PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between David Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shunsuke Nakamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shunsuke Nakamura has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Johnson
vs
Nakamura

178 cm
27
175 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

182 cm
21
174 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, David Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shunsuke Nakamura!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakamura misses with a few strikes there.
Nakamura misses with a hook. Johnson ducked under it nicely.
A shot to the body from Nakamura misses
and Johnson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nakamura throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Johnson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nakamura rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nakamura scores with a nice head shot.
Nakamura misses with the combination.
Johnson takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura just misses with a punch to the body.
Nakamura throws a combination that misses
and Johnson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Johnson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nakamura throws a poor cross that misses

and Johnson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Nakamura's guard.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.

Johnson drops back looking for a leg! Nakamura is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nakamura manages to kick Johnson off! Johnson jumps back into Nakamura's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura trying to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Johnson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Shunsuke Nakamura hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Nakamura waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Johnson.
Nakamura misses with a straight left.
Nice takedown defense from Nakamura. No joy for Johnson on that attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nakamura looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Johnson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

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.
Johnson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nakamura misses with a left hand

and Johnson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nakamura swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Johnson drops back looking for a leg! Nakamura is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nakamura manages to kick Johnson off! Johnson jumps back into Nakamura's guard.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nakamura is keeping the position for now.
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 five minutes gone in the round.

Johnson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Nakamura dives on top into guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Johnson is looking for a triangle but Nakamura pushes his legs off easily.
Nakamura slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Nakamura tries to stand but Johnson is controlling from the bottom.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.

Johnson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura looking to sit in guard and control but Johnson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Nakamura trying to keep a closed guard but Johnson is proving a slippery customer.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Nakamura is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nakamura keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Shunsuke Nakamura hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Johnson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nakamura sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Johnson somewhat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Johnson dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Nakamura throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Johnson counters with a shoot takedown. Nakamura fights it but they end up in guard.
Nakamura is adopting a defensive guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Johnson with a flurry of punches that miss.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Shunsuke Nakamura.
Nakamura fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nakamura has managed to clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Nakamura.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Nakamura holds him up against the ropes and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.

Nakamura breaks from the clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Nakamura misses the target.
Nakamura misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnson.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Johnson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nakamura is fending him off so far but Johnson persists. Nope, Nakamura circles away and we're back to standing.
David Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown but Nakamura manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Johnson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nakamura scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Johnson doesn't seem bothered though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Nakamura throws an off balance right hand

and Johnson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nakamura is on top in guard.

Johnson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nakamura can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Johnson is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

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.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Shunsuke Nakamura has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Johnson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Johnson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Nakamura tries to bench press Johnson off him but Johnson keeps the position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nakamura keeps working.

Johnson is trying to get an arm triangle but Nakamura is defending well.

Johnson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Johnson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Johnson is trying to get an arm triangle but Nakamura is defending well.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Nakamura pushes Johnson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Johnson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Johnson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Johnson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nakamura can do anything to dispel that myth.
Nakamura is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Johnson swings around for an armbar but Nakamura sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Johnson's guard.
Nakamura stays in close to Johnson's body and controls the position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Shunsuke Nakamura wasn't active enough on the ground.
Nakamura defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johnson.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Johnson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight for David Johnson!
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight for David Johnson!
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for David Johnson!

David Johnson wins by unanimous decision!