PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between George Nagatomo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ross Pearson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nagatomo comes into the arena with RAWR blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nagatomo
vs
Pearson

174 cm
25
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

173 cm
25
164 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, George Nagatomo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Ross Pearson!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, James Ackerman and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nagatomo goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

It looks like Ross Pearson has been cut.
Nagatomo wants to clinch

and Pearson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Nagatomo's guard.
Pearson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nagatomo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pearson looking to sit in guard and control but Nagatomo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Nagatomo wants to stand but Pearson is controlling his posture from full guard.

Pearson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nagatomo trying to stand up but can't free himself from Pearson's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagatomo trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Pearson trying to control the position.
Nagatomo wants to stand but Pearson is controlling his posture from full guard.

Nagatomo stands up and waves to Pearson to follow him.
Pearson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Nagatomo avoids it really well and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Pearson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nagatomo throws a head kick but Pearson moves out of range.
Nagatomo tries a head kick but it misses.

Pearson shoots in and bounces Nagatomo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Pearson trying to control but Nagatomo is working from the bottom.
Pearson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Pearson trying to control but Nagatomo is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearson slips nicely into half guard.
Pearson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nagatomo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pearson.
Nagatomo is not content to let Pearson control the position.
Nagatomo looks like he's trying to stand up.
Pearson trying to control the action but Nagatomo is working from the bottom.

That's four 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.
Nagatomo wants to get back to his feet.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pearson tries to pass to full mount but Nagatomo defends it.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Pearson is looking to advance position but Nagatomo won't allow it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nagatomo tries to clinch up
and Pearson counters with a low kick, right behind Nagatomo 's knee.
Pearson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Pearson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ross Pearson's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Pearson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
George Nagatomo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nagatomo thuds his right hand into Pearson's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Nagatomo tries a head kick but it misses.
Nagatomo looks to clinch

and Pearson counters with a shoot takedown. Nagatomo fights it but they end up in guard.
Pearson looking to pass the guard.
Nagatomo keeping moving, preventing Pearson from controlling successfully.
Nagatomo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Pearson trying to control but Nagatomo is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Pearson looking to sit in guard and control but Nagatomo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Nagatomo is looking to stand up but Pearson won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Pearson 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nagatomo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Pearson is proving hard to escape from.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nagatomo misses with a leg kick.
Pearson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nagatomo is fending him off so far but Pearson persists. Nope, Nagatomo circles away and we're back to standing.
Nagatomo scores with a kick to the body.
A head kick misses from Nagatomo.
Nagatomo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nagatomo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Nagatomo.
Nagatomo pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearson throws a hook but Nagatomo blocks it.
Pearson dives in and grabs Nagatomo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Nagatomo pushes down on Pearson's head and hops out.
George Nagatomo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ross Pearson.
Nagatomo tries a head kick but it misses.
Pearson throws a series of strikes that have Nagatomo backpedaling.
Nagatomo throws a head kick that misses

so Pearson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pearson tries to free his leg and advance position but Nagatomo is retaining full guard.

Nagatomo manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Pearson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Nagatomo as he avoids it easily.
Pearson misses with a jab, cross combination.
George Nagatomo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pearson throws a looping overhand right but Nagatomo ducks down to avoid it.
Nagatomo walks into a stiff left hand from Pearson.
Nagatomo throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Pearson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ross Pearson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ross Pearson's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A head kick by Nagatomo misses

and Pearson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pearson.
Pearson looking to pass the guard.
Nagatomo wants to stand up but Pearson is controlling him.

Nagatomo manages to escape and get back to his feet.
George Nagatomo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nagatomo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Nagatomo tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Pearson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Nagatomo thows a body kick. Pearson tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice body punch from Pearson.
Nagatomo throws a head kick that misses

and Pearson counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagatomo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pearson.
Pearson controlling from the top position.
Pearson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Pearson stands and throws Nagatomo's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Pearson trying to control the action but Nagatomo is working from the bottom.

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.
Ross Pearson has got the better of the ground game so far.

Pearson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Nagatomo, who protects the arm well.

Pearson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Pearson misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Pearson is looking to take a break and control but Nagatomo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nagatomo seems a little lost for a moment, as Pearson dominates the positioning.
Nagatomo takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Pearson controls the position.
Nagatomo is pushing Pearson's head away, looking to escape. Pearson manages to hold on to the position though.
Pearson misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Nagatomo stops Pearson from passing to mount.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Nagatomo tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearson with good strikes from the mount here!
Pearson raining down hammerfists from mount.
Pearson landing shots from mount.
Pearson wants to control the pace but Nagatomo is squirming around nicely.
Pearson scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Pearson content just to control the position here.
Pearson lands a big elbow.
George Nagatomo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ross Pearson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nagatomo throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ross Pearson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pearson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ross Pearson!