PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bo Nickal (ranked 522 p4p, 905 weight class) and Roderick Turnbull (ranked 84 p4p, 138 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Roderick Turnbull enters the cage!

Nickal
vs
Turnbull

178 cm
31
178
18 - 7 - 0

180 cm
35
170
30 - 16 - 2

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

HELLS BALLS RECOVERY
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

PWNAGE
Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bo Nickal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 16 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Roderick Turnbull!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yukihiro Shimada and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Turnbull forces Nickal back against the cage and clinches.
Nickal lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Turnbull.
Nickal swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Nickal successfully pulls guard.

Nickal had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Turnbull defends it easily.

Nickal working for a triangle but Turnbull defends it easily.
Nickal wants to improve his position but instead Turnbull has moved into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nickal works his way to full guard. Good work.
Turnbull slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Turnbull is continuing to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickal looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nickal seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

Nickal working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Turnbull doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Turnbull manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Turnbull wants to get up but he can't break Nickal's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Turnbull avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Turnbull is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Nickal is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Turnbull engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Nickal looking to hit a scissor sweep but Turnbull is one step ahead there.

Nickal has his foot on Turnbull's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Turnbull works his way back into a safe position though.
Nickal bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Turnbull's guard.

Nickal stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Turnbull swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nickal is looking to work some ground and pound but Turnbull has wrist control.
Nickal chips away with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Turnbull controls Nickal momentarily but Nickal frees himself.
Nickal throwing strikes from guard but Turnbull blocks nicely.
Nickal wants to pass the guard but Turnbull is keeping the position.
Nickal chips away with some ground and pound.
Nickal looking to pass the guard.
Turnbull preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nickal throws a big right hand that misses.
Nickal throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nickal stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Turnbull swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Turnbull looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Turnbull is pulling down on Nickal's head to control his posture.
Nickal slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Nickal is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Turnbull has escaped the position, nice work there.

Nickal is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Turnbull knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bo Nickal dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Turnbull takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Roderick Turnbull has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Turnbull keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Turnbull looks to throw the jab but Nickal is out of range.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Nickal.
Turnbull prevents Nickal from moving into mount.
Nickal trying to control the action but Turnbull is working from the bottom.
Nickal fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Bo Nickal overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nickal tries to score with some ground and pound. Turnbull controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Turnbull is trying to get back to half guard.

Nickal goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Turnbull rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Nickal's guard! Nice work there by Turnbull!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nickal is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Turnbull defends well.
Turnbull won't allow Nickal to sweep him here.

Nickal working for a triangle but Turnbull defends it easily.
Nickal looking for a sweep. Not yet Nickal, not yet.
Nickal can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Turnbull controls the pace.

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.
Nickal wants to sweep but no luck.
Nickal is working hard here to advance position.
Nickal bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Turnbull's guard.

Turnbull looking for a sweep. Not yet Turnbull, not yet.
Turnbull has control of Nickal's left arm, preventing Nickal from doing any damage.
Nickal throws a big right hand that misses.
Nickal stands and throws Turnbull's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Nickal working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nickal goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Turnbull has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Nickal but great work by Turnbull.
Nickal is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Turnbull can do to turn this around?
Nickal is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Turnbull thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Nickal is trying to improve his position.
Turnbull gets to mount! Nickal was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Turnbull looking to control and managing it successfully.
Nickal sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Nickal makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Nickal.
Nickal wants to sweep but no luck.
Nickal bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Turnbull's guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Turnbull bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nickal's guard.

Nickal has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Turnbull has passed into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Turnbull wants to control but Nickal is keeping him busy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Roderick Turnbull will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nickal finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Turnbull on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Nickal. Nickal obviously looking to wear him down.
Turnbull looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Nickal throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Turnbull takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Turnbull defending well as Nickal loads up on a big left hand.
Nickal takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Turnbull lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Nickal works Turnbull's body with a nice hook.
Turnbull has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Turnbull scores with a crisp jab that stopped Nickal in his tracks.
Nice shot lands for Nickal.
Nickal throws a body shot but no joy.
Turnbull drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Turnbull takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nickal takes a kick to the side of the head.
A decent looking cross lands there for Turnbull.
Nickal shoots for a double leg takedown but Turnbull sprawls well. He's pushed Nickal's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nickal throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Turnbull scores with a crisp jab that stopped Nickal in his tracks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Turnbull throws a hook to the side of Nickal's head but Nickal sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Turnbull defending well as Nickal loads up on a big left hand.
Nickal throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Turnbull replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Nickal blocks it well.
Nickal scores with a jab to the jaw.
Nickal throws a body kick that misses.
Turnbull moves out of range of the strikes.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Nice shot lands for Turnbull.
Turnbull throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Nickal appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Turnbull swings for the body but Nickal moves out of range.
Turnbull bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Nickal's head.
Roderick Turnbull seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Turnbull moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Nickal darts in and clinches Turnbull up against the cage.
Turnbull misses with some punches.
Nickal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Turnbull fails to land.
Nickal throws a head punch that misses.
Nickal lands a body punch in the clinch.
Nickal makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Turnbull goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Turnbull tries to throw a body punch but Nickal avoids it by throwing Turnbull back against the cage.
Nickal is leaning against Turnbull and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Nickal can't get the takedown.
Nickal tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Turnbull lands a nice shot to the body.
Turnbull throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Nickal throws a head punch that misses.
A nice left hand lands by Turnbull.
Turnbull lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Nickal tightens his grip and picks Turnbull up, before dumping him to the ground. Turnbull manages to land in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Turnbull is on top in guard.

Turnbull won't allow Nickal to sweep him here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Turnbull not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Nickal wants to improve his position but instead Turnbull has moved into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Turnbull not doing much here.
Nickal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Turnbull perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Nickal tries to get to full guard but Turnbull has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Nickal trying to control but Turnbull postures up.
Turnbull prevents Nickal from improving his position.
Turnbull content to control rather than advance.
Nickal is looking to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Roderick Turnbull.
I think Turnbull has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Roderick Turnbull!