PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kulata Bitok (ranked 23918 p4p, 18661 weight class) and Neil Nucombe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Bitok
vs
Nucombe

182 cm
26
160
34 - 59 - 6

166 cm
54
166
42 - 29 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 34 - 59 - 6, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kulata Bitok!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 42 - 29 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Neil Nucombe!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Tiny Johnson and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bitok shoots in but no luck this time.
Nucombe misses with a left hand
and Bitok counters with a solid body kick.
Nucombe misses with a hook. Bitok ducked under it nicely.
Nucombe just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromBitok.
Nucombe connects with a nice looking jab.
Nice uppercut there from Nucombe.
Bitok has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Nucombe finds it's way round the side to connect with Bitok's head.
Nucombe swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nucombe gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nucombe is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bitok accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Nucombe wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Nucombe throws a hook but Bitok blocks it.
It appears Bitok was looking to counter with a kick there.
Nucombe rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Bitok finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nucombe throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bitok tries to counter with a takedown but Nucombe is quick to defend against it.
Nucombe fails to land with a series of punches.
Nucombe fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bitok manages to avoid it.
Neil Nucombe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bitok slips a jab and a cross from Nucombe.
Nucombe misses with a hook.
Bitok appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Nucombe throws a jab but it's blocked by Bitok.
It looked like Bitok was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Bitok moves away from the strike by Nucombe.
We've been informed that Nucombe has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Nucombe throws a poor cross that misses
and Bitok counters with a thumping low kick.
Neil Nucombe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nucombe looks to score with a jab to the body but Bitok is just out of range.
Bitok bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nucombe throws a hook but Bitok avoids it easily.
Nucombe misses with a body punch
and Bitok counters with a good low kick that Nucombe was not able to check.
Nucombe throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bitok thinks about countering with a body kick.
Nucombe looks to land a left hand but Bitok moved out of range nicely.
Bitok seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Bitok drives through with a takedown into Nucombe's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nucombe being controlled here, momentarily.
Bitok throwing strikes but missing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Neil Nucombe dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nucombe with a hook.
A punch combination from Nucombe misses.
Bitok jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Bitok throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Bitok looks for a takedown but Nucombe sprawls well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nucombe throws a hook but Bitok avoids it easily.
Bitok changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Nucombe waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bitok.
Bitok throws a quick counter kick to the body but Nucombe avoids it.
Nucombe misses with a hook to the body
and Bitok counters with a nice kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Bitok or perhaps it was just good defense by Nucombe, which made it look bad.
Nucombe displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bitok.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kulata Bitok. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nucombe misses with a looping left.
And Bitok counters with a quick kick to the body but Nucombe blocks it.
Nucombe has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A jab from Nucombe misses.
Bitok quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Bitok ducks under a wild hook from Nucombe.
Bitok displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Nucombe throws out the jab.
Bitok quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nucombe swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nucombe ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bitok moves away.
Nucombe is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bitok.
Nucombe throws a big shot that misses.
Bitok takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Nucombe scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Bitok avoids the body shot from Nucombe.
Bitok quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Bitok ducks under a wild hook from Nucombe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nucombe jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bitok jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Nucombe misses with an uppercut.
Nucombe throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bitok changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nucombe tries to avoid it but Bitok manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nucombe to the ground. Nucombe escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nucombe throws an off balance right hand
and Bitok counters with a nice body kick.
Nucombe throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bitok thinks about countering with a head kick.
Bitok defending well as Nucombe loads up on a big left hand.
Bitok attempts a counter takedown but Nucombe avoids it well and moves away.
Nucombe bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Bitok's head backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Nucombe misses.
Bitok looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Nucombe tries to bum rush Bitok with a series of wild strikes but Bitok uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nucombe rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Bitok counters with an inside leg kick.
Neil Nucombe seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bitok shoots in for a takedown but Nucombe shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Nucombe! But no joy.
Nucombe throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bitok half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Nucombe misses with a wild combination.
Bitok feinted there with a counter leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Neil Nucombe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Nucombe misses with a jab to the body
and Bitok counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Nucombe throws a hook but Bitok avoids it easily.
A big left from Nucombe misses.
It appears Bitok was looking to counter with a kick there.
Bitok keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bitok was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Nucombe misses with a hook.
Nucombe takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nucombe throws a right and a left that Bitok avoids nicely.
Bitok swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Nucombe throws a hook but Bitok avoids it easily.
Nucombe misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nucombe misses with a double jab.
Bitok thinks about countering with a body kick.
Bitok uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Nucombe.
Bitok quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Nucombe throws an off balance right hand
and Bitok counters with a head kick. That will keep Nucombe thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Nucombe rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bitok moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Bitok shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Bitok showed some decent athleticism there.
Nucombe tries to roll over but Bitok keeps him under control.
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.
Neil Nucombe is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bitok content to control rather than advance.
Bitok sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nucombe defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Bitok seems content to control.
Nucombe is trying to get back to full guard.
Bitok is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nucombe takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nucombe throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bitok tries to counter with a takedown but Nucombe is quick to defend against it.
Nucombe connects with a good right hand that stumbles Bitok. Bitok circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Nucombe jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bitok throws a counter high kick but Nucombe was just alert enough to avoid it.
Nucombe misses the shot to the body.
Kulata Bitok has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bitok defending well as Nucombe loads up on a big left hand.
And Bitok counters with a quick kick to the body but Nucombe blocks it.
Bitok slips under a jab from Nucombe.
Bitok throws a quick counter kick to the body but Nucombe avoids it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nucombe throws a shot from downtown. Bitok moves away and avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Neil Nucombe comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Nucombe winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Neil Nucombe!
Neil Nucombe took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!) for their support in the buildup to the fight.