PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dill Nickle (ranked 878 p4p, 2572 weight class) and Millard Masters (ranked 81 p4p, 215 weight class). Masters has chosen Enter the Sandman as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nickle
vs
Masters

176 cm
27
148
13 - 10 - 0

160 cm
34
157
16 - 15 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Fast

Furnace Performance ðŸ”¥
Silverguard Outfitters ðŸ›¡

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dill Nickle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Millard Masters!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Steve Erwin and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Masters throws a left and a right that both miss
and Nickle counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We've been informed that Masters has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Good shot there by Nickle.
Masters tries to clinch but Nickle moves out of range.
Nickle is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nickle. Masters does a little dance to reset his feet.
Masters with a lazy takedown attempt
and Nickle counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nickle misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nickle swings for the body but Masters moves out of range.
Masters is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Masters fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Nickle sprawls well initially but Masters persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Nickle is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Masters is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Masters wants to pass the guard but Nickle is defending well.
Nickle is looking to get back to is feet but Masters passes into side control.

Masters thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Nickle is pushing Masters's head away, looking to escape. Masters manages to hold on to the position though.
Masters tries to move to mount but Nickle blocks the move with his legs.
Nickle tries to escape but Masters is in control.
Nickle seems a little lost for a moment, as Masters dominates the positioning.
Masters trying to control the action but Nickle is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Nickle stops Masters from passing to mount.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nickle scores with a sloppy right hand. Masters should have avoided that one.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Nickle enables Masters to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Nickle manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Nickle scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Nickle scores with the left hand. Masters knows he should have avoided that one.
Masters has a takedown stuffed.
Masters takes one on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nickle just misses with a punch to the body.
Masters drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Nickle defends it well.
Nickle is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Nickle throws a lazy right hand but Masters sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nickle looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Masters tries to clinch there but Nickle circles away.
Nickle works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Nickle with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Masters to score with a decent uppercut.
Masters shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Nickle cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dill Nickle dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Masters looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nickle throws a body punch but Masters moves out of range.
Despite the aggression on Masters's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Nickle avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Masters takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Masters closes the distance and clinches.

Nickle breaks the clinch.
We've been told by Nickle's head coaches at Punch Out Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Nickle is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nickle looks to land a combination but Masters avoids it well.
Nickle scores with a decent looking hook.
Nickle cracks Masters with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickle throws a body shot but no joy.
Nickle misses with a hook. Masters ducked under it nicely.
Masters changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Nickle jabs Masters right on the nose. Masters blinks but takes it well.
Dill Nickle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nickle walks into a jab.
Nickle falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Masters to counter with a crisp jab.
Nickle keeps the fight on the outside.

Masters shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Nickle's guard.
Masters trying to control but Nickle is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nickle kicks Masters off and gets to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nickle misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Masters clinches up against the cage.
Masters misses with the head strike.
A right hook to the body lands for Nickle.
Nickle lands with a short shot to the head.
Nickle is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Masters ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Masters no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nickle stopping the sweep attempt from Masters.

Nickle gets to his feet. Masters looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masters is looking to clinch.
Nickle misses with an uppercut

and Masters decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Nickle's guard.
Nickle wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Masters manages to pass to side control.

Masters seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Nickle is looking to escape.
Masters wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nickle keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masters content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Masters is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Nickle is trying to escape back to his feet but Masters uses the scramble to pass into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nickle wants to get back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Dill Nickle will probably get the nod.
That's time! Nickle's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Masters fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Masters fails with the takedown
and Nickle connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Masters fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Nickle avoids it really well and circles away.
Dill Nickle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Millard Masters.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masters is looking to clinch.
Nickle throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nickle's jab looks to have found its range, popping Masters under the eye.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickle takes a swing at Masters's ribcage but misses.
Masters shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
enabling Nickle to counter with a crisp jab.
Masters wants to clinch up but Nickle keeps it at a distance.
Nickle misses with a hook.
Masters is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Nickle.
Nickle connects with a right hand. Masters shakes it off.
Nickle loads up on a big right hand but Masters slips the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nickle lands a jab to the nose.
A big left from Nickle misses.
Masters fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nickle lands a glancing blow to the side of Masters's head.
Nickle misses with a double jab

and Masters counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Masters stops Nickle from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masters content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Nickle manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Nickle lands with a nice body punch.
Masters wants to clinch
and Nickle counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Nickle misses with a hook.
Masters tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masters doesn't manage to clinch there - Nickle circles away.
A quick step to the side and Nickle tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nickle keeps the fight on the outside.
Nickle is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Masters can do to turn this around?
Masters is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Nickle.
Millard Masters has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nickle lands a jab to Masters's midsection.
Nickle circles away from the clinch attempt
and Nickle counters with a three punch combo that has Masters backing up. Masters nods at Nickle to acknowledge the strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Masters shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Nickle sprawls well. Nickle wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Masters gets slowly back to his feet.
Nickle seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dill Nickle showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nickle, 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 John Mangel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dill Nickle!
A relieved looking Dill Nickle thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Millard Masters spoke after the fight, saying 'Damn, I will go back to the gym and get stronger'.