PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cheikh Nassim (ranked 3777 p4p, 384 weight class) and DeMarcus Cousins (ranked 3201 p4p, 0 weight class). DeMarcus Cousins will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Nassim
vs
Cousins

199 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

211 cm
17
270 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cheikh Nassim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, DeMarcus Cousins!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Hugh Johnson and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nassim has closed the distance and engaged Cousins in a clinch.
Nassim prevents Cousins from breaking the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Nassim creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

It looks like DeMarcus Cousins has been cut.
Nassim with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Cousins looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
A shot in the inside from Nassim.
Nassim with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nassim can't find room to land a body shot as Cousins controls the action.
Cousins is pushing Nassim up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Nassim works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Nassim lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cousins backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right hand to the body from Nassim.
Cousins swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nassim lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Cousins misses with a punch on the inside.
Cousins tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nassim tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nassim with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nassim misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cousins.
Nassim working aggressively here.
Nassim throws a punch but it's blocked by Cousins.
A short left from Nassim.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cousins.
Cousins letting Nassim take a breather here.
Cousins misses with the head strike.
Cousins tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Nassim's elbow.
Nassim blocks an uppercut.
Nassim scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Nassim working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Cousins fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nassim tries a body shot but Cousins blocks it.
Nassim blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nassim scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Cousins is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Nassim is keeping busy.
Nassim with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nassim tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nassim throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Cousinss head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cousins is trying to break the clinch but Nassim has him pressed against the cage.
Cousins is looking to break free of the clinch but Nassim has double underhooks.
A nice left hand lands by Nassim.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cousins.
Cousins takes a knee right on the jaw!
Nassim tries to throw a body punch but Cousins avoids it by throwing Nassim back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nassim tries to land knees in the clinch but Cousins avoids the damage to the body.
Cousins blocks an uppercut.
Cousins is trying to force a seperation but Nassim has the dominant position.
Cousins can't find room to land a body shot as Nassim controls the action.
Cousins blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nassim lands a nice uppercut.
Cousins throws a head punch that misses.
Nassim pushes Cousins back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That has opened up DeMarcus Cousins's cut even more.
Nassim blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nassim using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cousins has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Good body shot from Cousins.
Cousins lands a right hand.
Still in the clinch, Cousins scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nassim lands a hook that snaps the head of Cousins backwards.
A short right from Nassim on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cousins lands with a short shot to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nassim tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nassim is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cousins is defending well for now.
Nassim lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Nassim lands a nice uppercut.
Nassim tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A short left from Nassim.

Cousins escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Nassim gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nassim misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nassim lands a shot to the body.
Nassim throws a head punch that misses.
Cousins has Nassim pushed against the cage.
A hook to the body from Nassim.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cheikh Nassim dominated that round.
The cut man is working on DeMarcus Cousins's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Cousins clinches with his opponent.
Nassim blocks an uppercut.
Nassim lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nassim landing some nice looking knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Cousins fails to land.
Cheikh Nassim has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Cousins misses with some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Nassim fails to land.
Nassim stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Nassim creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cousins blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cousins tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cousins tries to stall but Nassim uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Cousins being controlled against the cage.
Cousins lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Nassim backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cousins goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Cousins manages to break the clinch.

Nassim rushes Cousins and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nassim throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cousins misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nassim tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cousins avoids it.
Cousins swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Cousins fails to land.
Nassim blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cousins is trying to break the clinch but Nassim is controlling him.
Nassim makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Nassim tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nassim keeps control of Cousins as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A short left from Nassim.
Cousins blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nassim lands a left hand.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nassim.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nassim.
Cousins blocks an uppercut.
Cousins swings wildly with an uppercut but Nassim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nassim scores with a shoulder strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nassim misses with the head strike.
Nassim lands a nice shot to the body.
Nassim misses with the head strike.
Nassim working aggressively here.
Nassim tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cousins avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cousins tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Nassim lands with a left to the head.
Cousins swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nassim lands a body punch in the clinch.
Nassim using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cousins has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cousins lands a hook to the side of the head.
Nassim scores with a shot to the side of Cousins's head.

Cousins breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nassim has Cousins up against the cage in a clinch.
Nassim tries a knee to the head but Cousins blocks it.
Nassim lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Nassim lands a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cousins breaks the clinch.

Nassim has taken the fight to the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nassim blocks an uppercut.
Knees in the clinch landing for Nassim.
Nassim misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cousins.
Cousins blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cousins is leaning against Nassim and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Cousins working aggressively here.
Nassim lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cousins struggles to land a body shot inside as Nassim controls his hands.
Cousins throws a head punch that misses.
Cousins throws a head punch that misses.
Cousins tries to work over Nassim's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cousins lands a hook that snaps the head of Nassim backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cheikh Nassim dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on DeMarcus Cousins's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Cousins tries to keep at a distance but Nassim has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cousins lands a hook that snaps the head of Nassim backwards.

It looks like Cheikh Nassim has been cut.
Nassim lands a nice uppercut.
Nassim is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cousins can do to turn this around?
Cousins blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cousins swings wildly with an uppercut but Nassim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nassim misses with the head strike.
Nassim makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Nassim lands with a short head shot on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cousins throws a head punch that misses.
Cousins blocking some punches.
Nassim scores with a shoulder strike.
Nassim lands with a light punch inside.
Nassim makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nassim misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cousins lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Nassim using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cousins has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Nassim working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Cousins fails to land.
Nassim blocks an uppercut.
Nassim tries to land knees in the clinch but Cousins avoids the damage to the body.
Nassim with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nassim tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nassim lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Cousins fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nassim lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Nassim tries to land knees in the clinch but Cousins avoids the damage to the body.
DeMarcus Cousins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cousins blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A head punch on the inside from Cousins fails to land.
Nassim misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cousins on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Nassim fails to land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cousins.
Nassim blocks an uppercut.
Cousins scores with a shot to the side of Nassim's head.
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!
A head punch on the inside from Cousins fails to land.
Nassim blocks an uppercut.
Cousins lands a right hand.
Nassim goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nassim swings wildly with an uppercut but Cousins uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nassim's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cousins working aggressively here.
Nassim looking to throw knees to the head but Cousins is blocking nicely.
Nassim throws a punch but it's blocked by Cousins.
Cousins swings wildly with an uppercut but Nassim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nassim looking to throw knees to the head but Cousins is blocking nicely.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nassim.
Cousins blocking some punches.
Cousins throws a punch but it's blocked by Nassim.
A right handed body shot lands from Cousins.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cousins swings wildly with an uppercut but Nassim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nassim putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Cousins in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Nassim utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nassim blocks a body shot from Cousins.
Cousins misses with some punches.
Cousins managing to block the knees to the body from Nassim.
Cousins lands a body punch.
Cousins tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cousins tries to work over Nassim's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cousins swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nassim makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Cousins swings wildly with an uppercut but Nassim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cousins misses with some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nassim.
Cousins tries to throw a body punch but Nassim avoids it by throwing Cousins back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cheikh Nassim showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nassim, 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 Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cheikh Nassim!