PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bill Pullford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niko Reynolds (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Reynolds has chosen Lights Out - Bobby Light as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Niko Reynolds will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Pullford
vs
Reynolds

180 cm
26
210 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

197 cm
26
224 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bill Pullford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Niko Reynolds!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Pullford.
Reynolds throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Pullford lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Pullford throws a good cross that connects.
Reynolds takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Pullford scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Reynolds moves to clinch but Pullford breaks away
and Pullford counters with an outside leg kick.
Pullford throws a sloppy head kick and Reynolds moves out of range easily.

Pullford gets a clinch.
Reynolds misses with a punch to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Reynolds.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pullford.
Pullford keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Reynolds's efforts to push away.
Reynolds tries to land knees in the clinch but Pullford avoids the damage to the body.
Pullford has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Reynolds avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Reynolds tries to pull guard but Pullford holds him up against the cage and eventually Reynolds drops back down to his feet.
Reynolds gets underhooks to prevent Pullford's takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pullford is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Pullford blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Pullford tries a body shot but Reynolds blocks it.
Reynolds working aggressively here.
Reynolds lands a body shot in the clinch.
Reynolds is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Reynolds stalling in the clinch.
Reynolds throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Reynolds changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Pullford fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Pullford darts in and clinches Reynolds up against the cage.
Reynolds is working Pullford over against the cage.
Pullford takes a knee right on the jaw!
Reynolds can't get the takedown.
Bill Pullford has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Niko Reynolds.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reynolds with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Reynolds throws a head punch that misses.
Reynolds throws a head punch that misses.
Reynolds misses with an elbow over the top.
Pullford misses with a short punch on the inside.
Reynolds is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Reynolds stalls.
Reynolds misses with an elbow strike.
Reynolds is working for takedown but Pullford is calmly controlling the position for now.
Pullford unloads a knee to the mid-section. Reynolds lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Pullford working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Reynolds is trying to push Pullford away but Pullford has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Reynolds using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pullford has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pullford scores with a shot to the side of Reynolds's head.
Reynolds misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Reynolds fails to land.

Pullford turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Pullford manages to end up in side control.
Pullford wants to lay and pray for a moment but Reynolds keeps working.
Reynolds is looking for a sweep.
Pullford throws an elbow but Reynolds slips to the side and avoids it well.
Reynolds avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Pullford.
Reynolds dodges the ground and pound from Pullford.
Pullford cracks Reynolds with a big right hand but Reynolds just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pullford throws an elbow but Reynolds slips to the side and avoids it well.
Reynolds is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Pullford looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Pullford tries for a kimura but Reynolds is defending well.
Pullford lands a decent elbow from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pullford shoots for a takedown but Reynolds saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Pullford misses with a left hand
and Reynolds counters with a three punch combo that has Pullford backing up. Pullford nods at Reynolds to acknowledge the strikes.
Reynolds tries to clinch but Pullford moves out of range.
Reynolds throws a sloppy body shot

and Pullford counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Pullford.
Reynolds misses with a punch on the inside.
Reynolds is trying to force a seperation but Pullford has the dominant position.
Still in the clinch, Pullford scores with a nice short uppercut.
Pullford avoiding damage as Reynolds throws knees to the body.
Reynolds using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pullford has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Pullford works on Reynolds's body with a couple of short punches.
Reynolds lands a body shot in the clinch.
Reynolds gets through Pullford's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Reynolds avoids the elbow strike from Pullford, against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Pullford fails to land.
Reynolds using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pullford has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Reynolds throws a punch but it's blocked by Pullford.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reynolds is trying to drag Pullford to the mat but Pullford just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Pullford gets underhooks to prevent Reynolds's takedown attempt.
Reynolds is breathing heavily.

Pullford gets control of Reynolds's arms and successfully pulls guard. Pullford will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Pullford thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Reynolds has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Pullford is proving hard to escape from.
Pullford looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Reynolds is fighting to break Pullford's control of his arms but Pullford is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Pullford looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pullford is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pullford looking to hit a scissor sweep but Reynolds is one step ahead there.
Pullford might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two 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.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Pullford seems keen to control Reynolds's posture.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Reynolds moves to clinch but Pullford breaks away
and Pullford counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Pullford looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Niko Reynolds is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Reynolds gets caught flat footed, as Pullford shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Reynolds bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pullford's guard.
Pullford looking to hit a scissor sweep but Reynolds is one step ahead there.
Pullford has Reynolds pulled in close to control his posture.
Reynolds trying to control but Pullford is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pullford not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Reynolds content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Pullford is pulling down on Reynolds's head. It's preventing any offense from Reynolds, at least for the moment.
Pullford trying to keep a closed guard but Reynolds is proving a slippery customer.
Pullford has Reynolds pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Bill Pullford.
Nice takedown defense from Reynolds. No joy for Pullford on that attempt.
Reynolds throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Pullford counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Reynolds feints and as Pullford raises his hands in defense, Reynolds changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Pullford will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Reynolds trying to control the position from guard on top but Pullford is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pullford is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Pullford had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Reynolds defends it easily.
Reynolds slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Pullford trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Niko Reynolds will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Reynolds walks into a stiff left hand from Pullford.
Reynolds throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Pullford counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Pullford fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Reynolds to the ground. Pullford is now in Reynolds's guard.
Pullford loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Pullford working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Reynolds's head.
Reynolds looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Reynolds not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pullford pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Reynolds is keeping the position for now.
Pullford postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Pullford trying to control the position from guard on top but Reynolds is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Reynolds takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pullford throws a big right hand that misses.
Pullford stops Reynolds from standing up.
Pullford throwing strikes but missing.
Pullford trying to control the position from guard on top but Reynolds is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Reynolds is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Reynolds is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Pullford.
A big right from Pullford misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Pullford thuds a left hand into Reynolds's body.
Pullford takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Reynolds throws a lazy head kick

and Pullford counters with a takedown into side control.
Pullford cracks Reynolds with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Reynolds is looking to reverse the position.
Reynolds on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Pullford scoring with punches and elbows.
Pullford working the ground and pound.
Pullford is chipping away with strikes.

Pullford is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Reynolds knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Pullford in side control, throwing shots but Reynolds defends.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pullford with the ground and pound but Reynolds regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Pullford throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Reynolds trying to control here.
Pullford is looking to pass Reynolds's guard but actually Reynolds recovers to full guard.
Pullford has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Pullford working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

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.
Pullford throwing strikes from guard but Reynolds blocks nicely.
Pullford postures up in Reynolds's guard and throws a big left but Reynolds blocks it.
Bill Pullford overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pullford lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Pullford stands up over Reynolds, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Reynolds preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Reynolds trying to keep a closed guard but Pullford is proving a slippery customer.
Pullford missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bill Pullford showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Pullford has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bill Pullford!