PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nich DiM (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nathan Nickles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

DiM
vs
Nickles

180 cm
21
197 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
190 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Great low kicks
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

Fury Nutrition Inc.

REAR NAKED CHOKE NUTRITION

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 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nich DiM!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nathan Nickles!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Dillan Fox and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
DiM connects with a leg kick. Nickles looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
DiM takes one on the button.
DiM tests Nickles's chin there with a solid looking shot.
DiM fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Nickles is out of range.
Good work by Nickles as he checks the leg kick.
Nickles misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nickles checks a leg kick.
DiM throws a nice inside leg kick.
DiM scores with a head kick.

DiM gets a takedown into half guard.
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!
DiM lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Nickles is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.

DiM is working for a kimura but Nickles is defending it quite comfortably.
DiM sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nickles defending well though.
Nickles felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

DiM seems to be working for a kimura but Nickles defends the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
DiM not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nickles wants to improve his position but DiM is controlling well.
Nickles keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
DiM trying to control the action but Nickles is working from the bottom.

DiM looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
DiM wants to advance to full mount but Nickles doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
DiM trying to control but Nickles is working from the bottom.
DiM looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
DiM wants to control from the top but Nickles keeps moving.
DiM in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
DiM is in close to Nickles's body, working some short punches and elbows.
DiM throws a big elbow that misses.
DiM looking to sit in guard and control but Nickles gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Nickles really doesn't want to stay on the ground with DiM. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
DiM wants to sweep here but Nickles controlling him for the moment.
Nickles stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. DiM swivels though and keeps the full guard.
DiM looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nickles is one step ahead there.
Nickles trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nickles stopping the sweep attempt from DiM.

DiM escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nickles gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Nickles with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Nickles tries to free his leg and advance position but DiM is retaining full guard.
Nickles trying to control the position from guard on top but DiM is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nickles content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Nickles pushing down on DiM's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
DiM is pressing down on Nickles's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

DiM is looking for a triangle but Nickles pushes his legs off easily.
Nickles stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. DiM swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nickles trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

DiM fakes the leg kick and cracks Nickles in the body.
Good leg kick by DiM there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
A low kick from DiM misses
and Nickles counters with a solid body kick.
Nickles checks a low kick from DiM.
Nickles steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from DiM. That one must have hurt.
DiM throws a low kick but Nickles avoids it.
DiM throws out a leg kick but Nickles moves out of range and DiM only half commits.
DiM throws a head kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nickles swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by DiM.
A low kick from Nickles misses
and DiM counters with a nice body kick.
Nickles takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
DiM plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from DiM.
Nathan Nickles is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nickles throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
DiM tries a head kick but it misses.
Nickles sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Nich DiM seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
DiM pivots, looking for a leg kick but Nickles is out of range and DiM settles back down.
Nickles takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
DiM is looking to land body kicks.
Nickles lands a head kick. DiM smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
DiM throws a quick inside leg kick.
DiM shoots in looking for a takedown. Nickles tries to sprawl out of it but DiM keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Nickles manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nich DiM is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nickles looks for the body kick but DiM saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nickles cracks DiM with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
DiM tries a head kick but it misses.
Nickles wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
DiM tries a head kick but it misses.
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!
Nickles connects with a high kick.
Nich DiM is winning the standup battle so far.

DiM scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
We've been hearing that DiM has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Nickles is trying to stand back up but DiM is controlling him

DiM seems to be looking for submissions.
DiM thows a huge punch but Nickles dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
DiM throwing shots but Nickles is blocking nicely.
DiM is looking to advance position but Nickles won't allow it.
DiM has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Nickles wants to control but DiM is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Nickles is looking for a sweep. DiM is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nickles trying to control but DiM postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
DiM throws a head kick but Nickles moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Nickles takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Nickles avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
DiM throws a body punch but Nickles moves out of range.
DiM looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Nickles is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by DiM.
DiM takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
DiM throws a chopping leg kick but Nickles manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
DiM misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
DiM is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nickles can do to turn this around?
DiM closes this distance looking for a takedown but Nickles circles away.
Nickles misses with a wild combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nich DiM dominated that second round.
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!

DiM throws a body kick that misses
and Nickles counters with a nice uppercut.
DiM throws a leg kick
and Nickles counters with a lovely shot to the body.
DiM lands a head kick!
Nickles lands with a good body shot.
Nickles throws a head kick but DiM moves out of range.
Nickles fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Nickles lands with a straight right. DiM didn't see that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
DiM throws a sloppy head kick and Nickles moves out of range easily.
DiM throws a leg kick
and Nickles counters with a stiff right hand.
Nickles will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nickles takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickles tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but DiM was well out of range. Poor timing from Nickles.
DiM goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Nickles missing with a left hand there. DiM was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nickles misses with a kick to the body.
Nickles throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nickles scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Nickles pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Nickles takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
DiM motions for Nickles to come forward. DiM throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
DiM misses with a kick to the body
and Nickles counters with a nice uppercut.
Nathan Nickles has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

DiM looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Nickles lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
DiM 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.

Nickles got a little sloppy there for a moment and DiM has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nickles has managed to get both his arms back between DiM's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

DiM throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nickles stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. DiM swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nickles throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as DiM works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

DiM working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Nickles doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Nickles manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Nickles scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

DiM had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Nickles defends it easily.
Nickles is working DiM over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Nickles loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Nickles passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Nickles is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but DiM is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
DiM tries to bench press Nickles off him but Nickles keeps the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
DiM is working hard here to advance position.
Nickles tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
DiM gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

DiM looking for submissions off his back.
Nickles thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed DiM's head.
Nickles not landing any meaningful shots this time.
DiM tries to roll over but Nickles keeps him under control.

DiM is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nickles pulls his head out easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nathan Nickles comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well DiM 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nich DiM!
Nich DiM seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.