PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cage Nichols (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergei Kosilov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Nichols
vs
Kosilov

167 cm
19
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
27
142 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cage Nichols!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergei Kosilov!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Taro Takaoka and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kosilov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cage Nichols seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kosilov doesn't manage to clinch there - Nichols circles away.
Nichols fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nichols shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Nichols closes the distance and pushes Kosilov back into the cage.
Kosilov stops a takedown attempt from Nichols.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cage Nichols. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kosilov is pressed up against the cage. Nichols has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Kosilov down to the mat. Kosilov avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Kosilov stuffs the takedown attempt from Nichols. Nichols gets slowly back to his feet.
Nichols throws a shot to the body.

Kosilov rushes Nichols and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nichols blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kosilov is trying to push Nichols away but Nichols has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Kosilov prevents Nichols from breaking the clinch.
Nichols taking a breather.

Nichols breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kosilov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nichols but Nichols pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nichols tries to clinch but Kosilov is having none of it.
Kosilov tries to clinch up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nichols.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nichols shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kosilov pinned against the cage. Kosilov gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Horrible takedown by Nichols or perhaps it was just good defense by Kosilov which made him look bad.
Kosilov misses with a wild combination.
Nichols shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kosilov but Kosilov pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nichols shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kosilov pinned against the cage. Kosilov gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Kosilov scores with a four punch combination!
Nichols moves in looking to clinch but Kosilov pushes him off.
Danga de danga de dang - Kosilov scores with a four punch combination!
Nichols tries a head kick but it misses.

Nichols shoots in and gets a takedown into Kosilov's guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Nichols trying to control but Kosilov is working from the bottom.
Nichols preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nichols forces his way into half guard.
Kosilov pushes Nichols off looking to stand but Nichols dives back in and keeps control.
Nichols trying to pass the guard but Kosilov defending well.
Kosilov looks like he's trying to stand up.
Kosilov trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Nichols misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nichols trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nichols thowing shots but they're missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nichols tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nichols wants to clinch up but Kosilov keeps it at a distance.
Nichols tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Kosilov tries to keep at a distance but Nichols has taken the fight into the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Kosilov fails to land.

Nichols successfully pulls guard.
Kosilov stays in close to Nichols's body and controls the position.
Kosilov must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Kosilov wants to stand but Nichols is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nichols is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kosilov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nichols. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kosilov wants to control from the top but Nichols keeps moving.
Kosilov sitting in guard, not really doing much.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Nichols pulls Kosilov in to control the position.

Sergei Kosilov has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Kosilov swats away the attempt to clinch by Nichols.
Nichols shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kosilov as he jumps to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nichols takes the fight into the clinch.

Nichols breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nichols misses with a takedown attempt - Kosilov sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nichols gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kosilov counters with a left and a right that stings Nichols.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cage Nichols. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sloppy strikes from Nichols. Those never looked like landing.
Kosilov blocks a head kick by Nichols.
Kosilov displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Nichols.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Kosilov.
Nichols pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kosilov keeps the fight on the outside.
Nice sprawl there from Nichols as Kosilov shoots in.
Nichols looks for a takedown but Kosilov sprawls well.
A combination from Kosilov does no damage.
Nichols dodges the punch combination from Kosilov.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nichols.
Kosilov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A slow jab from Nichols misses its intended target.
Nichols is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kosilov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Nichols shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kosilov as he jumps to the side.
Nichols fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cage Nichols dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Kosilov defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nichols.
Nichols is looking to clinch but Kosilov is avoiding it.

Kosilov forces Nichols back against the cage and clinches.
A bit of stalling here from Nichols.
Nichols tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kosilov just stands there and leans against the cage.
Nichols tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cage Nichols. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kosilov is trying to push Nichols away but Nichols has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Kosilov's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Nichols breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kosilov on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Nichols fails with the takedown.
Nichols throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nichols tries to clinch up.
Nichols misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
An inside leg kick from Kosilov misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kosilov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cage Nichols is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nichols changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kosilov tries to avoid it but Nichols manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kosilov to the ground. Kosilov escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A punch combination from Nichols misses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Nichols checks a leg kick.
Nichols shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kosilov pinned against the cage. Kosilov gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cage Nichols is winning the standup battle so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nichols throws a right hand that misses
and Kosilov counters with a two punch combo.
Kosilov throws a right and a left that Nichols avoids nicely.
Nichols tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kosilov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Kosilov.
Nichols closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kosilov circles away.
Kosilov ducks under a wild hook from Nichols.
Nichols is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kosilov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kosilov tries to clinch up but Nichols circles away and keeps his distance.
Nichols misses with a takedown attempt
and Kosilov counters with a three punch combo that has Nichols backing up. Nichols nods at Kosilov to acknowledge the strikes.
Kosilov lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Nichols backs up against the cage.
Nichols fails with a takedown attempt.
Kosilov throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kosilov connects with the punch.

Kosilov dives in and scores a takedown into Nichols's guard.

Nichols has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Kosilov off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kosilov keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nichols will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sergei Kosilov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cage Nichols is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kosilov swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sergei Kosilov.
Well Nichols 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cage Nichols!