PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Max Handle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Nader (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Handle comes to the cage accompanied by Right On. Nader has chosen This Means War as his entrance music. Frank Nader has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Max Handle's chin.

Handle
vs
Nader

170 cm
21
190 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

185 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Max Handle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frank Nader!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Handle wants to clinch but Nader slips to the side

and Nader moves into the clinch.
Handle goes for a takedown in the clinch but Nader prevents it.
Nice body punch from Handle.

Nader breaks the clinch.
Handle looks to land a combination but Nader avoids it well.
Handle tries to clinch there but Nader circles away.

Nader fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Handle, pushing him back against the cage.
Handle wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Nader has him pressed against the cage.
Nader wants a takedown but no success here.
Handle is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Nader throws a head punch that misses.
Handle throws a punch but it's blocked by Nader.
Nader is pressed up against the cage. Handle has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Nader down to the mat. Nader avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Handle darts in trying to clinch

and Nader counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nader breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nader has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Handle is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Handle tries to clinch
and Nader finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Handle misses with a combination
and Nader counters with a nice body shot.
Handle could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Handle keeps the fight on the outside.

Nader closes the distance and clinches.
Handle struggles to land a body shot inside as Nader controls his hands.
Nader missing with knees to the body.
Handle tries for a takedown but Nader manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Max Handle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Handle working aggressively here.

Nader breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Handle tries to clinch but Nader moves out of range.
Handle doesn't manage to clinch there - Nader circles away.

Handle gets caught napping as Nader dives in and scores a takedown. Handle manages to retain guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Nader slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Handle might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Nader tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nader thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Handle is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Handle is not content to let Nader control the position.
Nader advances to full mount.
Nader takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handle squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

Nader looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Nader controlling his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Nader throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Handle reaches up to try and control the position but Nader seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Handle rolls and tries to escape and now Nader has his back!

Handle showing good submission defense here.

Handle is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Nader gets his way!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nader is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Handle has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Handle tries to break free.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nader tries to keep control of the position but Handle is staying busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Nader dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Handle jabs Nader to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Max Handle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A combination from Handle does no damage.
Handle is looking to clinch.
Handle has been working on his balance at Diamond In The Rough Training Facility, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Nader.
A bone on bone clash there as Nader blocks the leg kick.
Max Handle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Handle fails with a takedown attempt.
Handle closes the distance but Nader moves to the side
and Nader counters with a slapping leg kick.
Nader goes for a double leg but Handle avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Handle continues to drive forward.

Nader breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Handle scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Handle misses with a series of wild punches.
Handle tries to clinch up but Nader circles away and keeps his distance.
Handle scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
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!

Nader has Handle up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nader throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Nader leaning against his opponent.

Nader breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nader clinches up against the cage.
Handle gets underhooks to prevent Nader's takedown attempt.
Nader taking a breather.
Handle tries to circle away but Nader has him pinned against the cage.
Nader working Handle over with knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Handle tries to pull guard but Nader forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Nader breaks from the clinch.
Handle goes for a double leg but Nader avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Nader continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Max Handle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Handle looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nader keeps control of Handle as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Nader wants the takedown. Handle is fighting it off but Nader persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Handle's guard against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Handle can't keep his opponent in guard - Nader advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Well, if Nader is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Nader wants to free his trapped foot but Handle is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Nader looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Nader not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nader moves into full mount! Handle won't be happy about that!

Nader is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Handle can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nader gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Handle slaps away a takedown attempt from Nader, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Handle fails in his attempt to clinch.
Handle tries to clinch up

and Nader counters by clinching up.
Handle is trying to push Nader away but Nader has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Nader pulls Handle into guard.
Nader pulls Handle in to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nader trying to keep a closed guard but Handle is proving a slippery customer.
Handle throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nader avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nader keeping moving, preventing Handle from controlling successfully.

Nader is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Handle defends well.
Handle trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Frank Nader has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Handle is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Nader looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Handle in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Nader showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Handle fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nader, pushing him back against the cage.
Nader avoiding damage.
Nader softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Frank Nader seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Nader escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Handle moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Nader has managed to clinch.
Nader prevents the takedown attempt.

Nader breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Handle throws a lazy body kick
and Nader counters with a head kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Handle tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Handle fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Nader sprawls well initially but Handle persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Nader is trying is best to control the position here.
Nader is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Handle's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Handle's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Nader manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Nader tries to keep control of the position but Handle is staying busy.

Handle showing good submission defense here.

Nader is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Handle preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Nader.
Handle is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Handle trying to control the hands but Nader won't let him.
Handle is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Nader has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Handle has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Handle avoids the strikes from Nader.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Nader is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Handle defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nader tightening his grip on Handle, looking for the choke.
Handle really must keep his cool here. He's controlling one of Nader's hands and whilst he does that, he's got a chance of escaping the position.
Handle trying to control the position but Nader manages to sink in the hooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Handle is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Nader is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Handle has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Nader has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Handle taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Nader doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Frank Nader!
Our winner, Frank Nader, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.