PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vito Corleone (ranked 6913 p4p, 624 weight class) and Torg Nikolic (ranked 7817 p4p, 665 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Corleone
vs
Nikolic

189 cm
18
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

192 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Dr Zoidberg Office

Top Gun Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vito Corleone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Torg Nikolic!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Cecil Peabody and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Corleone clinches.
Corleone misses with a punch to the body.
Corleone is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nikolic is defending well for now.
Nikolic has had enough of the clinch but Corleone keeps him there for the moment.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Corleone.
Corleone misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nikolic avoiding damage as Corleone throws knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nikolic.
Corleone crunches a lovely knee into Nikolic's ribcage.
Corleone is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nikolic is defending well for now.
Corleone misses with a short punch on the inside.
Corleone using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nikolic has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nikolic lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Corleone is looking to get back to is feet but Nikolic passes into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nikolic slows the pace down.
Corleone knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nikolic on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikolic throws a strike aimed at the side of Corleone's head but Corleone avoids it well.
Nikolic trying to control the position but Corleone is working away.
Nikolic tries to move to mount but Corleone blocks the move with his legs.
Sloppy strikes there by Nikolic.
Nikolic tries to move to mount but Corleone blocks the move with his legs.
Corleone wants to get back to his feet but Nikolic drags him back down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Corleone tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Nikolic trying to control but Corleone is having none of it.
Corleone really wants to buck Nikolic off and get back to his feet.
Nikolic thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
My spies in Pure Adrenaline Wrestling inform me that Nikolic has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Corleone is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Corleone wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Nikolic.
Nikolic looking to control and managing it successfully.
Nikolic's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Nikolic is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Nice sprawl there from Corleone as Nikolic shoots in.

Corleone forces Nikolic back against the cage and clinches.
Nikolic is trying to pull guard but Corleone has him pressed against the cage.
Nikolic looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Nikolic is fighting off a takedown attempt but Corleone is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Nikolic to the mat. Nikolic regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Corleone scoring with some ground and pound.
Corleone throws a strike but Nikolic rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Nikolic decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Corleone gets a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Corleone goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Corleone tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Nikolic avoids it.

Nikolic pulls guard successfully.
Corleone working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nikolic doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Nikolic not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Nikolic has momentary wrist control but Corleone slips an elbow through the middle.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nikolic is on top in guard.

Corleone wants to stand but Nikolic is controlling the position.
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 Vito Corleone will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Corleone moves into the clinch.
Corleone fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Corleone has a couple of punches blocked by Nikolic.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Corleone as Nikolic tries to tie him up.
Nikolic fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Corleone tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A frustrated look appears on Nikolic's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Corleone is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nikolic pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Nikolic prevents a body shot from Corleone.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Corleone prevents Nikolic from breaking the clinch.
Nikolic is trying to pull guard but Corleone turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Corleone tries to land a knee to the head but Nikolic blocks with his arms.
Corleone has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Nikolic is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Nikolic changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Corleone fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Vito Corleone has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Torg Nikolic.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Corleone swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Nikolic counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Corleone tries to keep at a distance but Nikolic has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nikolic wants to stall.
Corleone lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Nikolic is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Corleone to keep the fight standing.
Corleone putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Nikolic in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Nikolic blocks a body shot from Corleone.
Corleone prevents Nikolic from breaking the clinch.
Nikolic tries to pull guard but Corleone holds him up against the cage and eventually Nikolic drops back down to his feet.
Corleone tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Corleone misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikolic has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Nikolic wants to break free but Corleone has control.
Nikolic avoiding damage as Corleone throws knees to the body.

Nikolic manages to break the clinch.
Nikolic throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Corleone.
Corleone is looking to clinch.
Corleone ducks right into an uppercut from Nikolic.
Corleone tries to clinch up but Nikolic circles away and keeps his distance.

Corleone darts in and clinches Nikolic up against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Corleone turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Torg Nikolic has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nikolic is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Corleone's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Nikolic has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Corleone is on him like a limpet, forcing Nikolic back against the cage.
Corleone lands a knee to the body.

Nikolic jumps guard and drags Corleone to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Nikolic has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Corleone landing with the ground and pound.
Nikolic is breathing heavily.
Corleone postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Nikolic is rocked!
Corleone throws an elbow that misses. Nikolic uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Corleone's guard. Nice move by Nikolic!

Nikolic trying to control the position from guard on top but Corleone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikolic passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Corleone is trying to buck Nikolic off.
Nikolic misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Corleone is not content to let Nikolic control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Torg Nikolic will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Corleone swings wildly with an uppercut but Nikolic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Corleone tries to work over Nikolic's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Nikolic escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vito Corleone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Corleone closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nikolic blocks a body shot from Corleone.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Corleone misses with a knee to the head.
Our sources have told us that Corleone has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Nikolic is looking to break free of the clinch but Corleone has double underhooks.
Corleone gets underhooks to prevent Nikolic's takedown attempt.
Nikolic tries to score a body lock takedown but Corleone shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Nikolic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Corleone clinches up against the cage.
Nikolic jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Corleone walks away with a smile on his face. Nikolic gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Vito Corleone has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Torg Nikolic.
Nikolic missing with a left hand there. Corleone was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Corleone wants to clinch up but Nikolic keeps it at a distance.
Corleone tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nikolic swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nikolic pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Corleone clinches up against the cage.
Nikolic jumps guard but Corleone turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Nikolic has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Corleone uses from the top position.
Corleone throws a big elbow that misses.
Corleone landing with the ground and pound.
Nikolic is still in real trouble! Can Corleone finish him?

It looks like Torg Nikolic has been cut.
Nikolic takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Corleone stands up over Nikolic, holding on to his feet. Corleone throws the legs to one side and dives in with a huge shot that lands flush on the chin! Nikolic is out cold! Corleone lands a couple more shots and the ref tackles him out of the way! What a brutal finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Vito Corleone!