PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paco Nykanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Crichton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nykanen comes to the cage accompanied by Jeff Mills - The Bells. On his way into the cage it seems that Paco Nykanen has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Paco Nykanen seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Nykanen
vs
Crichton

170 cm
24
164 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

172 cm
24
167 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Paco Nykanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Crichton!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crichton keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Crichton fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Crichton avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Crichton gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Nykanen to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Nykanen looking to pass the guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Crichton can do anything to dispel that myth.
Nykanen stands and throws Crichton's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Crichton is pushing Nykanen's head away, looking to escape. Nykanen manages to hold on to the position though.
Nykanen creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Crichton sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Nykanen wants to control but Crichton is keeping him busy.
Crichton sneaks back into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crichton wants to get back to full guard.
Nykanen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Crichton does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Nykanen drops an elbow to the side of Crichton's head.
Nykanen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Crichton's head.

Nykanen is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Crichton kicks Nykanen off and gets back to his feet.
Crichton tries to bum rush Nykanen with a series of wild strikes but Nykanen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nykanen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nykanen slips under a jab.
John Crichton is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Crichton moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen closes the distance and clinches up with Crichton, looking for a takedown. Nykanen pushes Crichton against the cage but Crichton circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Crichton throws a big shot that misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Nykanen misses the target.
Crichton throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nykanen slips a jab from Crichton.
Crichton misses with an uppercut. Nykanen saw that one coming.
Crichton moves away from the strike by Nykanen.
Crichton swings for the body but Nykanen moves out of range.
Crichton misses with an uppercut. Nykanen saw that one coming.
Crichton throws the left hand but Nykanen avoids the punch easily.

Nykanen throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Crichton was covering up waiting for the punch and Nykanen finishes the takedown easily into guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Crichton holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen wants to control from the top but Crichton keeps moving.
Nykanen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Crichton works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Crichton really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nykanen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Crichton controls Nykanen momentarily but Nykanen frees himself.
Crichton looking for a sweep. Not yet Crichton, not yet.
Nykanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Crichton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nykanen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

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

Nykanen shoots in and bounces Crichton off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Crichton utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Nykanen won't allow Crichton to sweep him here.
Nykanen wants to control from the top but Crichton keeps moving.
Nykanen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Crichton utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Nykanen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nykanen wants to control from the top but Crichton keeps moving.
Crichton preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paco Nykanen will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Crichton misses with a series of wild punches.
Crichton lands a nice shot that snaps Nykanen's head back.
Nykanen takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Nykanen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Crichton looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Crichton throws a series of punches but Nykanen moves out of range.
Crichton misses with a wild combination.
Nykanen throws a leg kick that misses.
Nykanen throws out a loose jab but Crichton uses good head movement to avoid it.
A slow jab from Nykanen misses its intended target.
Crichton has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Crichton there as he acknowledges the shot.
Nykanen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Crichton.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crichton throws a hook but Nykanen blocks it.
Crichton might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Nykanen looks to land a left hand but Crichton moved out of range nicely.
Nykanen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Crichton.
Nykanen ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Nykanen scores with a takedown into Crichton's guard.
Nykanen is looking to work some ground and pound but Crichton has wrist control.
Nykanen passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The strikes coming from Nykanen are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Nykanen wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Crichton, who protects the arm well.
Nykanen postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Crichton works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Crichton regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Nykanen.
Nykanen postures up in Crichton's guard and throws a big left but Crichton blocks it.
Crichton is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Crichton avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nykanen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nykanen is defended easily by Crichton.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crichton takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Nice cross by Crichton.
Crichton misses with a two punch combination.
Crichton with a hook.
Crichton works Nykanen's body with a nice hook.
Nykanen scores with a jab.

Nykanen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Nykanen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Crichton is looking to improve his position but Nykanen isn't that keen on the idea.

Nykanen goes for an armbar but Crichton turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Crichton.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Crichton!
Nykanen dominating with strikes here.
Nykanen punching from mount but Crichton doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Nykanen there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Nykanen looking to ground and pound but Crichton is blocking nicely.
Nykanen wants to control the pace but Crichton is squirming around nicely.
Nykanen postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Crichton looks a forlorn figure.
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 Paco Nykanen will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

A lazy left from Crichton finds it's target.
Crichton stuffs the takedown.
Nykanen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Crichton pinned against the cage. Crichton gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nykanen slips a jab from Crichton.
Crichton lands with a straight right. Nykanen didn't see that one coming.
Nykanen throws a hook to the side of Crichton's head but Crichton sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Crichton scores with a jab to the jaw.
Crichton avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Crichton misses with a body shot.
Nykanen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Crichton.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crichton ducks under a wild hook from Nykanen.
Crichton misses with the combination.
Crichton with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Nykanen to score with a decent uppercut.
Jab from Crichton.
Nykanen throws a hook but Crichton avoids it easily.
Nykanen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Crichton circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paco Nykanen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Crichton thows a left - swing and a miss!
Crichton thows a body shot but no joy.
Crichton slips a jab from Nykanen.
Nice defenses there by Nykanen.
Crichton fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nykanen manages to avoid it.
A telegraphed right hand from Nykanen misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A big right from Crichton misses.
Crichton on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Crichton throws a jab when Nykanen was well out of range.
Nykanen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Crichton keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Crichton ducks under a wild hook from Nykanen.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nykanen is defended easily by Crichton.
Nykanen fails with a takedown attempt.
Crichton throws a body punch but Nykanen moves out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Nykanen checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crichton swings for the body but Nykanen moves out of range.
Nykanen misses the jab.

Crichton gets caught flat footed, as Nykanen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Nykanen slips nicely into half guard.
Crichton is looking for a sweep. Nykanen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Paco Nykanen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Crichton trying to control from the bottom.
Nykanen 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.
Crichton avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nykanen.
Nykanen controlling the action here.
Crichton wants to get back to his feet.
Nykanen takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen is looking to stall here but Crichton recovers full guard.
Crichton working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nykanen.
Nykanen won't allow Crichton to get back to his feet.
Nykanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Crichton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
John Crichton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Horrible takedown by Nykanen or perhaps it was just good defense by Crichton which made him look bad.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Crichton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Nykanen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Paco Nykanen!