PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Andi Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tadanari Nozawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Andi Lee has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lee
vs
Nozawa

167 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

172 cm
24
153 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Powerful

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Andi Lee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tadanari Nozawa!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nozawa instigates a clinch.
Nozawa is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Lee is defending well.
Lee wants to break free but Nozawa has control.
Lee gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Nozawa.

Lee breaks from the clinch.
Lee throws a leg kick but Nozawa checks it.

Nozawa rushes Lee and presses him up against the cage.
Lee is pressed up against the cage. Nozawa has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lee down to the mat. Lee avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Andi Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tadanari Nozawa.
Nozawa shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lee pinned against the cage. Lee gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nozawa is looking to clinch but Lee is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee swats away the attempt to clinch by Nozawa.
Lee scores with a hook.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nozawa looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Nozawa instigates a clinch.
Nozawa goes for a takedown attempt but Lee pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nozawa lands a lovely overhand right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee keeps the fight on the outside.
Lee misses with a hook

and Nozawa counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Nozawa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nozawa keeps trying to improve his position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nozawa sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Nozawa wants to control from the top but Lee keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tadanari Nozawa has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Lee throws out a powerful jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nozawa looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nozawa looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A slow jab from Lee misses its intended target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good exchange - Lee coming out on top.

Nozawa moves into the clinch.

Nozawa gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Nozawa is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Nozawa throwing strikes but missing.
Lee working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nozawa.
Nozawa seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nozawa's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tadanari Nozawa dominated that round.
That's time! Lee's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nozawa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lee swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Nozawa closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Lee did well to prevent Nozawa getting side control.
Nozawa is keen to just control but Lee is a slippery customer.
Nozawa is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Lee trying to hold on to Nozawa's head to control him but Nozawa postures up.

Nozawa is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Lee doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nozawa.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lee is refusing to be controlled, as Nozawa sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nozawa seems to be looking for submissions.
Nozawa trying to control the action but Lee is working from the bottom.
Nozawa is taking a breather. Lee says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Nozawa trying to mount his opponent but Lee defends it.
Nozawa controlling the action here.
Nozawa looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Lee with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Nozawa landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Nozawa is thwarting Lee's attempts to control the position.
Nozawa looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Lee with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee is not content to let Nozawa control the position.
Nozawa works his way into side control.
Nozawa is looking to take a break and control but Lee is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lee is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Nozawa wants to control but Lee is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nozawa fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Nozawa trying to control the position but Lee is working away.
Lee tries to improve position but can't.
Tadanari Nozawa has got the better of the ground game so far.

Nozawa is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Lee knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lee is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tadanari Nozawa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Lee gets tackled into the cage by Nozawa. Nozawa maintains the clinch.

Nozawa has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Lee regains guard immediately.
Nozawa showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Nozawa is pushing down on Lee's leg trying to pass to half guard. Lee is fighting to maintain full guard but Nozawa has managed to sneak the leg through.
Lee knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nozawa on the ground.
Nozawa is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Lee moves into full guard.
Nozawa looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nozawa controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Nozawa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lee is keeping the position for now.
Nozawa's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Nozawa drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Nozawa jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Nozawa working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Lee's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nozawa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Nozawa wants to pass the guard but Lee is keeping the position.
Nozawa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nozawa trying to control but Lee is working from the bottom.
Nozawa postures up and lands a big shot to Lee's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee keeping moving, preventing Nozawa from controlling successfully.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Tadanari Nozawa hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Lee just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice shot lands for Lee.
Nozawa blocks a jab.
Andi Lee has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tadanari Nozawa 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.
Lee swats away the attempt to clinch by Nozawa.
Nozawa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lee uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nozawa.
Nozawa fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nozawa fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice jab there from Nozawa.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tadanari Nozawa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nozawa has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tadanari Nozawa!
Tadanari Nozawa decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.