PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Vincenzo Nibali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Niche (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Nibali
vs
Niche

185 cm
19
186 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
190 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Sully's Bar & Grill

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vincenzo Nibali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Paul Niche!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Micheangelo Fripello and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nibali pivots, looking for a leg kick but Niche is out of range and Nibali settles back down.
Niche digs a good hook to Nibali's body.

Niche clinches up with Nibali and pushes him back against the ropes.
Nibali throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Niche blocks it with crossed arms.
Nibali tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Niche avoids it.
Niche avoiding damage as Nibali throws knees to the body.
Nibali utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
A short left from Nibali.
Niche tries a body shot but Nibali blocks it.
Nibali lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Nibali tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nibali misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Niche.
Niche landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Niche lands with a light punch inside.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Niche lands a hook that snaps the head of Nibali backwards.
Nibali misses with a punch on the inside.
Nibali with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nibali throws a punch but it's blocked by Niche.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nibali blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Nibali misses with a hook to the ribs.
Niche lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nibali backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Niche.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Niche obliges.
Nibali misses with some punches.
Nibali unloads a knee to the mid-section. Niche lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Nibali misses with a punch to the body.
Nibali swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nibali misses with the head strike.
Niche lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Niche lands a nice knee to the body.
Niche unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Niche lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nibali blocks a body shot from Niche.
Nibali misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nibali wants to stall.
Niche landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nibali swings wildly with an uppercut but Niche uses good head movement to avoid it.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Nibali creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Niche blocks a body shot from Nibali.
Niche blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Niche blocks an uppercut.
Nibali misses with a body punch.
Nibali scores with a nice hook to the head.
Nibali tries a body shot but Niche blocks it.
A nice right hand lands inside from Niche.
Nibali misses with a short punch on the inside.
Niche tries a knee to the head but Nibali blocks it.
Niche scores with an uppercut up the middle.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Niche on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nibali pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Niche tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Paul Niche will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nibali rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Niche moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nibali misses with a low kick.
Nibali takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Nibali swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Nibali dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
An inside leg kick lands from Nibali.
Nibali fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Niche manages to avoid it.
Niche avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nibali misses the jab.
Niche connects with a jab.
Vincenzo Nibali seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nibali misses with a hook.
Good standup being displayed there by Niche as he connects with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nibali throws a looping overhand right but Niche ducks down to avoid it.
Nibali throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nibali turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nibali misses with a combination
and Niche counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nibali lands with a nice combination. Niche backs away looking to recover.
Niche throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Niche connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Nibali's hands.
Niche throws a hook but Nibali avoids it easily.
Niche throws a front kick that sends Nibali stumbling back into the ropes.
Niche throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Nibali.
Nibali seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Niche tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nibali was well out of range. Poor timing from Niche.
Good work by Niche as he checks the leg kick.
Nibali loads up on a big right hand but Niche slips the punch.
Niche looks to score with a jab to the body but Nibali is just out of range.
Nibali wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Nibali jabs Niche right on the nose. Niche blinks but takes it well.
Nibali scores with a one two! Niche had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A nice inside leg kick there by Nibali. That's going to slow Niche down.
Nibali's jab looks to have found its range, popping Niche under the eye.
Nibali jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Niche ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nibali misses with a hook.
Nibali misses with a body shot.
Niche is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Niche connects with the punch.
Niche misses with a wild combination.
Nibali throws a sloppy head kick and Niche moves out of range easily.
Nibali tries a head kick but it misses.
Niche circles away from the clinch attempt.
Niche feints and then cracks Nibali's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Nibali down.
Niche with a jab.
Nibali throws an overhand right that lands on Niche's shoulder, as Niche tries to avoid the shot.
Nibali walks into a straight right hand from Niche.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Niche wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nibali throws a big shot that misses.
Nibali throws a body punch but Niche moves out of range.
Niche is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Nibali with a body shot.
Niche tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Nibali manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Vincenzo Nibali will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Niche ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nibali lands with a hook. Niche tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Nibali lands with a nice body kick.
Nibali moves out of range of the body kick from Niche.
Nibali feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Niche's calf.
Nibali lands a high kick!
Niche scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Niche tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Nibali manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nibali chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Niche connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Niche moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Niche lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nibali tries to clinch but Niche moves out of range.
A jab from Niche does it's job there.
Nibali moves into range and connects with a jab.
Niche tries to clinch but Nibali moves out of range.
Nibali looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nibali throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Niche just misses with a punch to the body.
Nibali ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Niche moves away.
Nibali darts in trying to clinch
and Niche counters with a leg kick.
Niche keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Nibali jabs Niche to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Niche misses with a low kick.
Nibali tried to score with a low kick but Niche checks it.

Nibali moves into the clinch.
Niche lands a knee to the body.
Niche throws a head punch that misses.
Nibali misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Niche.
Nibali misses with a hook from the clinch.
Niche stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nibali tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Niche avoids it.
Niche blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Niche lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Nibali tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nibali blocking some punches.
Nibali lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Nibali misses with the head strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nibali.
Niche lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nibali backwards.
A right hook to the body lands for Nibali.
Niche blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Niche goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Niche lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Nibali scores with a shoulder strike.
A short left from Niche.
Niche tries to throw a body punch but Nibali avoids it by throwing Niche back against the ropes.
Niche lands with a light punch inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Vincenzo Nibali.
I think Nibali has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vincenzo Nibali!