PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kazushi Rakusaba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shunsuke Nakamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rakusaba comes into the arena with David Bowie - Suffragette City blaring out of the sound system. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Rakusaba
vs
Nakamura

183 cm
29
181 lbs
13 - 8 - 0

182 cm
24
174 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazushi Rakusaba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shunsuke Nakamura!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Taro Takaoka and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakamura misses the shot to the body.
Rakusaba drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Rakusaba fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nakamura throws a looping overhand right but Rakusaba ducks down to avoid it.
Nakamura waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rakusaba.
Nakamura misses with a wild body shot.

Nakamura shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Nakamura was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Nakamura is trying to take his opponent's back.
Rakusaba is trying to escape the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakusaba is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Rakusaba can't escape the position.
Nakamura punching from mount but Rakusaba doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Rakusaba is trying to escape the mount.
Nakamura tries to control but Rakusaba wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Rakusaba is looking to improve his position but Nakamura isn't that keen on the idea.
Rakusaba tries to hold on but Nakamura pushes him away.
Nakamura trying to control but Rakusaba is having none of it.
Nakamura can't control as he wanted to and Rakusaba manages to get the fight back to his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura controlling the pace.

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.
Rakusaba on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Nakamura misses with a hook.
Rakusaba fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rakusaba.

Rakusaba shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Nakamura is trying to defend but Rakusaba finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rakusaba has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Nakamura is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rakusaba throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Nakamura because Rakusaba loaded up on that one.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Nakamura really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rakusaba landing strikes from the mount and Nakamura is in trouble!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nakamura tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shunsuke Nakamura dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rakusaba wants to clinch up but Nakamura keeps it at a distance.
Nakamura throws a looping overhand right but Rakusaba ducks down to avoid it.
Nakamura ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rakusaba moves away.
Rakusaba punishes Nakamura's body with a nice straight punch.
Kazushi Rakusaba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rakusaba throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rakusaba blocks a leg kick.
Kazushi Rakusaba is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rakusaba misses with a takedown
and Nakamura cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

It looks like Kazushi Rakusaba has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakusaba closes the distance and clinches up with Nakamura, looking for a takedown. Rakusaba pushes Nakamura against the ropes but Nakamura circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rakusaba fails with the takedown
and Nakamura counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kazushi Rakusaba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rakusaba.
Rakusaba will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nakamura jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura looks to score with a jab to the body but Rakusaba is just out of range.
Rakusaba swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rakusaba shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rakusaba tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nakamura swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rakusaba with a lazy takedown attempt
and Nakamura counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rakusaba shoots in but Nakamura avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Rakusaba takes the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for Nakamura to work.
Rakusaba goes for a takedown attempt but Nakamura pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rakusaba with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Nakamura to score with a decent uppercut.
Rakusaba takes a jab right on the kisser.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rakusaba avoids the body shot from Nakamura.
Rakusaba displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Nakamura throws out the jab.
Rakusaba tries to clinch there but Nakamura circles away.

Rakusaba changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Nakamura looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Nakamura wants to control but Rakusaba postures up.
Kazushi Rakusaba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nakamura tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rakusaba controls the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nakamura prevents Rakusaba from improving position.
Rakusaba trying to control the action but Nakamura is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Shunsuke Nakamura will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Kazushi Rakusaba's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Nakamura forces Rakusaba back against the ropes and clinches.
Nakamura misses with some punches.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Nakamura creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Nakamura stops a takedown attempt from Rakusaba.
Rakusaba blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rakusaba jumps guard but Nakamura stands there with Rakusaba around his waist. Rakusaba gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Nakamura - that landed with a thud.
Rakusaba wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kazushi Rakusaba. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura stalling in the clinch but Rakusaba improves position.
Nakamura tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nakamura has a couple of punches blocked by Rakusaba.
Rakusaba blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A right hook to the body lands for Nakamura.
Rakusaba is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Nakamura is defending well.
Nakamura lands with a light punch inside.
Nakamura lands a nice uppercut.
Rakusaba drops down looking for an ankle pick but Nakamura pulls his leg out and moves away.
Nakamura throws a solid leg kick but Rakusaba takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Nakamura.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura connects with the punch.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Nakamura throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rakusaba shoots in looking for a takedown. Nakamura tries to sprawl out of it but Rakusaba keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Nakamura manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nakamura tests Rakusaba's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rakusaba avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rakusaba shoots for a double leg takedown but Nakamura sprawls well. He's pushed Rakusaba's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rakusaba thows a body shot but no joy.
Nakamura misses with a double jab.
Nakamura tried to score with a low kick but Rakusaba checks it.
Shunsuke Nakamura is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four 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.
Rakusaba swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kazushi Rakusaba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rakusaba is trying hard to land a takedown here. Nakamura sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Nakamura throws a body punch but Rakusaba moves out of range.
Nakamura lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rakusaba circles away quickly and effectively.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rakusaba is defended easily by Nakamura.
Nakamura throws a combination that misses

and Rakusaba counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rakusaba throwing shots but Nakamura is blocking nicely.
Nakamura trying to hold on to Rakusaba's head to control him but Rakusaba postures up.
Rakusaba is keen to just control but Nakamura is a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shunsuke Nakamura comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Nakamura 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shunsuke Nakamura!