PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tyson Foley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mads Nielsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mads Nielsen is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Foley
vs
Nielsen

183 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
165 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Spartan Nutrition

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tyson Foley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mads Nielsen!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nielsen shoots in for a takedown but Foley shows good takedown defense.

Foley closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Nielsen quickly recovers to half guard.
Nielsen wants to get back to his feet.
Foley content to control rather than advance.
Foley's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nielsen is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foley wants to stand up but Nielsen has a hold of him and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Foley postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Nielsen to stand up.

Nielsen gets a double leg takedown into Foley's guard.

Foley looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Foley lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Foley slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foley wants to control from the top but Nielsen keeps moving.
Foley is pushing down on Nielsen's leg trying to pass to half guard. Nielsen is fighting to maintain full guard but Foley has managed to sneak the leg through.
Nielsen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nielsen keeping hold of Foley's head, controlling as best he can.
Nielsen is trying to control but can't.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nielsen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Foley thows a huge punch but Nielsen dodges it nicely.
Nielsen is not content to let Foley control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen pushes Foley off looking to stand but Foley dives back in and keeps control.
Nielsen is looking to improve his position.
Foley throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nielsen is looking to improve his position.

Foley is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Nielsen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Foley pulls his head out easily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nielsen misses with a series of wild punches.
The fight stays on the outside here - Foley looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Foley throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Nielsen's waist but Nielsen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Foley off to one side.
Nielsen misses with a head kick.
Nielsen throws a jab but it's blocked by Foley.
Foley tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Nielsen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Nielsen shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Nielsen prevents Foley from standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tyson Foley will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Foley looks for a takedown but Nielsen sprawls well.
Foley shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Nielsen as he jumps to the side.
Nielsen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Foley was well out of range. Poor timing from Nielsen.
Mads Nielsen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Foley scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Foley tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Foley stands up and we're back to a striking position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nielsen throws an overhand right that lands on Foley's shoulder, as Foley tries to avoid the shot.

Foley closes the distance and clinches.

Nielsen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foley shoots for a takedown but Nielsen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tyson Foley. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Nielsen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Foley wants to improve his position but Nielsen is controlling well.
Foley regains full guard. Nicely done.
Nielsen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Foley. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nielsen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Foley is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nielsen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Foley looking for a sweep. Not yet Foley, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foley seems keen to control Nielsen's posture.
Nielsen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Foley swivels though and keeps the full guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Foley bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nielsen's guard.

Nielsen keeping moving, preventing Foley from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Foley is controlling him.

Nielsen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Nielsen looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nielsen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Nielsen wants it to stay on the feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nielsen is defended easily by Foley.

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.
A head kick misses from Nielsen.
Foley drops down looking for a counter takedown but Nielsen sprawls and moves away.
Foley will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Foley slips under a jab from Nielsen.

Foley gets the takedown into side control.
Nielsen is looking to reverse the position.
Tyson Foley overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Foley trying to control the action but Nielsen is working from the bottom.
Foley misses with the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Foley stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Nielsen shoots in for a takedown but Foley shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyson Foley dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Foley fails with a takedown attempt.
Nielsen follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Foley fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tyson Foley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Foley darts in looking for a takedown but Nielsen gets double underhooks and turns Foley into the cage.
Foley dives in and grabs Nielsen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Nielsen pushes down on Foley's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tyson Foley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nielsen throws a sloppy head kick and Foley moves out of range easily.
As Nielsen tries to get set, Foley tries to push him back and clinch up but Nielsen manages to avoid the attempt.
Nice body kick from Nielsen.
Foley shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Foley shoots in and gets a takedown into Nielsen's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nielsen pulls Foley in close to prevent any damage.

Nielsen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Foley gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen 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.
Foley in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Nielsen is trying to control the position but Foley postures up.
Nielsen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Foley.
Foley controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Foley decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Nielsen, up you get!
Foley tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Nielsen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Foley.
Foley tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Foley shoots in for a takedown but Nielsen shows good takedown defense.
Nielsen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nice shot lands for Foley.
Foley throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Nielsen's waist but Nielsen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Foley off to one side.

Foley moves into the clinch successfully.
Nielsen is trying to push Foley away but Foley has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Foley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Horrible takedown attempt by Foley or perhaps it was just good defense by Nielsen, which made it look bad.
Nielsen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
It looked like Foley was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Foley looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nielsen is fending him off so far but Foley persists. Nope, Nielsen circles away and we're back to standing.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nielsen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foley avoids the body shot from Nielsen.
Nielsen misses with a takedown attempt - Foley sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Foley fails with a takedown attempt.
Foley tries to clinch up.
Foley shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nielsen is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Foley drives through and clinches with Nielsen against the cage.
Nielsen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Foley fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Nielsen shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Nielsen showed some decent athleticism there.
Nielsen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Foley with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foley flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Foley wants to improve his position but Nielsen is controlling well.
Foley has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nielsen is working away from the top position though.
Foley taking some punishment here, with Nielsen in his half guard.
Mads Nielsen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tyson Foley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nielsen stops Foley from getting back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mads Nielsen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Foley has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!