PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sven Kristian Nielsen (ranked 2558 p4p, 255 weight class) and John Dio (ranked 4052 p4p, 337 weight class). Nielsen's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Wardruna - Fehu. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Kristian Nielsen
vs
Dio

191 cm
38
275 lbs
17 - 19 - 0

190 cm
32
245 lbs
11 - 13 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 17 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sven Kristian Nielsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Dio!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Jeff Smith and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nielsen keeps the fight on the outside.
Dio throws a nice looking combination but Nielsen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Dio moves into range and connects with a jab.
Dio keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nielsen.
Dio throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Nielsen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Nielsen is fighting to break Dio's control of his arms but Dio is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Nielsen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Dio's head.
Dio managing to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dio keeping moving, preventing Nielsen from controlling successfully.
Dio trying to keep a closed guard but Nielsen is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Dio is trying to keep Nielsen in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dio lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Nielsen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Nielsen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dio gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Nielsen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Dio throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nielsen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nielsen is trying to keep Dio in close.
Nielsen is pulling down on Dio's head to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dio trying to control the position from guard on top but Nielsen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Nielsen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Dio trying to control but Nielsen is working from the bottom.
Nielsen is trying to control the position but Dio postures up.
Dio lands a couple of elbows.
Dio preventing the sweep.
Nielsen keeping moving, preventing Dio from controlling successfully.
Dio scoring with punches to the head and body.
Dio cracks Nielsen with a solid left hand.
Dio with a flurry of punches that miss.
Dio 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.
Dio cracks Nielsen with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dio trying to control the position from guard on top but Nielsen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dio is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Nielsen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dio gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Nielsen looking for a sweep. Not yet Nielsen, not yet.
Dio postures up in Nielsen's guard and throws a big left but Nielsen blocks it.
Nielsen trying to keep a closed guard but Dio is proving a slippery customer.
Dio won't allow Nielsen to sweep him here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nielsen is on top in guard.

Nielsen trying to control but Dio is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen stopping the sweep attempt from Dio.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Dio holds on and takes a little breather.
Nielsen working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Dio is adopting a defensive guard.
Dio wants to sweep but no luck.
Nielsen's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Nielsen won't allow Dio to sweep him here.
Dio working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nielsen.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dio controls Nielsen momentarily but Nielsen frees himself.
Nielsen lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Nielsen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
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 Sven Kristian Nielsen will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nielsen closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Nielsen lands a jab to the nose.

Dio closes the distance and clinches.
Nielsen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Nielsen as the two fighters clinch.

Dio turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Dio manages to end up in side control.
Nielsen is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Dio's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Dio connects with a nice short shot to Nielsen's temple.
Nielsen is trying to maintain the position but Dio is very close to passing his half guard.
Nielsen is holding on to half guard well.
Nielsen moves into full guard.
Dio stopping the sweep attempt from Nielsen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dio missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Dio lands a couple of elbows.

Nielsen had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Dio defends it easily.
Dio scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Nielsen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nielsen has momentary wrist control but Dio slips an elbow through the middle.

Nielsen is looking for a triangle but Dio pushes his legs off easily.

Nielsen had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Dio defends it easily.
Dio 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.
Dio trying to control but Nielsen is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dio got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nielsen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Dio has managed to get both his arms back between Nielsen's legs - danger averted.
Nielsen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dio.
Dio throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nielsen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Dio working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Nielsen's head.
Dio is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
John Dio has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dio looking to pass the guard.
Nielsen can't keep his opponent in guard - Dio advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Nielsen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Dio with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen is trying to keep Dio in close.
Nielsen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Dio is one step ahead there.
Dio is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Nielsen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nielsen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Dio throws a strike but Nielsen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Dio seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Nielsen trying to control but Dio is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Dio trying to control the position here.
Dio trying to control the position.
Nielsen wants to control from the top but Dio keeps moving.
Dio working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nielsen.
Nielsen trying to control the position from guard on top but Dio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nielsen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dio looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
John Dio is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nielsen throws a big shot that misses.
Nielsen misses with a double jab
letting Dio counter with a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but John Dio will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Nielsen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Dio lands with a nice combination. Nielsen backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Sven Kristian Nielsen has been cut.
Dio looks to land a combination. Nielsen sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Nielsen throws a hook but Dio blocks it.
Dio looks to land a combination but Nielsen avoids it well.
Nielsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Dio moves away.
Nielsen slips under a jab.
Nielsen clobbers Dio with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nielsen throws a body punch but Dio moves out of range.
Nielsen moves away from the strike by Dio.
Dio looks to land a combination but Nielsen avoids it well.
Nielsen feinted with a counter takedown.

Nielsen gets tackled into the cage by Dio. Dio maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen'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.
Dio wants a takedown but no success here.
Dio wants a takedown but no success here.
Nielsen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Nielsen slowing the pace effectively.
Dio has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dio is looking to control Nielsen's arms but Nielsen gets an underhook and turns him. Now Dio has his back to the cage.

Nielsen pulls Dio into guard.
Dio trying to control the position from guard on top but Nielsen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nielsen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dio manages to get himself to full guard.

Dio is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nielsen preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dio looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Nielsen puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Nielsen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dio keeps working.
Nielsen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Dio makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Dio.
Nielsen won't allow Dio to sweep him here.
Nielsen lands a couple of digs.
Nielsen wants to control from the top but Dio keeps moving.
Nielsen passes into half guard.
Dio wants to control but Nielsen passes into side.
Dio wants to control but Nielsen postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dio is looking to reverse the position.
Nielsen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dio keeps working.
Nielsen is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Dio is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Dio can't do much from the bottom here.
Nielsen lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Dio down.
Dio tries to bench press Nielsen off him but Nielsen keeps the position.
Nielsen trying to control the position but Dio is working away.
Dio takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dio holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.

Nielsen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Nielsen trying to control the position but Dio is working away.
Dio is trying to get back to half guard.
Dio has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Dio is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Nielsen in side control lands a decent elbow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Nielsen thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Dio is trying to control Nielsen's posture but Nielsen avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sven Kristian Nielsen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Nielsen 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Sven Kristian Nielsen!
Our winner, Sven Kristian Nielsen, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.