PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nikolas Conner (ranked 4027 p4p, 3493 weight class) and Panda Cuchi (ranked 211 p4p, 196 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Conner
vs
Cuchi

175 cm
23
144
2 - 5 - 0

176 cm
19
145
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

BANZAI NUTRITION

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nikolas Conner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Panda Cuchi!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Donald Grub and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cuchi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Conner throws out the jab.
Cuchi throws a counter combo.
Nice uppercut lands for Conner. That snapped Cuchi's head back.
Conner shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Conner throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Cuchi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Cuchi gets tackled into the cage by Conner. Conner maintains the clinch.
Conner will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Cuchi up against the cage.
Cuchi tries to circle away but Conner has him pinned against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Conner pressing his opponent against the cage.
Cuchi tries to throw a body punch but Conner avoids it by throwing Cuchi back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conner has Cuchi pressed against the cage.
Conner makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Conner tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cuchi avoids it.
Conner taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Cuchi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Conner misses with the head strike.
Cuchi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Cuchi jumps guard but Conner stands there with Cuchi around his waist. Cuchi gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Conner dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Conner is working Cuchi over against the cage.
Cuchi tries to work over Conner's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Conner looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Conner misses with a punch to the body.
Conner lands a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cuchi takes an elbow to the temple.
Conner lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cuchi backwards.
Still in the clinch, Conner scores with a nice short uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cuchi.
Conner scores with a shot to the side of Cuchi's head.
Conner misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cuchi fails to pull guard.
Nikolas Conner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Panda Cuchi.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Conner creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Conner has a couple of punches blocked by Cuchi.
Nice body punch from Conner - that landed with a thud.
Conner is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Conner lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Cuchi is rocked!
Cuchi tries to pull guard but Conner won't allow it.
Cuchi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuchi wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Conner has him pressed against the cage.
Conner stalling in the clinch.
Cuchi can't break the clinch.
Conner stalling.
Conner taking a breather.
Cuchi fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Conner lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Conner effectively controlling the action here.
Conner lands a hook that snaps the head of Cuchi backwards.
Conner lands a body shot in the clinch.
Cuchi blocks a body shot from Conner.
Cuchi wants to break the clinch but can't.
Conner stops a takedown attempt from Cuchi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conner throws a punch but it's blocked by Cuchi.
Cuchi drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Conner lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Cuchi backwards.
Cuchi can't find room to land a body shot as Conner controls the action.
Conner effectively controlling the action here.
Conner stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Conner holding his opponent close, against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Conner.
Cuchi is trying to pull guard but Conner has him pressed against the cage.
Conner lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Cuchi.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Conner throws a combination that misses
and Cuchi counters with a straight right hand.
Conner throws a body shot but no joy.
A chopping leg kick lands by Conner.
Conner throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Cuchi's head.
Conner misses with a low kick as Cuchi jumps back.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Cuchi crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Conner - the referee stops the clock and Cuchi gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Conner. Cuchi manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Conner misses the jab.
Cuchi is looking for the big counter here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cuchi is looking to clinch.
Cuchi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cuchi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Conner is looking for a counter combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conner throws a nice outside leg kick.
Conner turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nikolas Conner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Decent striking displayed by Conner there.

Conner has managed to clinch.
Conner lands an elbow inside that Cuchi shrugs off.
Conner is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Conner with a knee to the head.
Conner misses with the head strike.
Conner is pushing Cuchi up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Nikolas Conner has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Cuchi goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conner trying to land knees to the body.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Cuchi takes a shot to the head.
Conner lands a damaging elbow.
Cuchi is still on wobbly legs! Can Conner finish him?
Stalling in the clinch from Conner.
Cuchi is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cuchi seems to have recovered his senses.
Cuchi misses with a punch to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cuchi blocks an uppercut.
Conner doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cuchi being controlled against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Conner takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Conner is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cuchi can do to turn this around?
Conner stalling against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuchi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Conner is pressed up against the cage. Cuchi has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Conner down to the mat. Conner avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Conner lands a nice leg kick that just misses Cuchi's sensitive parts.
Cuchi's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Cuchi duly obliges.
Conner swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Conner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cuchi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Conner blocks a jab.
Cuchi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Conner moves away.
Conner just misses with a punch to the body.
Cuchi is looking for the big counter here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conner buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A shot to the body from Cuchi misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Nikolas Conner is winning the standup battle so far.
Conner lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Conner feints and then cracks Cuchi's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Cuchi down.
Conner lands a head kick. Cuchi smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Conner misses with a hook
and Cuchi counters with a straight right hand.
Cuchi scores with a nice head shot.
Cuchi throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Cuchi throws a left and a right that both miss

and Conner holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolas Conner dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Cuchi takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Conner throws a big shot that misses.
Cuchi's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Conner throws a solid leg kick but Cuchi takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Conner.
Conner doesn't manage to clinch there - Cuchi circles away.

Conner has closed the distance and engaged Cuchi in a clinch.
Conner holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Come on Conner - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cuchi struggles to land a body shot inside as Conner controls his hands.
Cuchi is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Conner to keep the fight standing.
Conner lands with a left to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cuchi.
Cuchi tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Conner smiles and moves away.
Cuchi lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Cuchi scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Cuchi bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Conner dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cuchi. That did some damage!
Cuchi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Conner manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cuchi throws a nice looking combination but Conner bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conner misses with a body shot.
Cuchi appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Cuchi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Conner.
Cuchi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Conner moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cuchi throws a left and a right that both miss

and Conner counters by clinching up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A nice left hand lands by Conner.
The referee is keeping an eye on Conner - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Conner lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Cuchi backwards.
Cuchi tries to throw a body punch but Conner avoids it by throwing Cuchi back against the cage.
Conner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cuchi's elbow.
Cuchi wants a takedown but no success here.
Nikolas Conner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Panda Cuchi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conner effectively controlling the action here.
Conner digs a right hand underneath Cuchi's ribcage. Cuchi let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A short right from Conner on the inside.
Cuchi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Conner leaning against his opponent.
Cuchi tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Conner's elbow.
Cuchi tries to circle away but Conner has him pinned against the cage.
A short right from Conner on the inside.
Cuchi blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cuchi wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cuchi prevents a body shot from Conner.
A frustrated look appears on Cuchi's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Conner scores with a shot to the side of Cuchi's head.
Cuchi tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Conner's elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conner gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Conner swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Conner avoiding damage.
Conner lands a body shot.
Conner tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Conner lands a right hand.
Cuchi is trying to pull guard but Conner has him pressed against the cage.
Cuchi can't break the clinch.
Conner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cuchi's elbow.
Conner has Cuchi pressed against the cage.
Cuchi takes a shot to the head.
Panda Cuchi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nikolas Conner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Conner effectively controlling the action here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolas Conner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Conner 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikolas Conner!