PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Barack Obaminator (ranked 11 p4p, 37 weight class) and Shinnosuke Nakagawa (ranked 3 p4p, 6 weight class). Obaminator comes into the arena with Gil Scott-Herron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised blaring out of the sound system. Nakagawa has chosen Koto - CloZee as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Obaminator
vs
Nakagawa

186 cm
33
185
36 - 15 - 0

190 cm
33
190
27 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

NARCOS
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 36 - 15 - 0, fighting out of New York, Barack Obaminator!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shinnosuke Nakagawa!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakagawa tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Obaminator was well out of range. Poor timing from Nakagawa.
Obaminator uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Good standup being displayed there by Obaminator as he connects with a hook.
Obaminator lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Obaminator misses with an uppercut. Nakagawa saw that one coming.
Obaminator jabs Nakagawa right on the nose. Nakagawa blinks but takes it well.
Nakagawa takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Nakagawa misses with a wild body shot.
Obaminator takes one to the chin there.
Obaminator looks to throw the jab but Nakagawa is out of range.

Nakagawa fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Obaminator sprawls well initially but Nakagawa persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
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!
Nakagawa is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Obaminator tries to get to full guard but Nakagawa has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Nakagawa lands a nice short elbow.
Nakagawa is trying to control the action in half guard but Obaminator is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Nakagawa is looking to stall here but Obaminator recovers full guard.

Obaminator is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nakagawa defends well.
Nakagawa postures up and lands a big shot to Obaminator's brow.
Obaminator tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakagawa slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Obaminator is looking to reverse the position.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Nakagawa working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Obaminator takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Nakagawa trying to control the action but Obaminator is working from the bottom.
Nakagawa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Obaminator wants to improve his position, back to half guard but Nakagawa has ideas of his own. He's got hold of Obaminator's far side arm and it looks like he's got an Americana. Ohh! Ohhhh! OOOOOOOOOH! A human being's arm is not meant to bend like that! Obaminator is tapping like a morse code operator on the Titanic! SOS SOS! He's out of here! Great win for Nakagawa!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:47 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Shinnosuke Nakagawa!
Shinnosuke Nakagawa is the new middleweight champion!
A relieved looking Shinnosuke Nakagawa thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Barack Obaminator spoke after the fight, saying 'I'll be black'.