PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Steven Nero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenryu Kanoi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Nero
vs
Kanoi

168 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Steven Nero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenryu Kanoi!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Fujiwara and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kanoi moves into the clinch successfully.
Kanoi is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nero pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Nero is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kanoi is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Nero gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Nero tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kanoi tries a knee to the head but Nero blocks it.
Kanoi is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Steven Nero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kenryu Kanoi.

Nero breaks from the clinch.
Nero tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kanoi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nero lands a head kick!

It looks like Kenryu Kanoi has been cut.

Nero gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Kanoi tries to break free but Nero pushes him back against the cage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Nero obliges.

Kanoi has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Nero uses from the top position.
Nero would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kanoi is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nero defends well.
Kanoi looks gassed!
Nero tries to stand but Kanoi is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Nero moves into range and clinches up with Kanoi.
A knee to the head by Nero.

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

Nero takes the fight into the clinch.
Nero tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kanoi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Nero.
A knee to the head by Nero.
Nero utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Nero tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanoi can't get the takedown.
Kanoi takes a knee right on the jaw!
Nero letting Kanoi take a breather here.
Kanoi wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kanoi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nero connects with a knee to the head.
Nero tries to land a knee to the head but Kanoi blocks with his arms.
Kanoi tries for a takedown but Nero manages to get underhooks.
Nero blocks an elbow strike from Kanoi.
Nero landing knees to the head.
Nero landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Nero with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nero using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kanoi has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
The referee is keeping an eye on Nero - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Nero lands a knee to the body.
Nero tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Nero breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Both fighters circling a little - Nero finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Steven Nero seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nero doesn't manage to clinch there - Kanoi circles away.
Nero scores with a push kick.
Nero tries to clinch up.
Nero looks to clinch

so Kanoi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nero wants to stand and escape but Kanoi is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Nero dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kenryu Kanoi's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kanoi misses with a takedown attempt - Nero sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nero tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kanoi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nero tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nero could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Kanoi throws a sloppy head kick
and Nero counters with a nice kick to the body.
Nero misses with a head kick.
Nero wants to clinch up but Kanoi keeps it at a distance.
Nero tries to close the distance and clinch but Kanoi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Nero takes the fight into the clinch.
Nero throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kanoi blocks it with crossed arms.

Nero pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nero is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanoi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nero thumps Kanoi with a low kick.

Nero moves into the clinch.
Kanoi wants a takedown.
Nero is struggling to control the position.
Nero lands a good knee to the midsection. Kanoi won't want to take too many of those.
Nero tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nero connects with a knee to the head.
Nero crunches a lovely knee into Kanoi's ribcage.

Nero breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nero tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kanoi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nero fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nero is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kanoi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Nero counters with a head kick.
Kanoi swinging wildly here.
Kanoi keeps the fight on the outside.
Kanoi blocks a head kick by Nero.
Nero tries to close the distance and clinch but Kanoi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Steven Nero is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Nero takes the fight into the clinch.
A knee to the head by Nero.
Nero lands a good knee to the midsection. Kanoi won't want to take too many of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kanoi jumps into guard, dragging Nero to the mat.
Kanoi controls Nero momentarily but Nero frees himself.

Kanoi had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Nero defends it easily.
Nero preventing the sweep.
Nero would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Nero stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Nero throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Kanoi's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nero delivers a nice body kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Nero. Kanoi shrugs it off though.
Nero lands a head kick!
Nero throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Nero wants to clinch.
Nero wants to clinch
and Kanoi counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Nero throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Nero throws a head kick but Kanoi moves out of range.
Kanoi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nero tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Steven Nero is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Nero closes the distance and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Nero dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kenryu Kanoi's cut.
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. And we move into the final round!

Kanoi tries for a takedown but Nero sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kanoi tries to bum rush Nero with a series of wild strikes but Nero uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nero is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Both fighters circling a little - Nero finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Nero doesn't manage to clinch there - Kanoi circles away.

Kanoi tries to keep at a distance but Nero has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nero lands a knee to the head.
Nero putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kanoi in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Nero using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kanoi has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Nero's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nero throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Nero gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nero breaks the clinch.

Nero takes the fight into the clinch.
Nero stalling the fight.

Nero pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Kanoi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Nero on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Nero tries to get out of the position.
Nero pushes Kanoi off looking to stand but Kanoi dives back in and keeps control.
Nero might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanoi is controlling the pace.
Nero keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nero is in trouble now - Kanoi has advanced to mount!
Kanoi tries to control but Nero wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanoi controlling from mount.
Nero wants to try and get back to his feet.
Kanoi lands a big elbow.
Kanoi connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kanoi throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Nero because Kanoi loaded up on that one.

Kanoi wants to finish this one by submission but Nero is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Kanoi.
Nero is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Kanoi controlling from the full mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kanoi trying to control but he's not successful this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Steven Nero.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nero, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Nero!