PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ed Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abe Nakamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nelson comes to the cage accompanied by Stephen Lynch - Special Ed. Nakamura comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Enter the Ninja - Die Antwoord kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Nelson
vs
Nakamura

175 cm
26
152 lbs
9 - 1 - 0

170 cm
24
153 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ed Nelson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Abe Nakamura!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Edson Gomes and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakamura tries for a takedown but Nelson circles away easily
and Nelson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nakamura has a takedown stuffed.
Nakamura bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nelson loads up on a big right hand but Nakamura slips the punch.
Nelson throws out a loose jab but Nakamura uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nelson connects with a crisp jab.
Nakamura avoids the body shot from Nelson.

Nelson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Nelson is keen to just control but Nakamura is a slippery customer.
Nakamura is trying is best to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson trying to mount his opponent but Nakamura defends it.
Nelson moves nicely into side control.
Nakamura seems a little lost for a moment, as Nelson dominates the positioning.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Nelson tries for a kimura but Nakamura is defending well.
Nakamura is looking to reverse the position.

Nelson swings around for an armbar but Nakamura sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Nelson's guard.
Nelson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura slips nicely into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Nelson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Nelson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nakamura is one step ahead there.
Nakamura forces his way into half guard.
Nelson wants to control but Nakamura is keeping busy.
Nakamura prevents Nelson from improving his position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Nelson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Nakamura is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nelson wants to get back to full guard.

Nakamura is looking for a kimura here.

Nelson is defending against the submission attempts here by Nakamura.
Nelson is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nelson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Nakamura's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Nakamura's back!
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Nelson.
Nakamura rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Nelson wants to take a breather but Nakamura is having none of it.
Nelson takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Nelson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nelson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Nelson passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Nakamura!
Nelson looking to control but Nakamura is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ed Nelson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Good work by Nelson as he checks the leg kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nakamura.
Nelson misses with a body shot.
Nakamura swings for the body but Nelson moves out of range.
A punch combination from Nelson misses.
Nakamura shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nelson pinned against the cage. Nelson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nelson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nakamura displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Nelson throws out the jab.
Nelson lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Nakamura shoots in for a takedown but Nelson shows good takedown defense.
Ed Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Abe Nakamura.
Nakamura is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A punch combination from Nakamura misses.
Nelson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson thows a body shot but no joy.
Nakamura avoids the body shot from Nelson.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nelson. Nakamura does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nelson lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Nakamura at a distance.
Nakamura gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Nelson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Nakamura has a takedown stuffed.
Nakamura with a lazy takedown attempt

and Nelson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nakamura won't be happy with that.
Nelson throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Ed Nelson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nelson has knee on belly momentarily but Nakamura bucks him off and regains half guard.
Nelson passes the guard and advances to mount!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nelson with the ground and pound from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nelson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Nakamura looks a forlorn figure.
Nelson landing strikes from the mount and Nakamura is in trouble!
Nakamura really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Nakamura is in a horrible position here. Nelson smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Nelson looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura tries to hold on but Nelson postures up.
A nice elbow there by Nelson.
Nakamura tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nelson landing strikes from the mount.
Nakamura is working to get back to half guard.
Nelson dominating with strikes here.
Nelson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nelson with a couple of short strikes.
Nelson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nakamura takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Nakamura manages to regain half guard. Good work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nelson working Nakamura over with strikes.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ed Nelson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Nelson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nelson misses with a wild body shot.
Nakamura shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Nelson counters with a nice uppercut.
Nakamura shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Nelson as he jumps to the side.
Nelson connects with a body shot.
Nakamura wants to clinch up but Nelson keeps it at a distance.
Nelson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nelson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nelson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nakamura was well out of range. Poor timing from Nelson.
Nakamura misses with a takedown
and Nelson counters with a nice body shot.
Ed Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Abe Nakamura.
Horrible takedown by Nakamura or perhaps it was just good defense by Nelson which made him look bad.
Nice takedown defense from Nelson. No joy for Nakamura on that attempt.
Nakamura takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A big right from Nelson misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nakamura shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Nelson tries to hold on but Nakamura pushes him away.
Nelson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Nelson tries to lock up and control but Nakamura gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Nakamura looking for a guillotine from mount but Nelson is having none of it.
Nelson tries to reverse the position but Nakamura maintains control.
Nelson is working hard here to advance position.
Nakamura tries to control but Nelson wriggling away.
Nakamura prevents Nelson from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nelson tries to hold on but Nakamura pushes him away.
Nelson sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nakamura is trying to control. Nelson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Nelson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Nakamura pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nelson is keeping the position for now.
Nakamura is looking to advance position but Nelson has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Nelson working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nelson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Nakamura tries to lock up and control but Nelson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Nelson trying to control but Nakamura is having none of it.
Nelson controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nelson wants to control the pace but Nakamura is squirming around nicely.
Nakamura tries to hold on but Nelson pushes him away.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Nelson landing strikes from the mount and Nakamura is in trouble!
Nakamura is squirming around, avoiding Nelson's attempts to control the action.
Ed Nelson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nelson controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ed Nelson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nelson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ed Nelson!
Ed Nelson retains his featherweight title!
Ed Nelson thanked the fans post fight for their support.