PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Obasi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Enzo Nakata (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.

Obasi
vs
Nakata

183 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Obasi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Enzo Nakata!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Paulo Santos and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Obasi darts in and clinches Nakata up against the cage.

Obasi breaks the clinch.
Nakata throws the left hand but Obasi avoids the punch easily.
Nakata blocks a head kick by Obasi.
A head kick misses from Obasi.

Obasi moves into the clinch successfully.

Obasi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Obasi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nakata misses with a takedown

and Obasi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Obasi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Obasi moves out of range as Nakata strikes.
Nakata fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Obasi misses with a series of wild punches.

Obasi gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obasi connects with a knee to the head.
Nakata tries to break free but Obasi pushes him back against the cage.

Obasi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Obasi has closed the distance and engaged Nakata in a clinch.
Obasi utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Obasi stalling.
Obasi lands an elbow that stopped Nakata in his tracks for a moment.
Obasi stops a takedown attempt from Nakata.
John Obasi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Enzo Nakata.

Obasi breaks from the clinch.

Obasi moves into the clinch.

Obasi breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Obasi.

Obasi rushes Nakata and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Obasi rushes Nakata and presses him up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nakata tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Obasi smiles and moves away.

Obasi closes the distance and clinches.
Obasi taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Obasi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nakata tries to land a body kick
and Obasi counters with a nice low kick that buckles Nakata's knee momentarily.
John Obasi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nakata showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Obasi.
Obasi slaps away a takedown attempt from Nakata, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Nakata looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Obasi clinches up against the cage.
Obasi will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Nakata up against the cage.

Nakata's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nakata shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Obasi but Obasi pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nakata scores with a three punch combo!

Obasi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nakata is looking to break free of the clinch but Obasi has double underhooks.
Obasi dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
John Obasi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Obasi lets loose with a powerful body kick. Nakata will feel that in the morning.

Obasi has taken the fight to the clinch.

Obasi breaks the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nakata is looking to clinch.
Obasi moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Obasi rushes Nakata and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Obasi taking a breather.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Obasi 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.

Obasi dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Nakata. That did some damage!
Nice takedown defense from Obasi. No joy for Nakata on that attempt.
Nakata jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

Obasi forces Nakata back against the cage and clinches.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nakata tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nakata shoots in for a takedown but Obasi shows good takedown defense.

Obasi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nakata, pushing him back against the cage.
Obasi displaying some good clinch control by pressing Nakata up against the cage.
Obasi putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Nakata in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Obasi forces Nakata back against the cage and clinches.
Nakata is breathing heavily.
Obasi lands a knee to the body.

Obasi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
John Obasi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Obasi darts in and clinches Nakata up against the cage.

Obasi manages to break the clinch.
Nakata throws a right and a left that both miss.

Obasi moves into range and clinches up with Nakata.
Obasi stalling in the clinch.
Nakata is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
John Obasi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Enzo Nakata.
Obasi working Nakata over with knees to the body.

Obasi breaks the clinch.

Obasi rushes Nakata and presses him up against the cage.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obasi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

It looks like Enzo Nakata has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Obasi clinches.
A bit of stalling here from Obasi.

Obasi breaks from the clinch.

Obasi moves into the clinch.
Obasi using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Obasi landing knees to the head.
Nakata letting Obasi take a breather here.
Obasi lands a knee to the head.
Nakata takes a knee to the side of the body.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Obasi unloads a knee to the mid-section. Nakata lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Obasi lands a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Obasi is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Obasi lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A knee to the head by Obasi.
Obasi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nakata can do to turn this around?
Nakata drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A knee to the head by Obasi.
John Obasi has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Obasi clinches.
Nakata misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Obasi.
Obasi with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Obasi lands a knee to the body.

Obasi breaks from the clinch.

Obasi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Obasi content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Obasi landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Nakata fails to pull guard.
A knee to the head by Obasi.
Nakata tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Obasi smiles and moves away.
Obasi looks to land a combination but Nakata avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Obasi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Enzo Nakata's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Obasi rushes Nakata and presses him up against the cage.

Obasi breaks from the clinch.

Obasi moves into the clinch.
Obasi lands a damaging elbow.
Nakata tries to circle away but Obasi has him pinned against the cage.

Obasi manages to break the clinch.
Nakata with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Obasi to score with a decent uppercut.
Obasi avoids the head kick by Nakata.
Obasi cracks a nice hook into Nakata's ribs.
Nakata looks for a takedown but Obasi sprawls well.

Obasi has managed to clinch.
Nakata takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Obasi landing knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obasi using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Obasi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Obasi lands a leg kick that knocks Nakata off balance momentarily.

Obasi gets a clinch.

Obasi breaks from the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Obasi is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Obasi lands an elbow inside that Nakata shrugs off.
Come on Obasi - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Obasi gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Obasi's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Obasi breaks the clinch.
Obasi throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Nakata's head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Obasi scores with a head kick. Nakata tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Obasi pushes Nakata away with a front kick.

Obasi has managed to clinch.
Obasi taking a breather.
Obasi using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakata is trying to drag Obasi to the mat but Obasi just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Obasi is stalling here.

Obasi breaks the clinch.

Obasi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Obasi with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Obasi lands a nice knee to the body.
Nakata tries to break the clinch but Obasi is controlling the position.
Nakata letting Obasi take a breather here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nakata pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Obasi closes the distance and clinches.
Obasi leaning against his opponent.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Obasi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Come on Obasi - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Nakata wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Nakata gets control of Obasi's arms and successfully pulls guard. Nakata will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Enzo Nakata has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Obasi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Obasi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Obasi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Obasi!