PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Nogueira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xhun Kawozinazaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nogueira's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Artigo 157. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nogueira
vs
Kawozinazaki

189 cm
23
265 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

190 cm
23
230 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Antonio Nogueira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Xhun Kawozinazaki!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kawozinazaki gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Nogueira counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Nogueira shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Kawozinazaki's guard.
Kawozinazaki is trying to control the position but Nogueira postures up.
Nogueira wants to pass the guard but Kawozinazaki is keeping the position.
Nogueira is working hard here to advance position.

Kawozinazaki looking for a guillotine here but Nogueira defends easily.
Nogueira passes Kawozinazaki's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nogueira has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Nogueira prevents Kawozinazaki from getting the reversal.
Nogueira wants to take his opponent's back but Kawozinazaki doesn't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nogueira takes Kawozinazaki's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Kawozinazaki is in trouble.

Kawozinazaki defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira avoiding Kawozinazaki 's attempts to control his hands.
Kawozinazaki breaks Nogueira's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Nogueira looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Kawozinazaki thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Kawozinazaki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Nogueira looking for a sweep. Not yet Nogueira, not yet.
Kawozinazaki tries to free his leg and advance position but Nogueira is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira working for a triangle but Kawozinazaki defends it easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nogueira is on top in guard.
Kawozinazaki looks gassed!
Kawozinazaki wants to sweep here but Nogueira controlling him for the moment.
Kawozinazaki trying to keep a closed guard but Nogueira is proving a slippery customer.
Nogueira is pushing down on Kawozinazaki's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kawozinazaki is fighting to maintain full guard but Nogueira has managed to sneak the leg through.
Nogueira is looking to advance position but Kawozinazaki won't allow it.

Nogueira is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Kawozinazaki sees it coming and defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Nogueira moves to the back.

Nogueira is looking for a rear naked choke here but Kawozinazaki reverses the position brilliantly into Nogueira's guard!
Nogueira lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kawozinazaki!
Nogueira fails to take his opponent's back.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira wants to finish this one by submission but Kawozinazaki is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Nogueira.
Nogueira moves to the back position.

Nogueira working for a choke but Kawozinazaki is defending well.

Nogueira is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Kawozinazaki has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira is trying to stick to Kawozinazaki's back but Kawozinazaki is turning into Nogueira. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Nogueira's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Kawozinazaki.
Nogueira is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Nogueira manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Kawozinazaki is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Nogueira has taken his back.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Kawozinazaki escapes and is now in half guard on top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nogueira tries to roll over but Kawozinazaki keeps him under control.

Kawozinazaki is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Nogueira has managed to free his arm - good work.
Nogueira works his way to full guard. Good work.
Kawozinazaki stopping the sweep attempt from Nogueira.

Kawozinazaki is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's eight 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.

Kawozinazaki drops back looking for a leg! Nogueira is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nogueira manages to kick Kawozinazaki off! Kawozinazaki jumps back into Nogueira's guard.
Nogueira bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kawozinazaki's guard.
Kawozinazaki keeping full guard, as Nogueira tries to pass.
Kawozinazaki can't keep his opponent in guard - Nogueira advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Nogueira tries to pass to full mount but Kawozinazaki defends it.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Kawozinazaki!
Nogueira mounts Kawozinazaki! Really nice guard pass there!
Nogueira is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Kawozinazaki is in real trouble.

Nogueira looking for the choke but no joy.

Nogueira looking for the RNC.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Nogueira dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Nogueira misses with a takedown

and Kawozinazaki counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Nogueira!
Nogueira is trying desperately to improve position.

Kawozinazaki looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Kawozinazaki working for a submission but Nogueira is keeping him at bay.

Kawozinazaki looking to secure an arm triangle but Nogueira defends it well.

Kawozinazaki is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Nogueira has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Kawozinazaki is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nogueira regains half guard.
Nogueira moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Nogueira lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kawozinazaki!

Nogueira is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Kawozinazaki can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Kawozinazaki has given up his back. Will we see Nogueira going for some submissions?

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira looking for the RNC.
Kawozinazaki looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Nogueira working for a choke but Kawozinazaki is defending well.
Antonio Nogueira overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Nogueira working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kawozinazaki is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Nogueira gets his way!

Nogueira tightening his grip on Kawozinazaki, looking for the choke.
Nogueira keeps control of the position as Kawozinazaki tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kawozinazaki just trying to survive but Nogueira is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

Nogueira has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Kawozinazaki has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Kawozinazaki looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Kawozinazaki defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Nogueira's arms.

Nogueira looking for the RNC.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Kawozinazaki knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Kawozinazaki for a finish.
Kawozinazaki breaks Nogueira's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Nogueira is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Nogueira manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kawozinazaki manages to get himself to full guard.
Kawozinazaki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Kawozinazaki might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Nogueira kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Nogueira is pushing down on Kawozinazaki's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kawozinazaki is fighting to maintain full guard but Nogueira has managed to sneak the leg through.
Nogueira is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Nogueira working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Kawozinazaki looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Nogueira! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 6:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Antonio Nogueira!