PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paul Sullivan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolo Halike (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Nikolo Halike was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Sullivan
vs
Halike

178 cm
19
162 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

180 cm
24
165 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Powerful

Vicious Nutrition (159 Recovery With Proof)
[JMFC] Arashi Fighting Nutrition Q156 Rec/Stamina

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Paul Sullivan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nikolo Halike!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Halike moves into the clinch.

Halike escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Halike wants to clinch.

Sullivan shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Halike stops Sullivan from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Halike working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sullivan tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Sullivan jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Halike is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Halike and Sullivan has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Sullivan thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

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.
Halike tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sullivan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Halike is trying to work for a sweep but Sullivan has mounted him!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halike is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Halike is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Sullivan is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Halike has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Halike!
Halike is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Halike stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sullivan swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Halike throws and elbow that misses. Sullivan uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Halike's guard. Nice move by Sullivan!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Halike keeping moving, preventing Sullivan from controlling successfully.

Halike is looking for a triangle but Sullivan pushes his legs off easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Halike looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nikolo Halike will probably get the nod.
That's time! Sullivan's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Halike throws out a loose jab but Sullivan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Halike throws a body punch but Sullivan moves out of range.
Sullivan throws a body punch but Halike moves out of range.

Halike clinches.

Halike gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Sullivan regains guard.

Sullivan is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Halike is aware though and is defending well.
Sullivan 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.
Halike passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Halike is looking to take a break and control but Sullivan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Halike grinds an elbow into Sullivan's temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sullivan is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Sullivan's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Halike connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Sullivan some visible discomfort.
Halike wants to control but Sullivan is keeping him busy.
Halike is working Sullivan over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Sullivan's face as Halike controls the position.
Sullivan takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Halike tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Halike wants to control but Sullivan is keeping him busy.
Halike misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Halike is looking to take a break and control but Sullivan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sullivan takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Sullivan is trying to escape the position but Halike is controlling the position.
Sullivan can't do much from the bottom here.
Halike wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sullivan keeps working.

Despite being in the dominant position, Nikolo Halike just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sullivan swinging wilding here.
Halike stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Halike wants it to stay on the feet.
Halike lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Sullivan on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Paul Sullivan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Halike gets a takedown into half guard.
Halike wants to control but Sullivan is keeping him busy.
Sullivan wants to get back to full guard.
Halike controlling the action here.
Sullivan wants to improve his position but Halike is controlling well.

Halike postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Sullivan to stand up.
Halike misses with a hook. Sullivan ducked under it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolo Halike showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Sullivan with a lazy takedown attempt

and Halike counters with a single leg into guard. Sullivan didn't expect that.
Halike working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sullivan's head.
Halike forces his way into half guard.
Halike wants to control but Sullivan is keeping him busy.

Halike is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Sullivan is just riding it out for now. Halike eventually gives up the hold.
Halike tries to pass to full mount but Sullivan defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halike frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Halike takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Halike trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Halike tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Halike looking to control but Sullivan is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sullivan tries to hold on but Halike pushes him away.
Halike lands a heavy elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halike looking to finish Sullivan with some ground and pound. This is bad for Sullivan!
Halike working Sullivan over with strikes here.
Halike won't let Sullivan get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Halike with a couple of short strikes.
Sullivan is wriggling around trying to escape.
Halike tries to control but Sullivan wriggling away.
Sullivan is trying to escape the mount.
A nice elbow there by Halike.
Halike lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Sullivan hang on?

Sullivan is rocked!
Sullivan really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Halike cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Oh Sullivan is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halike content just to control the position here.

Halike is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Sullivan to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Sullivan shrugs it off.
Halike punishing his opponent with strikes.
Halike lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Halike cracks Sullivan with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Halike lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Halike lands a big shot there that rocks Sullivan but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Halike raining down shots from the mount!
Nikolo Halike is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halike controlling the position easily from mount.
Sullivan seems to have got his legs back now.
Sullivan tries to hold on but Halike postures up.
Halike sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolo Halike comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Halike has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 25:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 26:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikolo Halike!