PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cloud Strife (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hosol Nijeria (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Strife
vs
Nijeria

195 cm
18
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
22
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cloud Strife!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hosol Nijeria!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strife looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nijeria is fending him off so far but Strife persists. Nope, Nijeria circles away and we're back to standing.

Strife drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nijeria looking for a sweep. Not yet Nijeria, not yet.
Strife has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Strife tries to free his leg and advance position but Nijeria is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nijeria being controlled here, momentarily.
Nijeria controls Strife momentarily but Strife frees himself.
Strife connects with a couple of short punches.
Strife stopping the sweep attempt from Nijeria.
Nijeria controls Strife momentarily but Strife frees himself.
Strife trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nijeria wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nijeria keeping full guard, as Strife tries to pass.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Strife looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Strife takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Nijeria is trying to control but can't.
Strife throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Strife prevents Nijeria from improving his position.
Strife seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Nijeria is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Strife 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.
Nijeria is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nijeria gets full guard.

Strife 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.
Nijeria is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Strife 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.
Nijeria looking for a sweep. Not yet Nijeria, not yet.
Nijeria utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Nijeria lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Strife!
Nijeria can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Strife is looking to escape.
Nijeria throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Strife is squirming around, avoiding Nijeria's attempts to control the action.
Strife tries to lock up and control but Nijeria gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Strife is working to get back to half guard.
Strife regains half guard.
Strife wants to improve his position but Nijeria is controlling well.

Strife looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Nijeria tries to pass to full mount but Strife defends it.
Strife slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Strife 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.
Strife controls Nijeria momentarily but Nijeria frees himself.
Nijeria pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Strife is keeping the position for now.

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.
Nijeria looks gassed!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Strife closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Strife lands in his opponent's guard.

Strife thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Strife is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Strife seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Nijeria for as long as he can get away with.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cloud Strife dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Strife scores with a takedown into Nijeria's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nijeria looking to hit a scissor sweep but Strife is one step ahead there.
Nijeria keeping moving, preventing Strife from controlling successfully.
Nijeria wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Strife drops back looking for a leg! Nijeria is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nijeria manages to kick Strife off! Strife jumps back into Nijeria's guard.
Nijeria is trying to keep Strife in close.
Strife looking to pass the guard.
Strife preventing the sweep.
Nijeria trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Strife decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Nijeria wants to improve his position but Strife is controlling well.
Strife is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Strife is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nijeria is looking to control Strife's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Nijeria avoid being mounted?
Strife looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Strife prevents Nijeria from improving his position.
Nijeria is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Strife could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Strife trying to control from half guard but Nijeria is working away.
Nijeria trying to control here.
Nijeria is breathing heavily.
Strife prevents Nijeria from improving his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Strife closes the distance and clinches up with Nijeria, looking for a takedown. Strife pushes Nijeria against the cage but Nijeria circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hosol Nijeria is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Strife gets the takedown into side control.

Strife tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Strife trying to control the action but Nijeria is working from the bottom.
Cloud Strife overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nijeria manages to get back to half guard.
Strife uses his free foot to push down on Nijeria's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Nijeria.
Nijeria regains half guard.
Strife lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Strife seems to be working for a kimura but Nijeria defends the submission attempt.
Nijeria trying to hold on to Strife's head to control him but Strife postures up.

Strife is looking for a kimura but Nijeria is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Strife to get the leverage.
Nijeria is staying active underneath Strife, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Strife is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Strife lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Strife is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Nijeria gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cloud Strife dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Strife looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nijeria is fending him off so far but Strife persists. Nope, Nijeria circles away and we're back to standing.
Strife closes the distance and clinches up with Nijeria, looking for a takedown. Strife pushes Nijeria against the cage but Nijeria circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Strife darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Strife trying to pass the guard but Nijeria defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nijeria is pressing down on Strife's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Strife might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Strife postures up.
Nijeria trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Strife postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Strife pushing down on Nijeria's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Nijeria works his way to full guard. Good work.
Strife wants to pass the guard but Nijeria is keeping the position.
Nijeria 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.
Nijeria takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Strife trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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.
Strife is working hard here to advance position.

Strife drops back looking for a leg! Nijeria is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nijeria manages to kick Strife off! Strife jumps back into Nijeria's guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Strife fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cloud Strife. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Strife closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Strife trying to pass the guard but Nijeria defending well.

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.
Nijeria trying to hold on to Strife's head to control him but Strife postures up.

Strife is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Nijeria doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Strife.
Nijeria gets full guard.
Nijeria looking to hit a scissor sweep but Strife is one step ahead there.
Nijeria throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Nijeria looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Strife puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Strife looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Nijeria tries to roll over but Strife keeps him under control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nijeria won't allow Strife to pass to mount.
Hosol Nijeria has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Strife works his way into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cloud Strife showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Strife, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cloud Strife!