PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kosoto Gari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Youshi Nakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gari
vs
Nakuraba

200 cm
22
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

210 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Improved boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kosoto Gari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Youshi Nakuraba!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, James Ackerman and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakuraba avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gari finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A nice combination there by Gari.
Gari throws a one two combo.
Nakuraba showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gari.
Nakuraba cracks a nice hook into Gari's ribs.
Nakuraba tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gari swivels and escapes.
Nakuraba tries to clinch there but Gari circles away.

Nakuraba gets caught flat footed, as Gari shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gari with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Gari trying to control but Nakuraba is working from the bottom.
Nakuraba wants to sweep here but Gari controlling him for the moment.
Nakuraba has momentary wrist control but Gari slips an elbow through the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gari controls from within his opponent's guard.
Gari stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nakuraba swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nakuraba manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gari manages to get himself to full guard.
Nakuraba distracts Gari with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Gari controlling the position.
Nakuraba lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Nakuraba throwing strikes but missing.
Gari could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Nakuraba thows a big elbow that misses.
Nakuraba has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nakuraba preventing the sweep.
Nakuraba scoring with punches to the head and body.
Gari lands a decent punch to the body there.
Gari trying to keep a closed guard but Nakuraba is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nakuraba accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gari trying to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nakuraba tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gari paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gari circles away from the clinch attempt.
A left and a right from Gari both land. Nice combination.
Gari throws a series of strikes that have Nakuraba backpedaling.
Gari lands a nice looking body shot.
Gari throws a predictable looking body shot

and Nakuraba moves into the clinch.
Nakuraba is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gari gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Gari is working for takedown but Nakuraba is calmly controlling the position for now.

Gari wants the takedown. Nakuraba is fighting it off but Gari persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Nakuraba's guard against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Nakuraba throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Nakuraba looks gassed!
Nakuraba 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.
Gari showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakuraba will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Gari content to stall in guard here.
Gari wants to control from the top but Nakuraba keeps moving.
Gari landing some decent shots from guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Gari scores with a shot to the body.
Gari darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Gari rushes Nakuraba and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Gari jumps guard but Nakuraba stands there with Gari around his waist. Gari gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Gari jumps into guard, dragging Nakuraba to the mat.
Gari working a defensive guard here.
Nakuraba distracts Gari with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Nakuraba drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Nakuraba jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gari not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gari wants to sweep here but Nakuraba controlling him for the moment.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gari holds on and takes a little breather.

Gari uses the cage to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gari throws a left and a right that both miss
and Nakuraba counters with a stiff right hand.
Nakuraba moves in looking to clinch but Gari pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kosoto Gari dominated that round.
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.

Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gari!
Nakuraba misses with a takedown attempt - Gari sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Gari connects with a jab.
Gari lands with a nice body punch.
Nakuraba is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Gari.
Gari misses with a double jab
and Nakuraba connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gari takes a swing at Nakuraba's ribcage but misses.
Gari misses with a series of wild punches.
Nakuraba takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Gari is looking to wear down Nakuraba with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Gari scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Nakuraba is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gari throws a series of punches but Nakuraba avoids them all with ease.
Gari throws a sloppy head kick and Nakuraba moves out of range easily.
Gari scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Gari throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Gari throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gari lands a jab-cross combination.
Gari throws a right hand that Nakuraba ducks under and follows up with a left that Nakuraba also avoids with ease.
Gari misses with a straight right.
Gari fails to land with a series of punches.

Gari rushes Nakuraba and presses him up against the cage.
Nakuraba wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nakuraba misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gari.

Gari manages to pull guard.
Gari wants to sweep but no luck.
Nakuraba throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gari wriggles free and stands up.
Gari throws a nice looking combination but Nakuraba bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gari scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Nakuraba takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Gari shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gari has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gari trying to control the position from guard on top but Nakuraba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nakuraba looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gari is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Gari postures up and lands a big shot to Nakuraba's brow.
Gari is looking to stand up but Nakuraba won't let him.
Nakuraba will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gari wants to control from the top but Nakuraba keeps moving.
Nakuraba punching from the bottom - just letting Gari know he's still in a fight.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gari jabs at Nakuraba's body.
Gari throws a predictable looking body shot

and Nakuraba counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Gari!
Gari flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Gari on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Gari tries to get out of the position.
Gari wants to control but Nakuraba is having none of it.
Nakuraba working the ground and pound effectively.
Gari tries to reverse the position but Nakuraba maintains control.
Nakuraba postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Gari looks a forlorn figure.
Gari slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Nakuraba trying to pass the guard but Gari defending well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakuraba throwing shots but Gari is blocking nicely.
Nakuraba working the head and body with strikes.

Gari is rocked!
Nakuraba lands a massive shot from half guard that has rocked Gari! More strikes land and this one is all over! Nakuraba jumps to his feet and is applauded loudly by the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Youshi Nakuraba!