PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Julian Bashir (ranked 601 p4p, 545 weight class) and Tadahiro Nomura (ranked 43 p4p, 39 weight class). Bashir comes to the cage accompanied by Exodus - The Toxic Waltz. Nomura comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Nomura kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Bashir
vs
Nomura

170 cm
24
140
10 - 3 - 0

165 cm
22
142
8 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction

NARCOS
Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Julian Bashir!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tadahiro Nomura!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Steve Smith and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bashir takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Bashir throws a hook but Nomura avoids it easily.
Bashir throws a shot to the body.
Nomura thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nomura takes a swing at Bashir's ribcage but misses.
Bashir avoids the body shot from Nomura.
Bashir definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Bashir staying out of range there.
Bashir throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bashir takes a swing at Nomura's ribcage but misses.
Bashir tests Nomura's chin there with a solid looking shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bashir walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Bashir takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Bashir feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nomura working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bashir.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nomura is pulling down on Bashir's head. It's preventing any offense from Bashir, at least for the moment.
Bashir postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nomura preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Bashir throwing strikes but missing.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bashir is looking to work some ground and pound but Nomura has wrist control.
Nomura is adopting a defensive guard.
Bashir throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bashir trying to control but Nomura is working from the bottom.
Nomura is pulling down on Bashir's head to control his posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bashir scores with a hook.
Nomura moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Bashir misses with a lunging right hand
and Nomura counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Today's fight clock is brought to you by... OOOH that's a huge shot by Bashir! Nomura is in big trouble here - the ref steps in to save him and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Julian Bashir!
During a confident post fight interview, Julian Bashir thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Tadahiro Nomura spoke after the fight, saying 'Mizu ni nagasu/the water flows.'.