PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Nolan Powell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy Wheels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nolan Powell has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Powell
vs
Wheels

214 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

179 cm
19
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nolan Powell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Billy Wheels!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Powell swings away with a body shot that misses
and Wheels counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Powell clinches up against the cage.

Wheels has hold of one of Powell's legs. Powell is fighting the takedown attempt but Wheels gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Powell has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Wheels off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Wheels closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Powell did well to prevent Wheels getting side control.
Wheels is trying to control. Powell wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Powell wants to get back to full guard.
Powell won't allow Wheels to pass to mount.
Wheels seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Wheels wants to control but Powell is keeping him busy.
Wheels working the head and body with strikes.
Powell is looking for a sweep. Wheels is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wheels is trying to work for a kimura but Powell is defending well.
Powell wants to get back to full guard.
Wheels prevents Powell from standing back up.

Wheels decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Wheels tries to clinch up.

Wheels shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Wheels showed some decent athleticism there.
Powell is not content to let Wheels control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Powell kicks off Wheels and gets to his feet.

Wheels closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Powell throws Wheels to one side and escapes!

Wheels drives through with a takedown into guard.

Powell wriggles free and stands up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Wheels throws a push kick but Powell slaps the foot to one side.
Powell wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Powell explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Powell misses with a straight right.
Wheels is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Powell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Wheels dives in and scores a takedown into Powell's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wheels won't allow Powell to sweep him here.
Powell is breathing heavily.
Wheels is stalling in the full guard.

Powell has his foot on Wheels's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Wheels works his way back into a safe position though.

Wheels gets to his feet - Powell follows without any prompting.

Wheels shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Wheels showed some decent athleticism there.
Wheels is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four 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.

Wheels is looking for a kimura but Powell is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Wheels to get the leverage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Powell is looking to improve his position.
Wheels is just content to waste time from the top position. Powell takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Powell working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Wheels doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Wheels manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Powell keeping moving, preventing Wheels from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Billy Wheels will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Wheels shoots in and gets a takedown into Powell's guard.

Powell scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Wheels fails to land with a series of punches.

Wheels bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Powell sneaks out the side door and pushes Wheels away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Billy Wheels seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Powell throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Wheels is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Wheels closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Powell to the mat! Powell manages to get full guard.

Powell kicks Wheels off and gets to his feet.
Wheels moves out of range as Powell throws a body kick.
Nice takedown defense from Wheels. No joy for Powell on that attempt.
Wheels feints the counter takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Powell drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Wheels trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wheels controlling the position.
Wheels working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Powell.
Wheels seems keen to control Powell's posture.
Powell would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Wheels wants to stand up but Powell is controlling him.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Powell throwing strikes from guard but Wheels blocks nicely.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Powell closes the distance and clinches.
Wheels tries to break free but Powell pushes him back against the cage.

Powell gets control of Wheels's arms and successfully pulls guard. Powell will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Powell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nolan Powell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Wheels gets to his feet. Powell looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Powell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wheels throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Powell tries to sprawl but Wheels drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Powell makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Powell takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Wheels decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Powell manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Wheels closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Powell quickly recovers to half guard.
Wheels passes to full mount!
Powell tries to lock up and control but Wheels gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wheels lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wheels is landing with some decent strikes but Powell is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Wheels sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Wheels looking to finish Powell with some ground and pound. This is bad for Powell!
Powell tries to lock up and control but Wheels gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Wheels lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Powell hang on?
Powell tries to improve his position but instead Wheels has taken his back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nolan Powell will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Wheels fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wheels avoids the head kick by Powell.

Powell gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Powell scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Wheels darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Wheels is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Wheels stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wheels drives through with a takedown into Powell's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Wheels throws a big elbow that misses.
Wheels looking to pass the guard.

Wheels decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Wheels doesn't manage to clinch there - Powell circles away.
Powell looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Wheels feints and as Powell raises his hands in defense, Wheels changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Powell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Wheels sitting in guard here, content to control.
Wheels trying to control the position from guard on top but Powell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wheels postures up.
Wheels seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Wheels trying to control the position from guard on top but Powell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wheels scoring with punches to the head and body.
Powell will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Powell throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Wheels escapes and throws Powell's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Wheels wants to lay and pray for a moment but Powell keeps working.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Wheels shoots in and bounces Powell off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's four 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.
Wheels tries to free his leg and advance position but Powell is retaining full guard.

Powell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Wheels wants to control from the top but Powell keeps moving.
Wheels pushing down on Powell's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Wheels decides to stand up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Billy Wheels comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Wheels 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Billy Wheels!