PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nirmal Singh (ranked 2354 p4p, 3251 weight class) and Randell Robertson (ranked 222 p4p, 293 weight class). 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.

Singh
vs
Robertson

161 cm
25
152
7 - 1 - 0

195 cm
23
160
3 - 1 - 1

Decent wrestler
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Pulling Guard

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nirmal Singh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Randell Robertson!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Paul Gruel and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Robertson tries to keep at a distance but Singh has taken the fight into the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Robertson fails to land.
Robertson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Singh breaks from the clinch.
Robertson throws a body shot but no joy.
Robertson wants to clinch up but Singh keeps it at a distance.
Singh seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Robertson moves into range and clinches up with Singh.

Singh escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Robertson shoots for a double leg takedown but Singh sprawls well. He's pushed Robertson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Robertson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Singh sprawls well. Singh wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Robertson gets slowly back to his feet.
Singh appears to be looking for a big counter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Robertson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Singh's waist but Singh gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Robertson off to one side.
Nirmal Singh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Randell Robertson.

Robertson moves into the clinch.

Singh breaks from the clinch.
Robertson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Singh swats away the attempt to clinch by Robertson.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Robertson clinches with his opponent.
Robertson is looking for a takedown.

Robertson is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Singh can't fight it off and eventually Robertson manages to take the fight to the floor. Singh looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Singh looking to hit a scissor sweep but Robertson is one step ahead there.
Singh lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Singh knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Robertson on the ground.
Singh trying to stand up but can't free himself from Robertson's guard.
Singh is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Singh seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Robertson for as long as he can get away with.
Singh won't allow Robertson to sweep him here.

Robertson looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Singh passes into half guard.
Robertson is trying to maintain the position but Singh is very close to passing his half guard.
Singh content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Singh is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Robertson trying to control here.

Singh seems to be working for a kimura but Robertson defends the submission attempt.
Robertson is controlling Singh's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Robertson gets back to full guard.

That's four 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.
Robertson wants to stand up but Singh is controlling him.
Singh might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Singh got a little sloppy there for a moment and Robertson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Singh has managed to get both his arms back between Robertson's legs - danger averted.
Singh has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Robertson is proving hard to escape from.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Singh seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Robertson gets tackled into the cage by Singh. Singh maintains the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nirmal Singh dominated that round.
That's time! Singh's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Singh keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Singh has closed the distance and engaged Robertson in a clinch.
Singh is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Robertson can do to turn this around?

Singh escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
No joy there for Singh, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Robertson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Singh has closed the distance and engaged Robertson in a clinch.

Singh manages to break the clinch.
Robertson shoots in and drives through. Singh sprawls well.

Singh darts in and clinches Robertson up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Singh pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Singh has taken the fight to the clinch.

Singh has hold of one of Robertson's legs. Robertson is fighting the takedown attempt but Singh gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Singh has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Robertson looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Robertson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Singh is aware though and is defending well.
Robertson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Robertson is breathing heavily.
Robertson is trying to keep Singh in close.
Singh wants to stand but Robertson is controlling his posture from full guard.

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.
Robertson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Singh gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Singh wants the takedown. Robertson is fighting it off but Singh persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Robertson's guard against the cage.
Singh wants to stand but Robertson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Robertson looking to control.
Singh sitting in guard here, content to control.
Singh stops Robertson from standing up.
Singh stays in close to Robertson's body and controls the position.
Singh postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Singh is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Singh avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Singh controlling from the top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nirmal Singh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Singh lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Robertson backs up against the cage.

Singh instigates a clinch.
Robertson is looking for a takedown.
Nirmal Singh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Randell Robertson.

Singh jumps guard.
Singh seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Singh manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Robertson manages to get himself to full guard.

Singh is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Singh content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Singh looking to pass the guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nirmal Singh dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Robertson fails with a takedown attempt.

Singh has Robertson up against the cage in a clinch.

Singh has Robertson pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Singh pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Robertson tumbling to the mat - Singh dives into Robertson's guard.
Robertson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Robertson wants to sweep but no luck.
Nirmal Singh overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Singh pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Robertson is keeping the position for now.
Robertson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Singh is one step ahead there.
Singh wants to stand and escape but instead Robertson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Robertson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Singh has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Robertson is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Singh.
Singh managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Robertson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Singh is looking for a sweep.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Singh is trying to get back to half guard.
Nirmal Singh is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Robertson is looking to take a break and control but Singh is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Robertson fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Singh is looking for a sweep.
Singh on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Singh tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robertson creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Robertson is looking to take a break and control but Singh is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Singh manages to work his way to half guard, despite Robertson's best efforts.
Singh wants to get back to full guard.
Robertson is trying to control. Singh wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Singh takes the fight into the clinch.

Robertson pulls Singh into guard.
Robertson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Singh prevents Robertson from getting back to his feet.
Singh controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Robertson is pulling down on Singh's head. It's preventing any offense from Singh, at least for the moment.
Singh is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Singh trying to stand up but can't free himself from Robertson's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Randell Robertson.
Well Singh has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nirmal Singh!
A relieved looking Nirmal Singh thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.