkk manages to break the clinch.
Darkk lands a nice shot to the body.
Darkk throws a body kick that misses
and Nilan counters with a nice uppercut.
Darkk swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Darkk chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Nilan darts in and clinches Darkk up against the cage.
Darkk looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Nilan keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Darkk's efforts to push away.
Nilan lands a body shot.
Nilan blocks an uppercut.
Chris Nilan has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Stalling in the clinch from Nilan.
Darkk is trying to push Nilan away but Nilan has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nilan swings wildly with an uppercut but Darkk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nilan lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
The referee is keeping an eye on Nilan - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Darkk has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nilan.
Darkk wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Darkk breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Darkk scores with a punch to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nilan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Darkk lands a high kick!

Nilan closes the distance and clinches.

Darkk breaks the clinch.
Nilan moves out of range of the body kick.
Nilan seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Darkk throws an overhand right that lands on Nilan's shoulder, as Nilan tries to avoid the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darkk digs a good hook to Nilan's body.
Darkk connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nilan tries to clinch but Darkk is having none of it.
Darkk throws a nice outside leg kick.
Nilan is looking to clinch.
Darkk lands a front kick.
Darkk jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Darkk takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Nilan has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Darkk finds it's way round the side to connect with Nilan's head.
Darkk throws a head kick that misses.
Darkk fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Nilan looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Darkk just misses with a punch to the body.
Nilan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Darkk.
Nilan misses with a hook
and Darkk counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nilan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Darkk throws out a leg kick but Nilan moves out of range and Darkk only half commits.
Nilan scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Nilan walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Nilan has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Darkk.
Nilan throws a poor cross that misses
and Darkk counters with a right hand to the body.
Nilan displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Darkk throws out the jab.
Nilan throws a big counter combination but Darkk scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Nilan lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Darkk slips a straight right by Nilan.
Nilan blocks the body kick.
Jab, jab by Nilan - just one landing.
Darkk throws a push kick but Nilan slaps the foot to one side.
Nilan looks to throw the jab but Darkk is out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Darkk! But no joy.
Darkk moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ebeneezer Darkk really dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nilan misses with a wild body shot.
Nilan wants to clinch.
Darkk connects with a jab.
Nilan throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nilan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nilan throws a right and a left that Darkk avoids nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nilan wants to clinch up but Darkk keeps it at a distance.
Nilan has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Darkk.
Darkk lands with a kick to the temple. Nilan shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Darkk fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Darkk throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nilan throws out a loose jab but Darkk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Darkk avoids a punch combination nicely.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Darkk! But no joy.
Nilan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nilan tries to clinch but Darkk moves out of range.
Darkk throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Nilan throwing a counter right hand but Darkk manages to avoid it.
The fighters circling - Darkk throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Darkk, as that shot connected.
Darkk avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Darkk slips a straight right by Nilan.
Darkk with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Darkk showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nilan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nilan wants to clinch but Darkk slips to the side
and Darkk counters with a nice body shot.
Darkk connects with the punch.
Darkk avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Darkk scores with a sloppy right hand. Nilan should have avoided that one.
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!
Darkk fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Nilan is out of range.
Darkk buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A big right from Nilan misses.
Nilan is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Nilan has managed to clinch.

Darkk's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Darkk thuds his shin into the meat of Nilan's side.
Nilan lands a nice shot to the body.
Nilan wants to clinch.
Darkk follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Darkk lands a nice hook to Nilan's body. Nilan takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nilan has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Darkk.
Nilan throws a series of strikes that have Darkk backpedaling.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Darkk, as that shot connected.
Nilan takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Nilan throws a big counter combination but Darkk scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Nilan wants to clinch
and Darkk counters with a nice leg kick.
Nilan moves in looking to clinch but Darkk pushes him off.
Darkk slips under a jab from Nilan.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Darkk.
Nice shot by Darkk.
Darkk throws a head kick that Nilan semi-blocks.
Nilan scores with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Nilan walks forward, straight into a front kick from Darkk.
Darkk fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nilan manages to avoid it.

Nilan pushes Darkk up against the cage in a clinch.
Nilan lands a left hand that snaps the head of Darkk backwards.
Nilan has Darkk pressed against the cage, preventing Darkk from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Nilan misses with some punches.
Darkk has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Nilan misses with a punch on the inside.
Darkk has had enough of the clinch but Nilan keeps him there for the moment.
Darkk tries to break free but Nilan pushes him back against the cage.
Nilan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nilan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Darkk's elbow.
Nilan lands an elbow inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ebeneezer Darkk dominated that fourth round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Nilan catches Darkk with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Nilan throws the left hand but Darkk avoids the punch easily.
Darkk moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Darkk scores with a punch to the head.
Nilan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Darkk manages to avoid it.
Nilan lands a jab-cross combination.

Darkk gets tackled into the cage by Nilan. Nilan maintains the clinch.
Darkk tries to stall but Nilan uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Darkk's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Nilan looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Darkk tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Nilan misses with the head strike.
Nilan tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nilan lands a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head punch on the inside from Nilan fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nilan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Darkk throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A head punch on the inside from Nilan fails to land.
Darkk has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Darkk wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Nilan misses with a punch on the inside.
Nilan working aggressively here.
Darkk misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nilan lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nilan throws a punch but it's blocked by Darkk.
Nilan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nilan is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nilan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darkk working hard to break the clinch.
Darkk blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Darkk lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Nilan backwards.
Darkk is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Darkk misses with a punch on the inside.
Nilan misses with some punches.
Nilan working aggressively here.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Nilan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Darkk's brow.
Nilan throws a punch but it's blocked by Darkk.
Darkk throws a punch but it's blocked by Nilan.
Nilan working aggressively here.
Nilan working aggressively here.
Darkk blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nilan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Darkk is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Nilan.
Nilan lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Darkk goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Darkk wants to get back to striking at distance but Nilan won't allow it.

Darkk breaks the clinch.
Nilan lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Darkk at a distance.
Nilan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nice defenses there by Darkk.
Nice defenses there by Darkk.
Good leg kick by Darkk there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Nilan moves in looking to clinch but Darkk pushes him off.
Darkk takes a swing at Nilan's ribcage but misses.
Nilan throws a big counter combination but Darkk scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nilan moves into range and clinches up with Darkk.
Darkk blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Chris Nilan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Darkk's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nilan throws a body punch but Darkk moves out of range.
A jab from Darkk does it's job there.
Nilan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Darkk circles away quickly and effectively.
Darkk uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nilan.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nilan misses with a series of wild punches.
Darkk takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Nilan takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ebeneezer Darkk is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Nilan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Darkk paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nilan just misses with a punch to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Nilan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Darkk has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 46:49
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 47:48
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ebeneezer Darkk! Ebeneezer Darkk retains his lightweight title!