PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Destin Craven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mattia Nicoletti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Craven
vs
Nicoletti

173 cm
27
184 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

175 cm
28
185 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Destin Craven!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mattia Nicoletti!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Viktor Lagutenko and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nicoletti misses with a head kick.
Craven throws a sloppy head kick and Nicoletti moves out of range easily.
Nicoletti looks to land a combination but Craven avoids it well.
Nicoletti throws a head kick that misses.
Nicoletti avoids the head kick by Craven.
Nicoletti avoids the head kick by Craven.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Nicoletti listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Craven throws a leg kick which misses Nicoletti's front leg but catches the back leg as Nicoletti tries to avoid it.
Nicoletti fails with a takedown attempt.
Craven throws a head kick but Nicoletti moves out of range.
Nicoletti throws a low kick but Craven moves out of range easily.
Craven pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nicoletti takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Nicoletti tries to clinch up.
Mattia Nicoletti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nicoletti throws a hook to the side of Craven's head but Craven sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A punch combination from Craven misses.
Craven lands a body shot.
Craven fails to land with a series of punches.
Craven seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Nicoletti fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nicoletti avoids the head kick by Craven.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicoletti shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A nice inside leg kick there by Nicoletti. That's going to slow Craven down.
Craven defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nicoletti.
Destin Craven has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mattia Nicoletti.
Craven fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Nicoletti has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Nicoletti thows a body shot but no joy.
Craven tries a head kick but it misses.
Craven throws a head kick but Nicoletti moves out of range.
Craven misses with a head kick.
Nicoletti throws a front kick aimed at Craven's knee but Craven avoids it well.

Nicoletti has closed the distance and engaged Craven in a clinch.
Nicoletti lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Destin Craven has been cut.
Nicoletti tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A short right from Craven.

Craven gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Nicoletti has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Combat Zone [15 Elite & Sauna. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Nicoletti wants to improve his position but Craven is controlling well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Craven content to control rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nicoletti is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Nicoletti looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. Nicoletti manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Nicoletti keeping moving, preventing Craven from controlling successfully.
Nicoletti wants to sweep here but Craven controlling him for the moment.
Nicoletti is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Craven being controlled here momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nicoletti had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Craven defends it easily.
Craven throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Craven looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Nicoletti tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Nicoletti has his foot on Craven's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Craven works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nicoletti keeping moving, preventing Craven from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craven wants to pass the guard but Nicoletti is keeping the position.

Craven got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nicoletti has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Craven has managed to get both his arms back between Nicoletti's legs - danger averted.
Craven stopping the sweep attempt from Nicoletti.
Nicoletti manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Craven manages to get himself to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Nicoletti drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Craven dives on top into guard.
Craven missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Nicoletti wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Craven controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Craven working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Nicoletti's head.
Craven trying to control the position from guard on top but Nicoletti is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mattia Nicoletti will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Destin Craven's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Craven throws a sloppy head kick and Nicoletti moves out of range easily.
Craven looks for the body kick but Nicoletti saw that one coming.
Nicoletti swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Nicoletti wants to clinch.
A head kick misses from Nicoletti.
Craven tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A good leg kick by Craven.
Nicoletti avoids the head kick by Craven.
Nicoletti avoids the head kick by Craven.
Craven throws a sloppy head kick and Nicoletti moves out of range easily.
A head kick misses from Nicoletti.
Nicoletti throws a sloppy head kick and Craven moves out of range easily.
Nicoletti's corner calls for a 1-2. Nicoletti obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Nicoletti pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A shot to the liver by Nicoletti. Beautiful body shot.
Nicoletti connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nicoletti takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A low kick from Nicoletti is predictable there
and Craven counters with a right hand to the body.
Nicoletti fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Craven is out of range.
Nicoletti misses with a head kick.

Craven darts in and clinches Nicoletti up against the cage.

Craven escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A slow jab from Craven misses its intended target.
Craven thows a body shot but no joy.
Nicoletti shoots in looking for a takedown but Craven manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Nicoletti's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Craven blocks a head kick by Nicoletti.
Craven misses with the combination.
Craven throws a sloppy head kick and Nicoletti moves out of range easily.
Craven blocks a head kick by Nicoletti.
Craven misses with a head kick.
Craven tries a head kick but it misses.
Nicoletti tried to score with a low kick but Craven checks it.
Craven avoids the head kick by Nicoletti.
Craven tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice defenses there by Craven.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craven pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nicoletti tries to clinch up but Craven circles away and keeps his distance.
Nicoletti moves in looking to clinch but Craven pushes him off.
Craven avoids the head kick by Nicoletti.
Nicoletti is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Craven tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Destin Craven is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Nicoletti darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nicoletti trying to pass the guard but Craven defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Nicoletti tries to pass the half guard into mount. Craven knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Craven gets back to full guard.
Craven manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nicoletti manages to get himself to full guard.
Craven wants to pass the guard but Nicoletti is keeping the position.
Craven is stalling in the full guard.
Nicoletti is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Nicoletti is still trying to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craven is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Craven throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Craven wants to control from the top but Nicoletti keeps moving.
Mattia Nicoletti has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nicoletti is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Nicoletti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Craven keeps working.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Craven trying to control here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Nicoletti is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Craven defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mattia Nicoletti will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Destin Craven's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

An inside leg kick from Nicoletti misses.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Craven.
Nicoletti avoids the head kick by Craven.
Nicoletti throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Craven scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Craven on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Nicoletti takes the fight into the clinch.
Craven can't find room to land a body shot as Nicoletti controls the action.
Craven misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nicoletti.
Nicoletti misses with an elbow over the top.
Craven lands an elbow inside.
Nicoletti lands an elbow inside that Craven shrugs off.
Nicoletti trying to stall but Craven improves his position.

Craven pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Craven throws a front kick aimed at Nicoletti's knee but Nicoletti avoids it well.
Craven throws a push kick but Nicoletti slaps the foot to one side.
Nicoletti throws a low kick but Craven avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Nicoletti.
Nicoletti throws a low kick but Craven moves out of range easily.
Craven misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Craven misses with a head kick.
Nicoletti tries a head kick but it misses.
Craven lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Nicoletti shoots in and drives through. Craven sprawls well.
Nicoletti misses with a low kick.

Nicoletti has managed to clinch.
Craven wants to break free but Nicoletti has control.
Nicoletti blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Craven wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Craven gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nicoletti is on top in guard.
Nicoletti slips nicely into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Craven won't allow Nicoletti to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nicoletti is working for a kimura but Craven is defending it quite comfortably.
Nicoletti looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Nicoletti is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Craven tries to roll over but Nicoletti keeps him under control.
Nicoletti wants to free his trapped foot but Craven is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven is looking to control Nicoletti's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Craven avoid being mounted?

Nicoletti is working for a kimura here but Craven manages to reverse the position and he's now in Nicoletti's guard.
Nicoletti keeping full guard, as Craven tries to pass.
Nicoletti is trying to keep Craven in close.
Nicoletti utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Craven controlling from the top position.
Nicoletti looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Craven controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Craven looking to pass the guard.
Craven trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Craven throws a big right hand that misses.
Craven trying to control the position from guard on top but Nicoletti is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Nicoletti working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Craven doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Craven manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Nicoletti wants to sweep but no luck.
Destin Craven has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Craven controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Craven stopping the sweep attempt from Nicoletti.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nicoletti keeping full guard, as Craven tries to pass.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Destin Craven.
I think Nicoletti has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29

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

C
A

C
B

energy
A | B

hype
A | B

pop
A | B

mgr
A | B

FIGHT
RATING
96%

Home

What is MMA Tycoon?

Forgot Details

MMA Affiliate Program