PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Lewis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neil Niler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Lewis had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 186.3lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. James Lewis has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lewis
vs
Niler

185 cm
18
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Lewis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Neil Niler!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Thiago Cunha and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lewis changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Niler looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Niler struggling a bit here.
Niler tries to improve position but can't.
Niler is not content to let Lewis control the position.
Niler tries to bench press Lewis off him but Lewis keeps the position.
Niler sneaks back into half guard.
Niler throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Niler trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niler controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

Lewis gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Niler closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lewis to the mat! Lewis manages to get full guard.
Lewis manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Niler manages to get himself to full guard.
Niler working a defensive guard here.
Niler manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lewis manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lewis looking to control.
Niler is looking to stand up but Lewis won't let him.
Lewis is looking to stand up but Niler isn't so interested in that idea.
Lewis is breathing heavily.
Niler is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Lewis is looking for a triangle but Niler pushes his legs off easily.
Niler trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niler wants to stand and escape but instead Lewis has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Lewis throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Niler throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Niler wants to stand and escape but Lewis is having none of it.
Niler throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Lewis drops back looking for a leg! Niler is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Niler manages to kick Lewis off! Lewis jumps back into Niler's guard.
Niler has control of Lewis's left arm, preventing Lewis from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Niler is on top in guard.
Lewis keeping moving, preventing Niler from controlling successfully.
Niler might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Lewis kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Lewis is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Niler defends well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Niler gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Lewis keeps control of Niler as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Lewis tries to pull guard but Niler holds him up against the cage and eventually Lewis drops back down to his feet.

Lewis has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Niler regains guard immediately.
Niler looking to control.
Niler keeping moving, preventing Lewis from controlling successfully.
Lewis is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Niler is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niler is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Niler throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Niler working a defensive guard here.
Lewis sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Niler lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Lewis!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lewis is squirming around, avoiding Niler's attempts to control the action.
Niler raining down shots from the mount!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Niler cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Niler lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Niler trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Niler cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niler blocks Lewis's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Lewis is looking to get to half guard.
Niler is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Lewis can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Niler trying to control but Lewis is having none of it.
Niler controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niler trying to control but Lewis is having none of it.

Niler stands up from mount. Strange move.

Niler instigates a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lewis jumps guard but Niler stands there with Lewis around his waist. Lewis gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Niler gets a trip takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neil Niler showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Niler shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Lewis napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Niler working the head and body with strikes.
Lewis defending against the ground and pound.

Niler looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Lewis takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Lewis is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Lewis's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niler prevents Lewis from escaping the position.
Neil Niler has got the better of the ground game so far.

Niler stands up and beckons Lewis to his feet.
James Lewis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Niler throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Lewis tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Niler is in Lewis's guard.
Niler preventing the sweep.

Lewis has his feet on Niler's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Niler has hold of one of Lewis's legs. Lewis is fighting the takedown attempt but Niler gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Lewis can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Niler controls the pace.
Niler wants to stand but Lewis has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lewis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lewis preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Niler trying to control but Lewis is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Neil Niler wasn't active enough on the ground.
Niler scores with a nice head shot.
Lewis throws a lazy head kick
and Niler counters with a nice body kick.
Niler connects with a leg kick. Lewis looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Niler shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lewis manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Niler wants to control from the top but Lewis keeps moving.
Niler forces his way into half guard.
Niler stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Niler decides to stand and escape the position.

Lewis drives through with a takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Niler wants to stand and escape but Lewis is having none of it.
Lewis wants to pass the guard but Niler is keeping the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lewis wants to control from the top but Niler keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Neil Niler comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Niler 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Neil Niler!