PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alistair Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Craig Connors (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Craig Connors is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Nelson
vs
Connors

193 cm
26
258 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

202 cm
26
247 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Alistair Nelson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Craig Connors!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, James Atkins and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nelson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Connors sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Connors checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Connors takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Connors gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nelson could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Connors wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Nelson has him pressed against the cage.
Nelson keeps control of Connors as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Connors keeps control of Nelson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Nelson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nelson is looking to chop away at Connors's legs.
A good leg kick by Nelson.
Connors shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Nelson sprawls well. Nelson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Connors gets slowly back to his feet.
Connors blocks a head kick by Nelson.
Connors blocks a head kick by Nelson.

Nelson tries to keep at a distance but Connors has taken the fight into the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Connors breaks from the clinch.
Connors avoids the head kick by Nelson.
Connors avoids the head kick by Nelson.
Nelson takes one on the button.
Alistair Nelson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nelson throws a nice head kick!
Connors closes the distance and clinches up with Nelson, looking for a takedown. Connors pushes Nelson against the cage but Nelson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Connors throws a series of punches but Nelson avoids them all with ease.
Nelson tries to bum rush Connors with a series of wild strikes but Connors uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Alistair Nelson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nelson lands a high kick!
Some wild striking there from Nelson.
Connors checks a leg kick nicely.
Connors avoids the head kick by Nelson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Good leg kick by Nelson there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Nelson is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Connors.

It looks like Alistair Nelson has been cut.

Connors moves into range and clinches up with Nelson.
Nelson tries to stall but Connors uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Nelson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Connors avoids it.
Nelson jumps guard but Connors stands there with Nelson around his waist. Nelson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Connors escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sloppy strikes from Nelson. Those never looked like landing.
Nelson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Connors scores with a punch to the head.
Connors checks a low kick from Nelson.
Connors takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Nelson throws a head kick but Connors moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Connors clinches up against the cage.
Connors keeps control of Nelson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Connors managing to block the knees to the body from Nelson.

Nelson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Connors avoids the head kick by Nelson.
Connors shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nelson but Nelson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Alistair Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Craig Connors.

Connors gets a clinch.
Nelson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Nelson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Connors's efforts to push away.
Nelson has had enough of the clinch but Connors keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nelson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nelson misses with a wild combination.
Connors takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Nelson throws a low kick but Connors moves out of range easily.
Connors tries for a takedown but Nelson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Connors gets the takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Connors working away.
Connors postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Connors working the ground and pound but Nelson is defending the strikes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nelson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Connors wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Nelson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Nelson tries to get out of the position.
You can see the frustration on Nelson's face as Connors controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Craig Connors will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Alistair Nelson's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Nelson throws a head kick that misses.
Connors blocks a head kick by Nelson.
Connors blocks a head kick by Nelson.
Connors shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nelson pinned against the cage. Nelson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nelson throws a head kick but Connors moves out of range.
Connors fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nelson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Connors moves away.
Nelson misses with a head kick.
Connors blocks a head kick by Nelson.
Nelson misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connors scores with a hook.
Nelson misses with a jab, cross combination.
A head kick misses from Nelson.
Connors's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Connors duly obliges.
Connors looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nelson is fending him off so far but Connors persists. Nope, Nelson circles away and we're back to standing.
Alistair Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Craig Connors.
Connors blocks a head kick by Nelson.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Connors clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nelson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Connors.
Nelson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Connors avoids it.
Nelson tries to land knees in the clinch but Connors avoids the damage to the body.
Connors looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Connors managing to block the knees to the body from Nelson.
Connors is trying to maintain a safe position but Nelson gets an underhook and turns Connors into the cage.
Connors blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Connors's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A solid body kick from Nelson.
Connors fails with a takedown attempt.
Connors blocks a head kick by Nelson.
Nelson scoring well with a low kick there.
Connors blocks a head kick by Nelson.
Connors fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A solid body kick from Nelson.
Nelson leaves Connors with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Connors will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Connors rushes Nelson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nelson tries to land knees in the clinch but Connors avoids the damage to the body.
Nelson throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nelson controlling the action here for a moment.
Nelson missing with knees to the body.
Nelson has Connors pressed against the cage, preventing Connors from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Nelson's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Nelson tries to land knees in the clinch but Connors avoids the damage to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nelson tries to pull guard but Connors holds him up against the cage and eventually Nelson drops back down to his feet.
Connors is trying to force a seperation but Nelson has the dominant position.
Nelson fails to pull guard.
Nelson is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Connors pressing his opponent against the cage.
Connors avoiding damage as Nelson throws knees to the body.
Connors throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Nelsons head.
With the fighters up against the cage, Nelson throws an elbow but misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Nelson breaks the clinch.
Nelson thows a body shot but no joy.
Nelson attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
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 Alistair Nelson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Alistair Nelson's cut.
That's time! Nelson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Connors fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nelson, pushing him back against the cage.

Nelson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Connors looks to land a combination but Nelson avoids it well.
Nelson scores with a head kick.

Connors fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nelson, pushing him back against the cage.
Connors slowing the pace effectively.
Nelson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Connors avoids it.
Connors is trying to break free.
Connors blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Nelson misses with a knee strike.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Connors.
A short right from Connors on the inside.
Connors is trying to push Nelson away but Nelson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Nelson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Connors's efforts to push away.
Nelson scores a nice knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson prevents Connors from breaking the clinch.

Nelson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nelson lands with a kick to the temple. Connors shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Nelson misses with a double jab.
Sloppy strikes from Nelson. Those never looked like landing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Connors lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Nelson does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Nelson throws a jab when Connors was well out of range.

Connors scores a takedown into full mount!
Connors has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nelson really wants to buck Connors off and get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connors trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nelson regains half guard.

Connors is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Nelson defends it well.
Nelson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Connors is working away from the top position though.

Connors escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nelson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Connors has managed to clinch.
Nelson trying to land knees to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Connors takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Nelson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Nelson keeps control of Connors as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Connors is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Nelson is keeping busy.
Craig Connors seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Nelson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Connors avoids it.
Nelson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Connors.
Nelson throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nelson tries to break the clinch but Connors is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Connors lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Alistair Nelson's cut is getting worse.
Connors lands with a short shot to the head.
Connors can't break the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Nelson tries to land a knee to the head but Connors blocks with his arms.
Nelson is trying to push Connors away but Connors has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Nelson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Connors throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Connors instigates a clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Connors working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Connors lands with a short punch from the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Connors breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Connors avoids the head kick by Nelson.

Connors decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Connors is working for a kimura but Nelson is defending it quite comfortably.

And that's the end of the fight!
Craig Connors comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Connors has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 28:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Craig Connors!
An out of breath Craig Connors thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.