PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kalesh Nikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jia O Connor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikov comes to the cage accompanied by Till I Collapse. O Connor has chosen Parkway Drive - Feed them to the pigs as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Kalesh Nikov could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Jia O Connor's chin.

Nikov
vs
O Connor

170 cm
30
219 lbs
19 - 13 - 0

188 cm
24
215 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Cripplers Corner
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kalesh Nikov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jia O Connor!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nikov takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Nikov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Nikov scoring well with a low kick there.
O Connor throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nikov misses with a body punch
and O Connor counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
O Connor waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Nikov.
O Connor throws the left hand but Nikov avoids the punch easily.
Jab from Nikov.
Good leg kick by Nikov there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
O Connor has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from O Connor there as he acknowledges the shot.
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!
O Connor dips to his left and cracks Nikov with an uppercut!
A slow jab from O Connor misses its intended target.
Nikov just misses with a punch to the body.
Nikov thumps O Connor with a low kick.
Kalesh Nikov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nikov shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
O Connor checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Connor connects with a good right hand that stumbles Nikov. Nikov circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Nikov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? O Connor is fending him off so far but Nikov persists. Nope, O Connor circles away and we're back to standing.
Nikov lands a nice shot that snaps O Connor's head back.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Nikov, as that shot connected.
Nikov misses with a low kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Nikov. That's going to slow O Connor down.
Nikov moves away from the strike by O Connor.
O Connor checks the leg kick nicely there.
A big left from O Connor misses.
Nikov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from O Connor.
Nikov lands with an overhand left.
O Connor moves forwards but Nikov connects with a nice, crisp jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Nikov shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
O Connor holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Connor is looking for a sweep. Nikov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nikov sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Nikov is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for O Connor!
Nikov fails to advance to O Connor's back.
Nikov working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikov controlling from the full mount.
Nikov landing strikes from the mount and O Connor is in trouble!
Nikov controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikov thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
O Connor tries to reverse the position but Nikov maintains control.
Nikov avoids the attempt from O Connor to control.
O Connor is in a horrible position here. Nikov smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nikov lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kalesh Nikov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Nikov. O Connor shrugs it off though.

It looks like Jia O Connor has been cut.
O Connor throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nikov connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed O Connor momentarily.
Nikov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by O Connor.
Nikov dives in for a single leg takedown but O Connor sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

O Connor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nikov takes a swing at O Connor's ribcage but misses.
Kalesh Nikov is winning the standup battle so far.
A telegraphed right hand from O Connor misses the target.
Nikov connects with a single shot there.
Nikov throws out a powerful jab.
Nikov with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Nikov cracks a nice hook into O Connor's ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
O Connor uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nikov.
Nice shot lands for O Connor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Connor takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
O Connor takes one on the button.

Nikov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. O Connor is trying to defend but Nikov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
O Connor is looking to improve his position.
Nikov is keen to just control but O Connor is a slippery customer.
O Connor wants to get back to full guard but Nikov has passed into side control.
Nikov working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Connor is looking for a sweep.
O Connor can't do much from the bottom here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nikov working the head and body with strikes.
Kalesh Nikov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Nikov wants to lay and pray for a moment but O Connor keeps working.
Nikov laying and praying for a moment but O Connor takes advantage and regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Nikov in particular looking to stall.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Nikov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nikov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that O Connor can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Connor wants to improve his position but Nikov is controlling well.
Nikov looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Nikov is working for a kimura but O Connor is defending it quite comfortably.
O Connor is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Nikov's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Nikov's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kalesh Nikov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jia O Connor's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

O Connor avoids the body shot from Nikov.
Some wild striking there from O Connor.
Nikov misses with a body shot.
Nikov fails with a takedown attempt.
Nikov looks to land a right hand but O Connor moved out of range.
Nikov bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of O Connor's head.
Good work by O Connor as he checks the leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nikov. O Connor does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nikov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from O Connor.
Nikov throws a good cross that connects.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Connor misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nikov ducks right into an uppercut from O Connor.

Nikov drives through and clinches with O Connor against the cage.
Nikov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nikov tries to stall but O Connor uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
O Connor prevents a takedown attempt there.
Nikov tries to throw a body punch but O Connor avoids it by throwing Nikov back against the cage.

Nikov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nikov closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Nikov is looking to take a break and control but O Connor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
O Connor is looking to regain half guard here but Nikov keeps moving and retains side control.
Jia O Connor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikov controls the position from side control.
O Connor is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikov working away.
O Connor is looking to regain half guard here but Nikov keeps moving and retains side control.
Nikov controlling the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Nikov trying to control the position but O Connor is working away.
Kalesh Nikov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee asks Nikov politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Nikov prefers to stall for the moment though.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Kalesh Nikov wasn't doing enough on the ground.
O Connor misses with a head kick.
O Connor lands with a nice combination. Nikov backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Kalesh Nikov has been cut.
Nikov is looking to score with low kicks.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
O Connor stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kalesh Nikov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nikov throws a jab when O Connor was well out of range.
Nikov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from O Connor.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kalesh Nikov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nikov 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kalesh Nikov!
Kalesh Nikov really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Cripplers Corner logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.