PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kenshiro Kitase (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Makoto Nagano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Makoto Nagano was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Kitase
vs
Nagano

170 cm
19
135 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
25
135 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenshiro Kitase!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Makoto Nagano!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Ren Mimura and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nagano is looking to clinch but Kitase is avoiding it.
Nagano misses with a hook.
A telegraphed right hand from Nagano misses the target.
Kitase tries to clinch up.
Nagano throws a jab but it's blocked by Kitase.
Nagano throws the left hand but Kitase avoids the punch easily.
Nagano loads up on a big right hand but Kitase slips the punch.
Kitase slips a straight right by Nagano.
Kitase tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nagano paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A jab from Nagano misses.
Nagano swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nagano throws a shot from downtown. Kitase moves away and avoids it.
Kitase uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nagano.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nagano misses with a hook. Kitase ducked under it nicely.
Nagano tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A swing and a miss from Nagano.
Kitase avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kitase takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Nagano pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagano misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kitase.
Kitase steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nagano.
Nagano misses with an uppercut.
Kitase defending well as Nagano loads up on a big left hand.
Kitase is looking to clinch but Nagano is avoiding it.
Nagano might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Kitase defending well as Nagano loads up on a big left hand.
Nagano throws a hook but Kitase blocks it.
Nagano stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Kitase.
Kitase scores with a leg kick.
Nagano throws a big shot that misses.
Nagano misses with a looping right.
Nagano throws an overhand right that lands on Kitase's shoulder, as Kitase tries to avoid the shot.
Nagano misses with a hook.
Nagano misses with a straight right.

Nagano tries to keep at a distance but Kitase has taken the fight into the clinch.

Nagano breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two 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.

Kitase gets a clinch.
Kitase fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nagano scores with a shot to the side of Kitase's head.
Kitase tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Nagano just stands there and leans against the cage.
Nagano swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nagano is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Nagano can't break the clinch.
Kitase is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Kitase has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Nagano regains guard immediately.
Kitase forces his way into half guard.
Kitase wants to pass to mount but Nagano is defending the position.

Nagano actively working from the bottom here.
Nagano looks gassed!
Kitase missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kitase is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Kitase tries to pass to full mount but Nagano defends it.
Nagano wants to get back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Kitase clinches up against the cage.

Kitase drags the fight down to the ground.

Kitase has his foot on Nagano's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Nagano works his way back into a safe position though.
Nagano trying to control the position from guard on top but Kitase is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kitase working for a triangle but Nagano defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kitase looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Nagano passes into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kitase looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Kitase is looking to control Nagano's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kitase avoid being mounted?

Kitase looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenshiro Kitase dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Kitase tries to land a leg kick but Nagano saw it coming and moves away.
Nagano throws a hook but Kitase blocks it.
Kitase doesn't manage to clinch there - Nagano circles away.
Kitase slips under a jab from Nagano.
Nagano is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Nagano cracks Kitase with an open hand slap.
Nagano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kitase was well out of range. Poor timing from Nagano.

Kitase gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nagano looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Kitase pulls guard successfully.

Kitase looking for a guillotine here but Nagano defends easily.

Kitase throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kitase is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Nagano lands a couple of digs.
Kitase looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nagano is one step ahead there.

Nagano got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kitase has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nagano has managed to get both his arms back between Kitase's legs - danger averted.

Kitase has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nagano can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Nagano trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two 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.

Kitase looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Nagano working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Nagano wants to stand but Kitase has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Nagano trying to control but Kitase is working from the bottom.

Kitase throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nagano wanted to stand there but Kitase had control of the position.

Kitase is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kitase has an active guard here but Nagano has managed to pass into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nagano moves into full mount! Kitase won't be happy about that!
Kitase really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Nagano lands a nice shot to the head.

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.
Nagano looking to control but Kitase is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kitase is looking to improve his position but Nagano isn't that keen on the idea.
Nagano with the ground and pound from mount.
Kitase is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Nagano lands with some strikes.

Nagano looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Makoto Nagano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Nagano misses the shot to the body.
Nagano throws a big shot that misses.
Nagano looks to land a right hand but Kitase moved out of range.
Nagano looks to throw the jab but Kitase is out of range.
Nagano throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kitase keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nagano.

Kitase closes the distance and clinches.

Kitase manages to pull guard.

Kitase is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kitase is on top in guard.
Kitase pushing down on Nagano's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kitase is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Nagano sees it coming and defends easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Nagano is defending against the submission attempts here by Kitase.
Nagano flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Nagano trying to hold on to Kitase's head to control him but Kitase postures up.

Kitase is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Nagano defends it well.
Kitase stops Nagano from getting back to his feet.

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.
Nagano trying to control from the bottom.
Kitase works his foot free and advances to mount.

Nagano bucks up and throws Kitase to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Nagano looks to throw the jab but Kitase is out of range.
Nagano tests Kitase's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Kitase steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nagano.
Makoto Nagano is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nagano throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A telegraphed right hand from Nagano misses the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nagano throws the left hand but Kitase avoids the punch easily.
Kitase avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kitase slips under a jab from Nagano.
Nagano looks to clinch

and Kitase counters by moving into the clinch.

Kitase manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Kitase is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Nagano trying to control but Kitase is working from the bottom.

Nagano avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Kenshiro Kitase overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kitase can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Nagano controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nagano has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kitase is proving hard to escape from.

Kitase has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Nagano doesn't defend quickly enough and Kitase has managed to lock this one up! Can Nagano escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Kitase on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Kenshiro Kitase!