PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hirohidi Takanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raoni Nicolai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takanaka comes to the cage accompanied by Bleach - . I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Raoni Nicolai was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Takanaka
vs
Nicolai

163 cm
23
139 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

165 cm
18
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Arashi Fighting Nutrition
Blueprint Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hirohidi Takanaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raoni Nicolai!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Felipe Paraventi and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takanaka lands a nice looking body shot.
Takanaka lands a nice looking body shot.
Takanaka keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Takanaka feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Takanaka preventing the sweep.

Takanaka drops back, looking for a kneebar! Nicolai looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Nicolai looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Nicolai!
Takanaka sneaks back into half guard.
Takanaka wants to control but Nicolai is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Takanaka wants to get back to full guard.
Nicolai blocks the strikes from Takanaka.
Nicolai looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Takanaka is looking for a sweep. Nicolai is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicolai misses with a head shot. Takanaka uses the momentum to regain guard.
Nicolai must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Nicolai tries to free his leg and advance position but Takanaka is retaining full guard.

Nicolai is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nicolai tries for a takedown but Takanaka circles away easily

and Takanaka counters by moving into the clinch.
Nicolai looks gassed!

Takanaka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nicolai avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Takanaka with a nice cross.
Takanaka fails with the takedown

and Nicolai counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Takanaka is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Nicolai can't fight it off and eventually Takanaka manages to take the fight to the floor. Nicolai looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Takanaka controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nicolai looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Takanaka trying to control but Nicolai is working from the bottom.
Nicolai throwing short punches from the bottom.
Takanaka sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Nicolai keeping full guard, as Takanaka tries to pass.
Nicolai is trying to keep Takanaka in close.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nicolai is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanaka trying to keep a closed guard but Nicolai is proving a slippery customer.
Takanaka pulls Nicolai in to control the position.

Takanaka throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Takanaka controls Nicolai momentarily but Nicolai frees himself.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Takanaka is on top in guard.
Nicolai wants to hit a switch here but Takanaka passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Nicolai there!

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.
Takanaka lands a big shot there that rocks Nicolai but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Takanaka lands a heavy elbow.

Takanaka looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Takanaka controlling from mount.

Nicolai defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Takanaka.
Takanaka with the ground and pound from mount.
Nicolai sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Takanaka wants to take a breather but Nicolai is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hirohidi Takanaka dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Takanaka tries to clinch up

so Nicolai counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Nicolai trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nicolai trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nicolai throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Takanaka works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Takanaka is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nicolai looking for submissions off his back.
Nicolai is looking to improve his position.
Nicolai is breathing heavily.

Takanaka looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Takanaka is trying to control the action in half guard but Nicolai is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Takanaka is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Nicolai slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Takanaka stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nicolai swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Takanaka controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Takanaka working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Takanaka trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nicolai looking to control.

Nicolai working for a triangle but Takanaka defends it easily.

Nicolai has his foot on Takanaka's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Takanaka works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Takanaka advances to half guard.
Takanaka looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Takanaka works his way into full mount!
Takanaka fails to move to back control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Takanaka has hold of Nicolai's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Nicolai manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Takanaka takes Nicolai's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Nicolai is in trouble.
A lull in the action here.
Takanaka cracks Nicolai with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Nicolai from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.

Takanaka tightening his grip on Nicolai, looking for the choke.
Takanaka trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Nicolai doesn't escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takanaka scores with punches from the back.
Nicolai prevents Takanaka from getting a body triangle.
Nicolai rolls, trying to escape but Takanaka keeps control of the position.
Nicolai looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
I would not like to be Nicolai right now.
Nicolai manages to reverse the position and now he's in Takanaka's guard. Nice work there by Nicolai.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Hirohidi Takanaka will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Nicolai tries to clinch up but Takanaka circles away and keeps his distance.

Takanaka shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Takanaka with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Nicolai keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Takanaka is stalling here but it's allowed Nicolai to get half guard.
Nicolai pushes Takanaka off looking to stand but Takanaka dives back in and keeps control.
Nicolai takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Takanaka trying to control the action but Nicolai is working from the bottom.
Nicolai is looking for a sweep. Takanaka is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Nicolai avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Takanaka.

Nicolai is looking to regain full guard. He's left an arm up in the air though and Takanaka has latched onto it... Big trouble! Takanaka pivots for an armbar - it's in tight and it Nicolai is tapping in no time flat! Great counter grappling there from Takanaka!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Hirohidi Takanaka!