PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Balal Lama (ranked 2179 p4p, 3859 weight class) and Jimmy Nickels (ranked 258 p4p, 449 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Lama
vs
Nickels

195 cm
39
220
25 - 22 - 0

190 cm
50
245
22 - 26 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Brooklyn Apothecary
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

30th Century Beer Store
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Balal Lama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jimmy Nickels!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Saam Ante and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lama gets caught napping as Nickels dives in and scores a takedown. Lama manages to retain guard.
Lama pulls Nickels in to control the position.
Lama looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Nickels puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Lama moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Lama controls Nickels momentarily but Nickels frees himself.

Lama throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lama is on top in guard.

Nickels has Lama pulled in close to control his posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lama wants to pass the guard but Nickels is keeping the position.
Lama wants to control from the top but Nickels keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lama sitting in guard here, content to control.
Lama passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Lama in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Lama remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Nickels can't do much from the bottom here.
Lama cracks Nickels with a big right hand but Nickels just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Nickels tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lama looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Nickels takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Lama creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Nickels takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Lama throws a strike aimed at the side of Nickels's head but Nickels avoids it well.
Lama working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Lama content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Lama landing a few strikes.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nickels is looking to reverse the position.
Lama lands a few punches from side control.
Nickels takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Nickels is looking to regain half guard here but Lama keeps moving and retains side control.
Lama tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Nickels takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Lama advances nicely into full mount.
Lama controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nickels wants to control but Lama is having none of it.
Lama looking to finish Nickels with some ground and pound. This is bad for Nickels!
Nickels takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Nickels really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Lama working for a submission but Nickels is keeping him at bay.
Lama trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nickels can't escape the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Balal Lama dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

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

Lama uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Nickels shoots in and bounces Lama off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Lama has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Nickels is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Lama has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Nickels regains guard immediately.
Lama content to stall in guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lama seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Nickels for as long as he can get away with.
Lama advances to half guard.
Nickels really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lama. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Lama wants to control but Nickels is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lama is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Nickels doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Lama.
Lama wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nickels keeps working.
Lama scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Nickels slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Lama is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nickels can do to turn this around?
Lama trying to control the position from guard on top but Nickels is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nickels looking for a sweep. Not yet Nickels, not yet.
Lama tries to free his leg and advance position but Nickels is retaining full guard.

That's two 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.
Lama forces his way into half guard.
Lama slips a nice elbow through Nickels's hands, connecting with Nickels's forehead.
Lama trying to pass the guard but Nickels defending well.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Lama connects with a nice short shot to Nickels's temple.
Lama looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Lama continues to stall.
Nickels is looking to control Lama's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Nickels avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Lama lands a nice short elbow.
Lama landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nickels can do anything to dispel that myth.

Lama is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Nickels doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Lama.
Lama with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Nickels wants to get back to full guard.
Nickels is controlling Lama's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Lama trying to pass the guard but Nickels defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lama takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Lama passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Nickels!
Lama looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Lama trying to control but Nickels is having none of it.
Lama controlling from mount.
More hug and hope from Lama.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Balal Lama dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Nice sprawl there from Nickels as Lama shoots in.
No joy there for Lama, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Lama tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Nickels manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nickels looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Nickels takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Lama throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lama throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nickels looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lama is fending him off so far but Nickels persists. Nope, Lama circles away and we're back to standing.
Balal Lama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lama rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nickels moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nickels slips a jab and a cross from Lama.
A head kick misses from Nickels.
Lama went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lama lands with an overhand left.
Lama tests Nickels's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Lama lands a jab to Nickels's midsection.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Lama shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Lama showed some decent athleticism there.
Lama is trying to control. Nickels wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Lama 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickels is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nickels keeps trying to improve his position.
Lama trying to mount his opponent but Nickels defends it.
Lama performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Lama tries to pass the half guard into mount. Nickels knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Lama is looking to take a break and control but Nickels is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lama wants to pass the guard but Nickels is defending well.
Lama works his way into full mount!
The referee warns Nickels that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Lama looking to control but Nickels is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Lama tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Nickels keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lama jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Nickels manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Lama taking a breather here.
Lama creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Lama controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lama looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Balal Lama is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Lama wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Nickels, who protects the arm well.
Jimmy Nickels has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Lama is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Nickels knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Lama works to advance to full mount. Nickels defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

And that's the end of the fight!
Balal Lama showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lama 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Balal Lama!
Balal Lama really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Altitude Clothing logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.