PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jacob Kelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benjamin Nichols (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benjamin Nichols has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kelly
vs
Nichols

173 cm
18
151 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

191 cm
18
157 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jacob Kelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Benjamin Nichols!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Chris Saunders and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nichols misses with a wild body shot.
Nichols throws a lazy right hand but Kelly sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kelly misses with a low kick.
Kelly throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kelly misses with a shot to the body
and Nichols counters with a nice uppercut.
Kelly ducks under a wild hook from Nichols.
Nichols circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kelly avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nichols connects with a single shot there.
Kelly checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Kelly throws out a loose jab but Nichols uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kelly checks a low kick from Nichols.
Kelly ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nichols throws a right hand that misses

and Kelly counters by moving into the clinch.
Nichols has a couple of punches blocked by Kelly.
A head punch on the inside from Nichols fails to land.
Kelly makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Kelly fails to land.
Nichols is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Kelly misses with a punch to the body.
Kelly with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kelly misses with a body punch.
Nichols prevents a body shot from Kelly.
Nichols just leaning against Kelly, taking a breather.

Nichols breaks the clinch.
Kelly misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Nichols.
Kelly throws a jab but it's blocked by Nichols.
Kelly looks to score with a jab to the body but Nichols is just out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kelly. Nichols does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kelly defending well as Nichols loads up on a big left hand.
Kelly is looking to clinch.
Nichols connects with a nice looking jab.
Nichols thows a body shot but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly moves forwards but Nichols connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Kelly misses with a low kick.
Benjamin Nichols is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kelly ducks under a wild hook from Nichols.
Kelly takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Kelly is looking to wear down Nichols with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Nichols looks to land a right hand but Kelly moved out of range.
Kelly throws a body punch but Nichols moves out of range.
Nichols stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Nichols walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Kelly checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Nichols throws a low kick, looking for Kelly's leg but Kelly calmly moves out of range.
Nichols lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kelly circles away quickly and effectively.
Nichols throws an overhand right that lands on Kelly's shoulder, as Kelly tries to avoid the shot.
Kelly uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nichols.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A slow jab from Kelly misses its intended target.
Nichols uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly just misses with a punch to the body.
Kelly keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nichols is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

Kelly shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Nichols avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nichols is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kelly pushing down on Nichols's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Kelly is working for a kimura but Nichols is defending it quite comfortably.
Kelly not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kelly sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Kelly not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nichols is trying to maintain the position but Kelly is very close to passing his half guard.

Kelly seems to be looking for submissions.
Kelly is trying to control the action in half guard but Nichols is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kelly not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Kelly dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kelly uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nichols.
Kelly needs to keep his hands up - Nichols had a free shot at his head there.
Nichols moves out of range of the strikes.
Nichols throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Nichols tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kelly was well out of range. Poor timing from Nichols.
Nichols throws a lazy right hand but Kelly sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nichols slips a jab from Kelly.
Nichols lands with an overhand left.
Kelly uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Nichols.
Nichols lands with a straight right. Kelly didn't see that one coming.
Kelly attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Benjamin Nichols seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kelly on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Nichols takes a shot to the body in his stride.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kelly looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nichols lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Kelly at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Nichols.
Nice uppercut lands for Nichols. That snapped Kelly's head back.
Nichols throws a body punch but Kelly moves out of range.
Nichols ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kelly moves away.
Kelly throws a looping overhand right but Nichols ducks down to avoid it.
Nichols connects with a single shot there.
Kelly slips under a jab.
Nichols throws a jab but it's blocked by Kelly.
Nichols throws a hook but Kelly blocks it.
Good shot there by Nichols.
A clash of legs there as Nichols blocks the low kick.
Nichols throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nice defenses there by Kelly.
Kelly misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nichols throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A telegraphed right hand from Nichols misses the target.
Nichols throws a hook but Kelly blocks it.

Kelly shoots in and bounces Nichols off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Nichols is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nichols wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kelly wants to control from the top but Nichols keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly tries to free his leg and advance position but Nichols is retaining full guard.
Nichols is trying to keep Kelly in close.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Benjamin Nichols wasn't active enough on the ground.
Nichols throws a body punch but Kelly moves out of range.
Nichols cracks Kelly with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Nichols tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kelly was well out of range. Poor timing from Nichols.
Nichols misses with a straight left.
Nichols misses with a low kick.
Nichols looks to land a right hand but Kelly moved out of range.
Kelly fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Nichols checks it well.
Kelly swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Nichols avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kelly avoids the body shot from Nichols.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Nichols.
Nichols moves out of range as Kelly strikes.
Kelly throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Kelly uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nichols.
Nichols throws a jab but it's blocked by Kelly.
Nichols looks to score with a jab to the body but Kelly is just out of range.
Kelly fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Nichols is out of range.
Benjamin Nichols seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nichols misses with a hook.
Kelly tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Nichols is able to avoid easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kelly looks to score with a jab to the body but Nichols is just out of range.
Nichols misses with a body shot.
Nichols connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Kelly just misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benjamin Nichols showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Kelly tries to bum rush Nichols with a series of wild strikes but Nichols uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nichols checks a leg kick.
Kelly uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Nichols.
Nichols tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kelly was well out of range. Poor timing from Nichols.
Nichols attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Nichols connects with a right hand. Kelly shakes it off.
Nichols keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kelly steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nichols.
Kelly uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nichols.
Kelly swings for the body but Nichols moves out of range.
Nichols connects with a body shot.
Kelly ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nichols looks to land a right hand but Kelly moved out of range.
Nichols throws a body punch but Kelly moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Nichols.
Nichols throws out a loose jab but Kelly uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kelly keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nichols misses with a hook. Kelly ducked under it nicely.
Nichols lands with a right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kelly. Nichols does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kelly does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Nichols swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Nichols looks to land a combination. Kelly sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Nichols misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kelly.
Kelly avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nichols throws a lazy right hand but Kelly sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nichols digs a good body shot into Kelly's ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nichols scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kelly tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nichols was well out of range. Poor timing from Kelly.
Nichols scores with the left hand. Kelly knows he should have avoided that one.
Nichols showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kelly.
Kelly uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nichols.
The fighters circling - Nichols throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kelly misses with a few strikes there.
Nichols blocks a jab.
Kelly slips under a jab.
Nichols throws a low kick but Kelly moves out of range easily.
Nichols misses with a left hand
and Kelly connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nichols avoids the body shot from Kelly.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kelly checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly throws out a leg kick but Nichols moves out of range and Kelly only half commits.
Nichols loads up on a big right hand but Kelly slips the punch.
Nichols swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nichols waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kelly.
Kelly throws a body kick that misses.
Nichols throws a leg kick that misses.
Kelly misses with a leg kick.
Nichols swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kelly shoots in and drives through. Nichols sprawls well.
Nichols misses with a wild body shot.
Nichols scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Nichols uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kelly.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nichols. Kelly does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kelly is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Nichols's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Kelly looks to throw the jab but Nichols is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nichols throws a body punch but Kelly moves out of range.
Nichols lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Kelly at a distance.
Kelly misses with an uppercut. Nichols saw that one coming.
Nichols cracks a nice hook into Kelly's ribs.
A right-left combo lands from Nichols.
Nichols works the jab nicely.
Nichols works the jab nicely.
Nichols connects with a jab.
Nichols loads up on a big right hand but Kelly slips the punch.
Nichols throws a hook to the side of Kelly's head but Kelly sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kelly has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Nichols finds it's way round the side to connect with Kelly's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nichols throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kelly sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Nichols clobbers Kelly with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benjamin Nichols comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Nichols 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benjamin Nichols!
Benjamin Nichols thanked the fans post fight for their support.
Jacob Kelly was interviewed post fight and said 'Well, I suppose it's time to go back to my music career.'.