PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mattia Nicoletti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pencil Neck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Neck has chosen Welcome to the jungle as his entrance music. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Nicoletti
vs
Neck

175 cm
33
185 lbs
12 - 9 - 1

182 cm
41
178 lbs
26 - 35 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mattia Nicoletti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 35 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pencil Neck!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Wesley Smith and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nicoletti tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Neck counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nicoletti won't be happy with that.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Nicoletti is trying to control Neck's posture but Neck avoids it.
Neck trying to control the position but Nicoletti is working away.
Neck is chipping away with strikes.
Nicoletti is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Neck's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Neck is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Nicoletti sees it coming and defends easily.
Nicoletti has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

Neck is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neck prevents Nicoletti from improving his position.
Nicoletti is refusing to be controlled, as Neck sits in half guard.
Nicoletti is looking for a sweep. Neck is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicoletti wants to control but Neck is keeping busy.
Neck not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nicoletti tries to roll over but Neck keeps him under control.
Neck slips a nice elbow through Nicoletti's hands, connecting with Nicoletti's forehead.
Neck prevents Nicoletti from improving his position.
Nicoletti is trying to control but can't.

Neck is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Neck has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neck is thwarting Nicoletti's attempts to control the position.
Nicoletti wants to get back to full guard.
Nicoletti slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Neck throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Neck trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Neck won't allow Nicoletti to sweep him here.
Nicoletti has momentary wrist control but Neck slips an elbow through the middle.
Neck is working Nicoletti over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Nicoletti looking for a sweep. Not yet Nicoletti, not yet.
Nicoletti utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Neck landing with the ground and pound.
Neck trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nicoletti looking for a sweep. Not yet Nicoletti, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neck thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neck got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nicoletti has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Neck has managed to get both his arms back between Nicoletti's legs - danger averted.
Neck with a nice head shot there.
Neck postures up in Nicoletti's guard and throws a big left but Nicoletti blocks it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nicoletti is on top in guard.

Neck is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neck lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Nicoletti is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Neck looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Nicoletti with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Neck thows a huge punch but Nicoletti dodges it nicely.
Nicoletti moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Neck sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neck in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Nicoletti preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Neck pushes down on Nicoletti's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Neck is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Nicoletti doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Neck.
Nicoletti trying to hold on to Neck's head to control him but Neck postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Nicoletti is defending against the submission attempts here by Neck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Neck.
A jab from Nicoletti misses.
Neck looks for a takedown but Nicoletti sprawls well.

Nicoletti clinches.
Nicoletti looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Neck jumps guard but Nicoletti turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Mattia Nicoletti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pencil Neck.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Neck gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Nicoletti is trying to get back to full guard.
Neck thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Neck is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Nicoletti has managed to free his arm - good work.

Neck is working for a kimura but Nicoletti is defending it quite comfortably.
Neck has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicoletti wants to control but Neck is keeping busy.
Nicoletti tries to get to full guard but Neck has control of the leg.
Neck winds up and cracks Nicoletti with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Neck is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Nicoletti is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Neck is thwarting Nicoletti's attempts to control the position.
Neck not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Neck sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nicoletti defending well though.
Nicoletti is looking to improve his position.
Neck scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nicoletti is pressing down on Neck's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Nicoletti keeping moving, preventing Neck from controlling successfully.

Neck drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Neck jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Neck content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Nicoletti looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Neck is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Neck working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Neck works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nicoletti wants to control but Neck is keeping busy.
Neck wants to free his trapped foot but Nicoletti is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Nicoletti tries to roll over but Neck keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nicoletti is trying to maintain the position but Neck is very close to passing his half guard.
Nicoletti is looking to improve his position.
Neck lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Nicoletti wants to get back to full guard but Neck has mounted him!
Neck landing shots from mount.
Nicoletti really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Neck is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Nicoletti steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Neck. That one must have hurt.
Nicoletti tries to clinch but Neck is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nicoletti throws a low kick but Neck moves out of range easily.

Nicoletti closes the distance and clinches.
Neck is pushing Nicoletti up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Neck is working for takedown but Nicoletti is calmly controlling the position for now.
Neck is trying to drag Nicoletti to the mat but Nicoletti just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Nicoletti tries to land knees in the clinch but Neck avoids the damage to the body.
Neck managing to block the knees to the body from Nicoletti.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Nicoletti.
Nicoletti throws an elbow that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Neck working Nicoletti over with knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Neck blocks an elbow strike from Nicoletti.
Nicoletti throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Nicoletti tries to stall but Neck uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Neck putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Nicoletti in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pencil Neck showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Neck throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Nicoletti tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Neck is in Nicoletti's guard.
Neck throwing strikes but missing.

Neck is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Neck drops back looking for a leg! Nicoletti is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nicoletti manages to kick Neck off! Neck jumps back into Nicoletti's guard.
Neck preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neck working some strikes from top position.
Nicoletti lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Neck is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Neck looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pencil Neck has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neck has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Nicoletti off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Mattia Nicoletti is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A clash of legs there as Nicoletti blocks the low kick.
Neck fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Neck shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Nicoletti defends it nicely.

Neck pushes Nicoletti up against the cage in a clinch.
Neck is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nicoletti pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Mattia Nicoletti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pencil Neck.
Nicoletti throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Neck working hard to break the clinch.
Neck is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Neck gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Neck prevents Nicoletti from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neck thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Neck is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Nicoletti has managed to free his arm - good work.
Nicoletti trying to control but Neck postures up.

Neck is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Nicoletti doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Neck.

Nicoletti looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Neck takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nicoletti blocking the ground and pound attempt from Neck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neck 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.
Nicoletti is looking to improve his position.
Pencil Neck is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Neck is taking a breather. Nicoletti says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Nicoletti is trying to maintain the position but Neck is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Neck prevents Nicoletti from improving his position.
Nicoletti trying to control here.
Neck trying to control from half guard but Nicoletti is working away.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Neck in particular looking to stall.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Nicoletti misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Neck tries to counter by closing the distance.
Nicoletti lands with a shot to the body.
Nicoletti looks to throw the jab but Neck is out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Neck has taken the fight to the clinch.
Nicoletti throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Neck fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Mattia Nicoletti has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nicoletti misses with an elbow strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pencil Neck comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Neck winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pencil Neck!
Our winner, Pencil Neck, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.