PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nick Pace (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Cash (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Pace
vs
Cash

178 cm
20
180 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

184 cm
22
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nick Pace!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Johnny Cash!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big left from Cash misses.
The crowd cheers as Cash lands an impressive looking overhand right. Pace doesn't seem phased though.
Cash looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cash tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Pace counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pace.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Pace thows a big elbow that misses.
Pace stopping the sweep attempt from Cash.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cash keeping moving, preventing Pace from controlling successfully.
Pace wants to get up but he can't break Cash's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pace trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Nick Pace just wasn't active enough.
Pace fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pace keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Pace will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cash misses with a wild combination.
Pace shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cash but Cash pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Pace gets a takedown into half guard.
Pace throws a strike but Cash avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pace working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pace loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cash wants to stand and escape but Pace is having none of it.
Pace looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Pace pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cash is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pace postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Cash wants to stand up but Pace is controlling him.
Cash trying to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nick Pace wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A combination from Cash does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pace shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cash defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Pace. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Cash misses with a jab, cross combination.

Pace shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Pace trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pace breaks from Cash's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cash is bucking up trying to escape but Pace cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pace can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cash is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Pace dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cash misses with a double jab.
Cash rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pace moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Pace tries for a takedown but Cash sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pace.
Cash throws a right and a left that Pace avoids nicely.
Cash is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Pace decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Pace looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Pace trying to control from half guard but Cash is working away.
Cash is trying to stand up here but Pace is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pace is taking a breather. Cash says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Nick Pace has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Cash throws a right and a left that Pace avoids nicely.

Pace gets a double leg takedown into Cash's guard.
Cash is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Pace is controlling him.
Pace lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Pace stays in close to Cash's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pace stands up from Cash's guard - Pace perhaps looking for a knockout.

Pace feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
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!
Pace throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cash works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pace throwing strikes from guard but Cash blocks nicely.

Pace thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pace missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Pace gets to his feet - Cash follows without any prompting.
Pace shoots for a takedown but Cash saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Pace. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pace slips a jab and a cross from Cash.
Nick Pace is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cash misses with a wild combination.

Pace shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Pace throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cash works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pace working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cash wants to stand up but Pace is controlling him.
Cash is breathing heavily.
Pace pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cash is keeping the position for now.
Pace postures up in Cash's guard and throws a big left but Cash blocks it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pace postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Pace dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Pace shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Pace throws a strike but Cash rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Pace is pulling down on Cash's head to control his posture.
Cash trying to control but Pace is working from the bottom.
Pace utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cash would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pace looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cash is one step ahead there.
Cash is looking to work some ground and pound but Pace has wrist control.
Pace looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cash is one step ahead there.
Cash pushes down on Pace's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Cash trying to control from Pace's half guard. Pace has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pace trying to strike off his back.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pace is on top in guard.
Pace wants to control from the top but Cash keeps moving.
Pace sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nick Pace wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Sloppy strikes from Cash. Those never looked like landing.

Pace shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Pace sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cash defending well though.
Nick Pace is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pace is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Johnny Cash has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

We're going to have a standup here because Nick Pace wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Pace fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cash sprawls well initially but Pace persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cash is looking for a sweep. Pace is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Pace wants to pass the guard but Cash is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nick Pace showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pace, 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Pace!