PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Timothy Nilsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and tiago richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Nilsson
vs
richards

177 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

185 cm
21
165 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Timothy Nilsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, tiago richards!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nilsson fails in his attempt to clinch.

Nilsson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. richards manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Nilsson trying to control the position from guard on top but richards is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
richards is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nilsson is controlling him.
Nilsson throwing strikes from guard but richards blocks nicely.
richards trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Nilsson throwing strikes but missing.
Nilsson trying to control the position from guard on top but richards is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
richards wants to stand up but Nilsson is controlling him.
Nilsson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
richards looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nilsson slips under a jab.
Nilsson thumps richards with a low kick.
richards cracks Nilsson with an open hand slap.
Nilsson wants to clinch up but richards keeps it at a distance.
Nilsson looks to land a combination but richards avoids it well.
Nilsson tries to close the distance and clinch up but richards swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nilsson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nilsson tries to clinch up but richards circles away and keeps his distance.
Nilsson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
richards takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Nilsson keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Nilsson fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

richards gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nilsson lands an elbow inside.
Nilsson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but richards has him pressed against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Nilsson.
richards tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Nilsson smiles and moves away.
Nilsson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has richards pinned against the cage. richards gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
richards is looking to clinch.

Nilsson gets a clinch.

richards's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Timothy Nilsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nilsson looks to land a right hand but richards moved out of range.
Nilsson wants to clinch
and richards counters with a nice body shot.
Nilsson stalks richards and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into richards's face. richards staggers backwards, shaken.
Nilsson is breathing heavily.
Nilsson closes the distance and clinches up with richards, looking for a takedown. Nilsson pushes richards against the cage but richards circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A combination from richards does no damage.
Nilsson has his takedown stuffed

and richards counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Timothy Nilsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nilsson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

richards manages to break the clinch.

richards rushes Nilsson and presses him up against the cage.
richards blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nilsson is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Nilsson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. richards is defending well for now.

richards pulls guard effortlessly.
Nilsson looking to pass the guard.
richards seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

richards manages to escape and get back to his feet.
richards showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nilsson.
Nilsson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and richards counters with a two punch combo.
Nilsson tries to clinch but richards moves away
and richards counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nilsson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nilsson tries to clinch up

and richards counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nilsson is looking to improve his position.
richards content to control rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

tiago richards dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nice defenses there by richards.
Nilsson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nilsson darts in trying to clinch
and Nilsson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nilsson shoots for a double leg takedown but richards sprawls well. He's pushed Nilsson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nilsson throws a lazy head kick
and richards cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
richards circles away from the clinch attempt

and richards counters by clinching up.
Nilsson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
richards has Nilsson pressed against the cage, preventing Nilsson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
richards has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Nilsson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
richards tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

richards tightens his grip and picks Nilsson up, before dumping him to the ground. Nilsson manages to land in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nilsson wants to stand and escape but richards is having none of it.
Nilsson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

richards decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Nilsson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by richards.
Timothy Nilsson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nilsson throws a lazy head kick

so richards counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Nilsson being controlled here, momentarily.
Nilsson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
richards lands a couple of elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
richards stopping the sweep attempt from Nilsson.
richards postures up.
Nilsson is striking from the bottom but richards uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Nilsson tries to roll over but richards keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nilsson swats away the attempt to clinch by richards.
richards tries to clinch up.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Nilsson.
Nilsson wants to clinch.
richards tries to close the distance and clinch but Nilsson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
richards misses with a straight right.
Horrible takedown by Nilsson or perhaps it was just good defense by richards which made him look bad.
Nilsson closes the distance but richards moves to the side
and richards counters with a nice uppercut.
richards tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nilsson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten richards somewhat.
Timothy Nilsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of tiago richards.
Nilsson closes the distance looking to clinch

and richards moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nilsson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but richards blocks it with crossed arms.
Nilsson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Nilsson is trying to break the clinch but richards has him pressed against the cage.
richards drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
richards tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nilsson is looking to break free of the clinch but richards has double underhooks.
Nilsson digs a right hand underneath richards's ribcage. richards let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A nice left hand lands by Nilsson.
Nilsson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. richards avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Nice body punch from richards - that landed with a thud.
Nilsson is trying to break the clinch but richards has him pressed against the cage.

Nilsson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nilsson wants to clinch

and richards counters with a single leg into guard. Nilsson didn't expect that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

tiago richards 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!

Nilsson with a lazy takedown attempt

and richards counters with a single leg into guard. Nilsson didn't expect that.
tiago richards has got the better of the ground game so far.

richards stands up from guard. Let's bang!
richards tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nilsson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nilsson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? richards is fending him off so far but Nilsson persists. Nope, richards circles away and we're back to standing.
richards misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nilsson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

richards has taken the fight to the clinch.
richards tries to score a body lock takedown but Nilsson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Nilsson.
richards's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Nilsson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nilsson misses with a few strikes there.

richards forces Nilsson back against the cage and clinches.
richards drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Nilsson jumps guard and drags richards to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nilsson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
richards slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Nilsson is looking to stand up but richards isn't so interested in that idea.
Nilsson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nilsson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
richards looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
richards preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Nilsson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Nilsson will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
richards trying to control but Nilsson is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nilsson thumps richards with a low kick.

Nilsson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Nilsson tries to circle away but richards has him pinned against the cage.
Nilsson lands a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nilsson gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from richards.
Timothy Nilsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of tiago richards.
Nilsson lands a hook that snaps the head of richards backwards.
Nilsson looking for a takedown.
Nilsson goes for a takedown attempt but richards pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nilsson tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Nilsson tries to clinch but richards moves away

and richards counters with a takedown into side control.
Nilsson trying to control but richards flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Nilsson breaks richards's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Nilsson trying to control the position from guard on top but richards is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nilsson scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

richards is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
richards keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Nilsson's efforts to push away.
richards jumps guard but Nilsson stands there with richards around his waist. richards gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Nilsson has had enough of the clinch but richards keeps him there for the moment.
richards tries to pull guard but Nilsson won't allow it.

Nilsson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nilsson swinging wilding here.
richards swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Nilsson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nilsson wants to take a breather but richards is having none of it.

Nilsson is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. richards doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nilsson.
Timothy Nilsson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
tiago richards is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nilsson drops an elbow to the side of richards's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
tiago richards comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well richards has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... tiago richards!