PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jose Aldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yusuke Nakamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nakamura is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Movado - Neva Believe U. 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!

Aldo
vs
Nakamura

170 cm
22
159 lbs
5 - 9 - 0

173 cm
23
158 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jose Aldo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yusuke Nakamura!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shirou Masuda and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aldo looks to score with a jab to the body but Nakamura is just out of range.
Aldo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nakamura fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Aldo checks it well.
Aldo fails to land with a series of punches.
A head kick misses from Aldo.
Nakamura connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Aldo works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Aldo closes the distance but Nakamura moves to the side

and Nakamura counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Nakamura.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nakamura advances position into side control!
Nakamura trying to control the position but Aldo is working away.
Nakamura lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Aldo down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura working the ground and pound.
Aldo parries the strikes from Nakamura easily there. Nakamura is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Aldo to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nakamura landing strikes.
Nakamura looks up at the clock and then as Aldo takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Nakamura smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Nakamura throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Aldo works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Nakamura thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nakamura content to control rather than advance.
Nakamura misses with a head shot. Aldo uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura throws a big right hand that misses.
Nakamura advances to half guard.
Nakamura slips a nice elbow through Aldo's hands, connecting with Aldo's forehead.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Aldo wants to get back to his feet.
Aldo wants to control but Nakamura is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura misses with a head shot. Aldo uses the momentum to regain guard.
Nakamura controls from within his opponent's guard.
Aldo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nakamura in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Nakamura is looking to work some ground and pound but Aldo has wrist control.
Aldo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura landing with the ground and pound.
Nakamura tries to free his leg and advance position but Aldo is retaining full guard.

Nakamura is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Aldo is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Aldo has escaped and now he's on top!
Nakamura has his hands on Aldo's head, controlling the position.
Aldo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Nakamura trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aldo wants to stand but Nakamura is controlling his posture from full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yusuke Nakamura dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Aldo throws a right and a left that Nakamura avoids nicely.

Nakamura moves into range and clinches up with Aldo.
Aldo is trying to break free.
Aldo looking for a takedown.
Aldo lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Nakamura wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Aldo wants to stall.
Nakamura blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Aldo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Nakamura has him pressed against the cage.
Aldo lands an elbow that stopped Nakamura in his tracks for a moment.
Nakamura keeps control of Aldo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura goes for a takedown attempt but Aldo pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nakamura swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice sprawl there from Aldo as Nakamura shoots in.
Aldo tries to clinch up but Nakamura circles away and keeps his distance.
A shot to the liver by Aldo. Beautiful body shot.
That kick from Aldo tenderised Nakamura's leg. Nakamura is trying to keep his angry face on.
Nakamura tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Aldo swivels and escapes.
Jose Aldo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yusuke Nakamura.
Nakamura tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Aldo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nakamura connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Aldo closes the distance but Nakamura moves to the side

and Nakamura counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Nakamura is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Aldo doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nakamura.
Nakamura has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aldo is trying to stand.
Nakamura throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Aldo is trying to control but can't.
Still in half guard, Nakamura seems content to control.

Nakamura is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Aldo is just riding it out for now. Nakamura eventually gives up the hold.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aldo is looking to get back to full guard here but Nakamura has managed to pass to side control instead.
Nakamura misses with the ground and pound.

Nakamura looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Nakamura working the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura controls the position.
Nakamura connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Aldo some visible discomfort.
Sloppy strikes there by Nakamura.
Aldo takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Aldo is trying to escape the position but Nakamura is controlling the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aldo is not content to let Nakamura control the position.
Nakamura working the head with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yusuke Nakamura showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nakamura has a takedown stuffed.
Nakamura tries for a takedown but Aldo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nice defenses there by Nakamura.
No joy there for Nakamura, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nakamura avoids a kick to the body.
A left lands for Aldo.
Aldo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Nakamura.

Nakamura manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Aldo on his heels. He'll look to pass Aldo's guard now, I'm sure.
Nakamura wants to control from the top but Aldo keeps moving.
Nakamura might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Aldo kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Aldo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Aldo controls Nakamura momentarily but Nakamura frees himself.
Nakamura trying to control but Aldo is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Yusuke Nakamura.
Nakamura connects with the punch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Nakamura.
Aldo struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Aldo some visible discomfort.
Nakamura is putting a hurting on Aldo here, landing some big shots from side control.
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.

Nakamura is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Aldo is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Aldo can't do much from the bottom here.
Check out the look on Nakamura's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aldo is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Nakamura content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Nakamura working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Aldo defending against the ground and pound.
Aldo takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Nakamura lands a nice forearm strike.
Yusuke 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.

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

Nakamura working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Aldo trying to remain calm as Nakamura controls from the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yusuke 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yusuke Nakamura!
An out of breath Yusuke Nakamura thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.