PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Charlie Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takumi Naoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Harper
vs
Naoki

185 cm
25
197 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
24
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 London, Charlie Harper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Takumi Naoki!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Andrew Berry and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harper shoots in but no luck this time.
Harper misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Naoki lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Harper is looking to clinch.
Harper is looking to clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Naoki as Harper shoots in.

Naoki has Harper up against the cage in a clinch.
Harper taking a breather.
Harper has Naoki pressed against the cage, preventing Naoki from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Harper has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Naoki is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Charlie Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Naoki gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Harper.
Harper taking a breather.
Naoki stops a takedown attempt from Harper.
Naoki looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Naoki prevents the takedown attempt.
Harper tries to pull guard but Naoki holds him up against the cage and eventually Harper drops back down to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naoki wants to break free but Harper has control.
Naoki can't break the clinch.

Naoki pulls guard successfully.
Naoki looking for a sweep. Not yet Naoki, not yet.
Harper is fighting to break Naoki's control of his arms but Naoki is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Harper avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Naoki is on top in guard.
Naoki seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naoki throws a big right hand that misses.
Harper keeping moving, preventing Naoki from controlling successfully.
Harper wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Naoki manages to pass to side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Naoki trying to control the pace.
Harper knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Naoki on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper has a hand on Naoki's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Naoki takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Harper is trying desperately to improve position.
Harper wants to control but Naoki is having none of it.
Harper is looking to improve his position but Naoki isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Naoki cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Harper reaches up to try and control the position but Naoki seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Harper rolls and tries to escape and now Naoki has his back!
What can Harper do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Harper trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Harper turns into Naoki and is now in his guard.
Harper trying to stand up but can't free himself from Naoki's guard.

Naoki pushes Harper off and scrambles back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takumi Naoki dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Harper tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Naoki counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Naoki.
Harper cracks Naoki with a nice body shot.
A short right from Harper on the inside.
Harper is looking to break free of the clinch but Naoki has double underhooks.
Naoki keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Harper's efforts to push away.
Naoki working Harper over with knees to the body.
Harper jumps guard but Naoki stands there with Harper around his waist. Harper gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Harper tries to pull guard but Naoki won't allow it.
Naoki tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Harper just stands there and leans against the cage.
Harper is looking to break free of the clinch but Naoki has double underhooks.
Harper lands a body shot.

Naoki pulls guard effortlessly.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper wants to control from the top but Naoki keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Naoki uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Naoki rushes Harper and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Naoki stops a takedown attempt from Harper.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Charlie Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper is trying to force a seperation but Naoki has the dominant position.
Naoki managing to block the knees to the body from Harper.

Naoki pulls guard successfully.
Naoki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper throws and elbow that misses. Naoki uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Harper's guard. Nice move by Naoki!
Harper trying to strike off his back.
Harper wants to control but Naoki passes easily into half guard.
Harper is concentrating on defense, preventing Naoki from advancing position.
Harper trying to control here.

Harper is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Naoki pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper trying to control here.
Harper is looking to get back to full guard here but Naoki has managed to pass to side control instead.
Harper can't escape the position.
Naoki trying to control but Harper is having none of it.
Harper working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Harper is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Naoki has taken his back.
Harper trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Harper is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Naoki.
Harper tries to roll but Naoki sticks to his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takumi Naoki 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!

Naoki tries for a takedown but Harper circles away easily

and Harper counters by clinching up.

Naoki gets control of Harper's arms and successfully pulls guard. Naoki will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Harper would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Naoki keeping moving, preventing Harper from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper tries to free his leg and advance position but Naoki is retaining full guard.
Harper has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Naoki is proving hard to escape from.
Naoki is trying to control the position but Harper postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naoki keeping moving, preventing Harper from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Harper fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Harper keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Naoki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Harper wants to clinch

and Naoki counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Naoki.
Harper is trying to keep Naoki in close.
Harper is looking to sweep but instead, Naoki has passed into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naoki uses his free foot to push down on Harper's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Harper.
Harper is just holding on here. Naoki manages to take his back.
Naoki keeps control of the position as Harper tries to break free.
I would not like to be Harper right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Naoki working for a choke but Harper is defending well.

Naoki looking for the choke from the back.
Naoki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naoki is not going to allow Harper to sit and survive in this position.
Harper wants to escape the position.

Naoki is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Harper won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips Naoki off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Takumi Naoki!