PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chip Nickel (ranked 319 p4p, 793 weight class) and Baruto Tonissaar (ranked 44 p4p, 104 weight class). Nickel comes to the cage accompanied by TISM - Greg the Stop Sign. 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.

Nickel
vs
Tonissaar

189 cm
23
186
9 - 3 - 0

191 cm
22
195
8 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Conviction

Conviction
Altitude Clothing

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 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chip Nickel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Baruto Tonissaar!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Bruno Lombardi and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nickel slips under a jab.
Tonissaar misses with a body shot.
Nickel jabs at Tonissaar's body.
Nickel looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Nickel definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Nice defenses there by Nickel.
Nickel keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Tonissaar misses with a series of wild punches.
Nickel throwing a counter right hand but Tonissaar manages to avoid it.
Nickel steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Tonissaar. That one must have hurt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A chopping leg kick lands by Tonissaar.
Tonissaar throws a hook to the side of Nickel's head but Nickel sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A quick step to the side and Nickel tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nickel misses with a looping right.
Tonissaar cracks Nickel with a right hand to the side of the head.
Nickel slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonissaar throws a jab but it's blocked by Nickel.
Tonissaar fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Nickel.
Tonissaar looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Nickel with the inside leg kick.
Tonissaar swings for the body but Nickel moves out of range.
Nickel throwing a counter right hand but Tonissaar manages to avoid it.
Tonissaar throws a predictable looking body shot
and Nickel counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Baruto Tonissaar has been cut.
A slapping leg kick lands for Tonissaar.
A swing and a miss from Tonissaar.
Tonissaar lands with a thumping leg kick.
Tonissaar loads up on a big right hand but Nickel slips the punch.
Tonissaar keeps the fight on the outside.
Nickel gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Tonissaar.
Tonissaar throws a lazy right hand but Nickel sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nickel was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Tonissaar is looking to land body kicks.
Tonissaar dodges the punch combination from Nickel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonissaar throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And Nickel counters with a quick kick to the body but Tonissaar blocks it.
Nickel tries to clinch up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tonissaar swings for the body but Nickel moves out of range.
Nickel misses with a wild body shot.
Tonissaar throws a body punch but Nickel moves out of range.
Nickel thinks about countering with a body kick.
Tonissaar misses with the combination.
Tonissaar avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Tonissaar tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Tonissaar slips a jab from Nickel.
Tonissaar throws a body shot but no joy.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tonissaar. Nickel does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nickel connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Tonissaar slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonissaar scores with a jab to the head.
Sloppy strikes from Nickel. Those never looked like landing.
Tonissaar throws a hook but Nickel blocks it.
Tonissaar connects with a body shot.
Nickel lands a lovely overhand right.
Tonissaar tried to score with a low kick but Nickel checks it.
Nickel wants to clinch.
Tonissaar takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Nickel cracks Tonissaar with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Tonissaar tries to work over Nickel's front leg with a kick but Nickel checks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nickel tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Nickel lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Tonissaar backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nickel doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tonissaar has a couple of punches blocked by Nickel.
Tonissaar tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tonissaar misses with a body punch.
Tonissaar misses with some punches.
Tonissaar prevents a body shot from Nickel.
Nickel misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nickel tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tonissaar's elbow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nickel.
Tonissaar blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nickel tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tonissaar misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nickel lands a body shot.
Tonissaar fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tonissaar misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nickel working aggressively here.
Tonissaar tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Nickel's elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Baruto Tonissaar dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Baruto Tonissaar's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nickel gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Tonissaar lands a left hand.
Tonissaar throws a head punch that misses.
Nickel lands a right hand that snaps the head of Tonissaar backwards.
A hook to the body from Tonissaar.
Tonissaar working aggressively here.
Nickel lands a body shot in the clinch.
Tonissaar blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Tonissaar's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Tonissaar misses with a punch to the body.
Tonissaar misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tonissaar tries to work over Nickel's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tonissaar goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tonissaar misses with a punch on the inside.
Nickel throws a punch but it's blocked by Tonissaar.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nickel tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tonissaar's elbow.
Nickel lands a body punch in the clinch.
Chip Nickel has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Tonissaar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nickel misses with a hook to the ribs.
A nice left hand lands by Nickel.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nickel misses with a punch to the body.
Tonissaar misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonissaar is working Nickel over against the cage.
A short left from Tonissaar.
Tonissaar throws a punch but it's blocked by Nickel.
A head punch on the inside from Tonissaar fails to land.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Nickel lands with a right to the head.
Nickel stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Nickel softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Nickel prevents a body shot from Tonissaar.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nickel.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Nickel misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nickel gets through Tonissaar's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Tonissaar throws a punch but it's blocked by Nickel.
Tonissaar tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nickel lands with a left to the head.
Tonissaar misses with a punch on the inside.
Tonissaar tries to work over Nickel's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nickel working aggressively here.
Tonissaar cracks Nickel with a nice body shot.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Tonissaar misses with a punch to the body.
Tonissaar goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Tonissaar creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nickel lands with a right to the head.
Tonissaar misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nickel blocks an uppercut.
Tonissaar misses with a body punch.
Tonissaar is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Nickel tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tonissaar throws a punch but it's blocked by Nickel.
Tonissaar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nickel misses with a punch to the body.

Nickel breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A low kick lands for Tonissaar.
Tonissaar swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Oooooh!!! Nickel has knocked Tonissaar down with a huge combo! Nickel steps away and waves a wobbly Tonissaar back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!
Tonissaar avoids the head kick by Nickel.
Tonissaar misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nickel misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tonissaar.
Tonissaar closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Baruto Tonissaar seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nickel misses with a wild body shot.
Tonissaar attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Nickel uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tonissaar.
Tonissaar darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Nickel darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
A slapping leg kick lands for Tonissaar.
Nice defenses there by Tonissaar.
Tonissaar now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Nickel slips a straight right by Tonissaar.
As Tonissaar looks to move away, Nickel throws a big counter combo but Tonissaar just gets out of the way.
Tonissaar throws a hook but Nickel blocks it.
Tonissaar just misses with a punch to the body.
Baruto Tonissaar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tonissaar needs to keep his hands up - Nickel had a free shot at his head there.

That has opened up Baruto Tonissaar's cut even more.
Tonissaar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nickel dips to his left and cracks Tonissaar with an uppercut!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nickel misses with an uppercut.
Tonissaar flicks out a counter leg kick but Nickel steps away.
Tonissaar misses with a hook.
Nickel throws a big counter combination but Tonissaar scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Tonissaar takes a swing at Nickel's ribcage but misses.
Nickel swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Tonissaar avoids the body shot from Nickel.
Tonissaar looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nickel wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Tonissaar lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Nickel has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Nickel and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Tonissaar throws a wild body kick that Nickel sees coming a mile off.
Tonissaar throws a solid leg kick but Nickel takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Tonissaar.
Tonissaar cracks Nickel with a right hand to the side of the head.
Tonissaar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tonissaar lands an overhand right.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tonissaar swings for the body but Nickel moves out of range.
Nickel throws a big counter combination but Tonissaar scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
A nice leg kick from Tonissaar, right into the meat of the thigh.
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 Chip Nickel will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Baruto Tonissaar's cut.
That's time! Nickel's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Tonissaar on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Nickel takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Tonissaar throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A counter left hand to the body from Nickel misses its target.
Nickel throws a head kick that half lands.
Tonissaar swings for the body but Nickel moves out of range.
Nickel looks to land a right hand but Tonissaar moved out of range.
Tonissaar misses with a looping left.
Nickel is looking to clinch but Tonissaar is avoiding it.
Nickel misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tonissaar walks into a stiff left hand from Nickel.
Tonissaar throws a low kick, looking for Nickel's leg but Nickel calmly moves out of range.
Nickel misses with a shot to the body
and Tonissaar counters with a stiff right hand.
Nickel takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nickel lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonissaar throws a predictable looking body shot
and Nickel counters with a nice uppercut.
Tonissaar lands a nice hook to Nickel's body. Nickel takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Nickel uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tonissaar.
A combination from Tonissaar does no damage.
Nickel misses with a wild body shot.
Nickel comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nickel. Tonissaar does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tonissaar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Nickel circles away quickly and effectively.
Nickel scores with a one two! Tonissaar had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

The cut above Baruto Tonissaar's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Tonissaar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tonissaar ducks under a wild hook from Nickel.
Tonissaar feints a counter leg kick.
Tonissaar throws a low kick but Nickel moves out of range easily.
Tonissaar misses with an uppercut.
Nickel misses the jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonissaar chopping away at his opponent's legs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tonissaar throws a solid leg kick but Nickel takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Tonissaar.
Tonissaar lands a nice shot to the body.
Tonissaar will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Nickel throwing a counter right hand but Tonissaar manages to avoid it.
Nickel steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tonissaar.
Tonissaar works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Nickel tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tonissaar keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nickel.
Tonissaar throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Tonissaar swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tonissaar throws a big shot that misses.
Nickel slips a straight right by Tonissaar.
A little feinted left hand from Nickel on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonissaar throws a shot from downtown. Nickel moves away and avoids it.
Tonissaar connects with a solid leg kick.
Tonissaar throws a low kick, looking for Nickel's leg but Nickel calmly moves out of range.
Nickel lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Tonissaar feints and then cracks Nickel's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Nickel down.
A combination from Nickel does no damage.
Nickel keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
It appears Nickel was looking to counter with a kick there.
Nickel misses the shot to the body.

Nickel takes the fight into the clinch.
Tonissaar working aggressively here.
A short right from Nickel on the inside.

Baruto Tonissaar's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Nickel lands a right hand that snaps the head of Tonissaar backwards.
A short left from Tonissaar.
Tonissaar can't find room to land a body shot as Nickel controls the action.
Tonissaar blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tonissaar lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Tonissaar lands a hook to the side of the head.
Nickel scores with a shot to the side of Tonissaar's head.
Tonissaar lands a left hand.
Tonissaar throws a punch but it's blocked by Nickel.
Stalling in the clinch from Tonissaar.
Tonissaar tries a body shot but Nickel blocks it.
Nickel blocks an uppercut.
Nickel blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nickel blocks an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nickel.
Nickel can't find room to land a body shot as Tonissaar controls the action.
Nickel struggles to land a body shot inside as Tonissaar controls his hands.
Tonissaar lands a right hand that snaps the head of Nickel backwards.
A right handed body shot lands from Tonissaar.
Nickel lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Tonissaar lands with a light punch inside.
Tonissaar misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tonissaar makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Tonissaar blocks a body shot from Nickel.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Baruto Tonissaar.
Well Tonissaar has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Baruto Tonissaar!
Baruto Tonissaar really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Altitude Clothing logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.