PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sloat Gresham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolai King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). King has chosen Lucretia, My Reflection as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Nikolai King will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Gresham
vs
King

173 cm
23
153 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

185 cm
24
155 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Very strong

Decent wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sloat Gresham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nikolai King!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Felipe Paraventi and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Gresham.
Gresham fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Some wild striking there from Gresham.
King tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gresham was well out of range. Poor timing from King.
Gresham moves forwards but King connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Gresham fails with an attempt to clinch.
No joy there for Gresham, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
King swings and misses with a hook to the body.
King is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Gresham lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but King circles away quickly and effectively.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King misses with a wild body shot.
King throws a body punch but Gresham moves out of range.
King moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gresham uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by King.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Gresham throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. King was covering up waiting for the punch and Gresham finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Gresham trying to control the position from guard on top but King is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gresham works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Gresham wants to pass the guard but King is defending well.
Gresham passes to full mount!
Gresham trying to control but he's not successful this time.
King stops Gresham from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gresham looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Poor strikes thrown by Gresham there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Gresham wants to take his opponent's back but King doesn't allow it.
King tries to lock up and control but Gresham gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
King is wriggling around trying to escape.
Gresham works his way to his opponent's back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
King stops Gresham from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Gresham is working hard here to advance position.

Gresham is going oldschool here, as he tries to force King to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so King shrugs it off.
King tries to reverse the position but Gresham maintains control.
King wants to control but Gresham is having none of it.
King is in all sorts of trouble here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gresham with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

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.
Gresham is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. King is in real trouble.

Gresham is persistently looking for the submission but King is defending it well.
King manages to reverse the position and now he's in Gresham's guard. Nice work there by King.
King stopping the sweep attempt from Gresham.
King's corner is telling him to maintain position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

King ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
King throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
King leaves Gresham with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Gresham falls off balance throwing a combination
and King counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gresham throws a combination that misses
and King cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gresham misses with a few strikes there.
King is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Gresham rather than just go for the knockout.
Gresham swinging wildly here.
Gresham misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gresham misses with a jab, cross combination.
King lands the left hand.
Gresham misses with a combination
and King counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gresham misses with a double jab
and King counters with a nice body shot.
King ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gresham moves away.
Gresham takes one on the button.
Gresham misses with a combination
and King counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
King swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
King throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
King has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

Gresham changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. King looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
King is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gresham advances to full mount.
King is desperately trying to improve his position but Gresham has a good base and remains in mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if King can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gresham wants to take his opponent's back but King doesn't allow it.
King slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Gresham wants to pass the guard but King is defending well.
King is trying to maintain the position but Gresham is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gresham trying to mount his opponent but King defends it.
Gresham stalling away here and it's allowed King to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
King keeping moving, preventing Gresham from controlling successfully.
Gresham trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
King is trying to control the position from the bottom.
King keeping moving, preventing Gresham from controlling successfully.

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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gresham keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gresham throws a left and a right that both miss
enabling King to counter with a crisp jab.
King bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
King slaps away a takedown attempt from Gresham, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gresham misses with a combination
and King counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gresham throws a left and a right that both miss
and King connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gresham ducks under a wild hook from King.
King thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gresham falls off balance throwing a combination
and King counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai King showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

King cracks Gresham with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Gresham uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by King.
King is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Gresham fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gresham throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gresham uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by King.
Gresham keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
King lunges at Gresham with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gresham's hand.
Gresham throws a left and a right that both miss
enabling King to counter with a crisp jab.
King cracks Gresham with an open hand slap.
A punch lands to the side of Gresham 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Gresham misses with a combination
and King counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gresham takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Nikolai King seems to be getting the better of the standup.
King leaves Gresham with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
King fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gresham manages to avoid it.
Gresham fails in his attempt to clinch.
King fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Gresham throws a left and a right that both miss
and King counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gresham misses with a double jab
and King counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gresham swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and King counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gresham thinking.
King slips a jab and a cross from Gresham.
Gresham takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gresham throws a combination but it was largely blocked by King.
King stalks Gresham and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Gresham's face. Gresham staggers backwards, shaken.
King closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Gresham is rocked!
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!
King cracks Gresham with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Gresham falls to his knees and King doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Nikolai King!