PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sen Nguyen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Den (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nguyen comes to the cage accompanied by "House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Nguyen
vs
Den

170 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sen Nguyen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ray Den!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yuuki Gou and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nguyen takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Nguyen tries to clinch up but Den circles away and keeps his distance.
Nguyen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nguyen is defended easily by Den.
Nguyen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Den pinned against the cage. Den gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sen Nguyen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nguyen doesn't manage to clinch there - Den circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Den bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Nguyen is looking for a sweep.
Nguyen avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Den.
Nguyen tries to buck Den off but Den is having none of it.
Nguyen avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Den.
The referee asks Den politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Den prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Den is chipping away with strikes.
Nguyen tries to bench press Den off him but Den keeps the position.
Den tries to move into full mount but can't pass Nguyen's legs.
Nguyen can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nguyen is looking to regain half guard here but Den keeps moving and retains side control.
Den throwing shots but missing, from side control.
You can see the frustration on Nguyen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Nguyen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
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.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Den. That's going to slow Nguyen down.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Nguyen fails to pull guard.

Den pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Den rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nguyen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Den shoots in and drives through. Nguyen sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Den dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Den.
Sen Nguyen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nguyen with a poor takedown

and Den counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Nguyen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Den is thwarting Nguyen's attempts to control the position.
Den controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nguyen is staying active underneath Den, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Nguyen manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Den slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Nguyen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Den doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Den manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

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.
Nguyen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nguyen wants to control the position but Den says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nguyen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Den.
Nguyen works his way to full guard. Good work.
Den must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Nguyen trying to keep a closed guard but Den is proving a slippery customer.
Den trying to control the position from guard on top but Nguyen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Nguyen is working an open guard so Den takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nguyen doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Den counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Nguyen with a lazy takedown attempt

and Den moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sen Nguyen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Den tries to pull guard but Nguyen won't allow it.
Nguyen has Den pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Den manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nguyen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Den smiles and moves away.
Den misses with a two punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Den showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Den tries to clinch up

and Nguyen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Den won't be happy with that.

Nguyen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nguyen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Nguyen throws a strike aimed at the side of Den's head but Den avoids it well.

Nguyen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Den is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Den is pushing Nguyen's head away, looking to escape. Nguyen manages to hold on to the position though.

Nguyen decides to stand back up.
Nguyen doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Den counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Den sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Den should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Nguyen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Den pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nguyen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Well, if Den is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nguyen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ray Den is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ray Den has got the better of the ground game so far.

Nguyen is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a tringle but Den frees his head nicely. Oh but Nguyen has switched to an armbar! Den is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Sen Nguyen!