PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between mark smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and josh nikio (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.

smith
vs
nikio

188 cm
22
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

155 cm
22
133 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, mark smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, josh nikio!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Chris Downing and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
nikio blocks a head kick by smith.
nikio pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
nikio throws an overhand right that lands on smith's shoulder, as smith tries to avoid the shot.

nikio drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
smith is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but nikio has just dragged him back down to the mat.

nikio working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
smith is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
nikio is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
smith wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
nikio wants to control but smith is keeping him busy.
smith really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

smith throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
nikio misses with a takedown attempt - smith sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
nikio throws a sloppy head kick
and smith counters with a head kick.

nikio shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in smith's guard.

smith pushes nikio off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
smith is breathing heavily.
smith circles away from the clinch attempt
and smith counters with a flying knee. Nice.

nikio shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. nikio showed some decent athleticism there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

smith kicks off nikio and gets to his feet.

nikio closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
nikio keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
smith looks like he's trying to stand up.

nikio decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
nikio fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
mark smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
smith misses with a head kick.
nikio misses with a jab to the body
and smith counters with a head kick. That will keep nikio thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
smith misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
nikio shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has smith pinned against the cage. smith gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
mark smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of josh nikio.
nikio blocks a head kick by smith.
A head kick by smith misses

and nikio decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in smith's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
nikio seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

nikio gets to his feet. smith looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
A head kick by smith misses

and nikio counters with a shoot takedown. smith fights it but they end up in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
nikio prevents smith from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

smith pushes nikio off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
smith plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

nikio gets in close and instigates a clinch.
smith tries to break the clinch but nikio is controlling the position.
smith wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

nikio has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but smith regains guard immediately.
smith is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst nikio is controlling him.
nikio passes smith's left leg - he's now in half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
smith looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

josh nikio dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

nikio will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A head kick misses from smith.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by nikio!
smith connects with a high kick.
smith tries a head kick but it misses.
nikio fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
smith tries a head kick but it misses.
smith pulls out of a head kick attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
smith throws a head kick but nikio moves out of range.

nikio closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming smith to the mat! smith manages to get full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
nikio tries to stand but smith is controlling from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as nikio accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
nikio won't allow smith to get back to his feet.
smith will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
nikio wants to control from the top but smith keeps moving.
smith is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and nikio dives into side control.

nikio stands up and beckons smith to his feet.
nikio fails with the takedown.
mark smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of josh nikio.
smith lands a high kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
smith throws a sloppy head kick and nikio moves out of range easily.

nikio fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. smith sprawls well initially but nikio persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

smith makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
nikio shoots for a takedown but smith saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
nikio throws a sloppy head kick
and smith counters with a head kick. That will keep nikio thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
nikio throws a hook to the side of smith's head but smith sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

nikio scores a takedown into full mount!
smith tries to buck nikio off but nikio takes his back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
nikio lands an elbow to the side of the head.
smith is trying to stand back up.
josh nikio has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
nikio controlling the position well here. smith rolled but nikio kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
smith looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
nikio trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
smith controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
nikio just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

nikio is looking for the choke from the back position but smith is controlling his hands well.
smith trying to get back to his feet but nikio is in full control for now.
nikio softening up his opponent with strikes here.
smith staying busy and making it hard for nikio to control.
smith is taking damage to the body and head.
nikio scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

josh nikio showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

smith circles away from the clinch attempt.
mark smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

nikio gets a clinch.
nikio's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
smith has had enough of the clinch but nikio keeps him there for the moment.

nikio escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
nikio tries to land a body kick
and smith counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. nikio is lucky that one didn't land flush.
nikio fails with an attempt to clinch.
A head kick misses from smith.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick by smith misses
and nikio counters with a series of strikes. smith will be more careful next time no doubt.
nikio avoids the head kick by smith.
nikio throws a sloppy head kick
and smith counters with a big head kick but nikio shrugs it off.
smith throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by nikio.

That's one minute gone in the round.
smith throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

smith gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
nikio wants to pass the guard but smith is keeping the position.
nikio passes into half guard.
nikio prevents smith from standing back up.
nikio stalling.
smith is trying to stand back up but nikio is controlling him

That's two minutes gone in the round.
nikio working over smith with some ground and pound. smith looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
smith is trying to stand.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
smith throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
smith throws a lazy head kick

and nikio counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in smith's guard now.
smith wants to get back to his feet but nikio is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

smith is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
smith wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but nikio has him pressed against the cage.
nikio can't break the clinch.
smith can't break the clinch.

nikio escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
nikio tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and smith counters with a big head kick but nikio shrugs it off.
smith throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

nikio scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
nikio controlling the action here.
nikio stops smith from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
smith blocking the ground and pound attempt from nikio.
nikio takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
smith is looking to escape.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
nikio shoots in looking for a takedown. smith tries to sprawl out of it but nikio keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. smith manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
josh nikio is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
smith lands a head kick!
mark smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
josh nikio is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

nikio scores a takedown into full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
josh nikio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got nikio winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... josh nikio!