PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marcos Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vike Nickolson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vike Nickolson has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Marcos Souza's chin.

Souza
vs
Nickolson

169 cm
25
142 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

166 cm
25
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Good wrestler
Brawler
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Marcos Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Vike Nickolson!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Dirk Anderson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nickolson dives in and grabs Souza's left leg, looking for a takedown. Souza pushes down on Nickolson's head and hops out.
Nickolson lands a nice shot that snaps Souza's head back.
Nickolson throws a body shot but no joy.

Souza instigates a clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Souza.
Nickolson tries to score a body lock takedown but Souza shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Souza misses with the head strike.
Souza effectively controlling the action here.
Souza working aggressively here.
Souza throws a punch but it's blocked by Nickolson.
Souza stops a takedown attempt from Nickolson.
Marcos Souza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vike Nickolson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souza lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Souza fails to land.
Souza trying to stall but Nickolson improves his position.
Souza looking to stall.
Souza doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right from Nickolson.
Nickolson blocks an uppercut.
Souza working aggressively here.
Souza misses with a punch to the body.
Souza tries to throw a body punch but Nickolson avoids it by throwing Souza back against the cage.
Souza tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Nickolson's elbow.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A head punch on the inside from Souza fails to land.
Nickolson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Souza pushes Nickolson back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Nickolson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Souza can't find room to land a body shot as Nickolson controls the action.
Souza trying to stall but Nickolson improves his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good body shot from Nickolson.
Souza stops a takedown attempt from Nickolson.
Souza doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Souza misses with a punch to the body.
Nickolson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Souza has him pressed against the cage.
Souza avoids the elbow strike from Nickolson, against the cage.
Souza is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Nickolson is keeping busy.
Souza has a couple of punches blocked by Nickolson.
Nickolson has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Souza after a bit of a struggle.

Nickolson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Souza throws a head kick but Nickolson moves out of range.

Souza tries to keep at a distance but Nickolson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nickolson looking for a takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza stalling in the clinch.
Souza is looking to control Nickolson's arms but Nickolson gets an underhook and turns him. Now Souza has his back to the cage.
Nickolson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Souza blocks the elbow strike.

Nickolson drags the fight down to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nickolson is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Nickolson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nickolson looking for a sweep. Not yet Nickolson, not yet.
Souza has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Nickolson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Nickolson wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Souza chopping away at his opponent's legs.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souza scores with a head kick. Nickolson tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Nickolson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nickolson shoots for a double leg takedown but Souza sprawls well. He's pushed Nickolson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Souza needs to keep his hands up - Nickolson had a free shot at his head there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nickolson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nickolson misses with a head kick.
Vike Nickolson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nickolson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Souza avoids it really well and circles away.
Nickolson tried to score with a low kick but Souza checks it.
Souza leaves Nickolson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Marcos Souza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vike Nickolson.

Souza clinches up against the cage.
Souza is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nickolson can do to turn this around?
Nickolson blocks a body shot from Souza.
Nickolson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Souza prevents it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nickolson lands with a light punch inside.
Souza stalling in the clinch.
Souza taking a breather.
Souza tries to work over Nickolson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Souza is defending well against a takedown attempt.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nickolson.
Souza stops a takedown attempt from Nickolson.
Souza throws a punch but it's blocked by Nickolson.
Souza lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Souza misses with a hook to the ribs.
Souza tries a body shot but Nickolson blocks it.
Nickolson missing with knees to the body.
Nickolson blocks a body shot from Souza.
Still in the clinch, Souza scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nickolson is trying to drag Souza to the mat but Souza just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Souza throws a punch but it's blocked by Nickolson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza misses with a punch to the body.
Nickolson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Souza pulls his leg out and moves away.
Nickolson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nickolson tries to move into range but Souza moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Nickolson gets cracked there but stands up to it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Souza misses with a hook from the clinch.
Marcos Souza has scored more points in the clinch so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Souza misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nickolson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Souza is keeping busy.
The referee is keeping an eye on Nickolson - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A left hand lands to the body for Souza.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza working aggressively here.
Nickolson is pushing Souza up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Souza misses with a punch to the body.
Souza doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Nickolson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nickolson tries to pull guard but Souza won't allow it.
Nickolson missing with knees to the body.
Nickolson missing with knees to the body.
Souza avoids the elbow strike from Nickolson, against the cage.
Souza throws a head punch that misses.
Souza tries a body shot but Nickolson blocks it.
Souza scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Souza seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Nickolson is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Souza tries to throw a body punch but Nickolson avoids it by throwing Souza back against the cage.
Nickolson creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Nickolson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nickolson shoots in and drives through. Souza sprawls well.
Horrible takedown attempt by Nickolson or perhaps it was just good defense by Souza, which made it look bad.
Souza seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Nickolson closes the distance and clinches.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Souza tries to work over Nickolson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A head punch on the inside from Souza fails to land.
Souza leaning against his opponent.
Souza misses with a punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcos Souza dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Souza moves into the clinch.
Souza looking to stall.
Souza tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Nickolson's elbow.
A nice right hand lands inside from Nickolson.
Nickolson is looking to take this one to the mat.
Souza prevents the takedown attempt.
Nickolson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Souza prevents it.
Marcos Souza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vike Nickolson.
Souza struggles to land a body shot inside as Nickolson controls his hands.
Nickolson looking for a takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souza stalling in the clinch.
Souza swings wildly with an uppercut but Nickolson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nickolson tries to throw a body punch but Souza avoids it by throwing Nickolson back against the cage.
Souza tries to throw a body punch but Nickolson avoids it by throwing Souza back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Souza stalling the fight.
Souza cracks Nickolson with a nice body shot.
Souza avoiding damage as Nickolson throws knees to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Souza.
Souza goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Souza has a couple of punches blocked by Nickolson.
A head punch on the inside from Nickolson fails to land.
Souza leaning his opponent against the cage.
Souza misses with a body punch.
Souza misses with a hook from the clinch.
Souza tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Nickolson is keeping busy.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Nickolson as Souza tries to tie him up.
Souza swings wildly with an uppercut but Nickolson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Souza misses with the head strike.
Nickolson blocks an uppercut.
Souza lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nickolson is struggling to control the position.

Nickolson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nickolson misses with a low kick.

Souza fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nickolson, pushing him back against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nickolson.
Vike Nickolson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nickolson pulls guard effortlessly.
Souza is standing up over Nickolson. Nickolson looks to escape but Souza dives into side control.
Nickolson is looking for a sweep.
Souza working away.
Nickolson looking for a sweep but Souza has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Souza prevents Nickolson from getting the reversal.
Nickolson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Souza avoids the attempt from Nickolson to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nickolson is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza trying to control but Nickolson is having none of it.
Nickolson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nickolson is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcos Souza showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Souza has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcos Souza!