PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Eli Bryant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Holla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nick Holla has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bryant
vs
Holla

206 cm
23
162 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

184 cm
20
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Eli Bryant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Nick Holla!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Paul Gruel and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holla tries to close the distance and clinch but Bryant swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Holla moves into the clinch.

Holla escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Holla tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nick Holla seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Holla swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Holla clinches up against the cage.
Bryant tries for a takedown. No joy.
Bryant goes for a takedown in the clinch but Holla prevents it.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bryant can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Holla has clasped his hands together around Bryant's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Bryant sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Bryant trying to control but Holla postures up.

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

Holla is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Holla wants to stand up but Bryant has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Bryant has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Holla is working away from the top position though.
Bryant blocking the ground and pound attempt from Holla.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bryant wants to control but Holla is keeping busy.
Holla stalling away here and it's allowed Bryant to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Bryant is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bryant wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Holla trying to control the position from guard on top but Bryant is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bryant is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Holla throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bryant is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bryant trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Holla pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Holla misses with a head kick.
Holla misses with the combination.
Bryant throwing a counter right hand but Holla manages to avoid it.

Bryant closes the distance and pushes Holla back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Holla has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Bryant regains guard immediately.
Bryant looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bryant really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Holla avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Holla avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Holla wants to control from the top but Bryant keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holla throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Holla dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Holla tries to clinch but Bryant is having none of it.
Bryant tries to clinch there but Holla circles away.
Holla feints the counter takedown.
Eli Bryant is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Holla looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Bryant!

Bryant sneaks out the side door and pushes Holla away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Bryant avoids the head kick by Holla.
Holla has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bryant takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Bryant moves into range and clinches up with Holla.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bryant is looking for a takedown.
Come on Bryant - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Holla closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Bryant kicks Holla off and gets back to his feet.

Holla fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Bryant to the ground. Holla is now in Bryant's guard.

Bryant has his feet on Holla's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
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!
Holla tries a head kick but it misses.
Holla throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Holla is breathing heavily.
A lazy body kick from Holla
and Bryant counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Holla throws a head kick that misses

and Bryant counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Bryant is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Holla sees it coming and defends easily.

Bryant is looking for a kimura here.
Eli Bryant overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bryant is working for a kimura but Holla is defending it quite comfortably.
Holla is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bryant takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Bryant is looking for a kimura but Holla is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bryant to get the leverage.
Bryant content to control rather than advance.

Bryant is trying to work for a kimura but Holla is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Holla trying to control here.
Holla is trying to get back to full guard.
Bryant will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Holla scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Bryant manages to mount him!
Holla working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eli Bryant dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Bryant tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Holla manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Holla misses with a series of wild punches.

Bryant closes the distance and clinches.
Holla throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Holla lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bryant backwards.
Bryant is looking for a takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bryant is looking for a takedown.

Holla turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Holla manages to end up in side control.
Bryant keeping his opponent close.
Bryant defending against the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Holla stands up and beckons Bryant to his feet.

Holla changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Bryant looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Bryant explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Bryant tries to move into range but Holla moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Holla misses with an uppercut. Bryant saw that one coming.

Holla shoots in and gets a takedown into Bryant's guard.
Holla takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Holla avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Bryant is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bryant controls Holla momentarily but Holla frees himself.
Bryant wants to sweep here but Holla controlling him for the moment.
Holla looking to sit in guard and control but Bryant gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Holla is controlling Bryant's posture.

Holla looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Bryant has picked Holla up and slammed him! Holla can't keep hold of the triangle and Bryant manages to pass to side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bryant is putting a hurting on Holla here, landing some big shots from side control.
Holla is looking to get back to his feet here but Bryant is keeping cool and he's managed to take Holla's back.
Bryant biding his time, controlling Holla.
Holla tries to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Holla trying to get back to his feet but Bryant is in full control for now.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Bryant's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Bryant is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Holla up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nick Holla.
I think Holla 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 29:29
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:29
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!