PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Tornqvist (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hero Nakamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hero Nakamura struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 171.2lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Jimmy Tornqvist has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Tornqvist
vs
Nakamura

175 cm
24
176 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

188 cm
23
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jimmy Tornqvist!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hero Nakamura!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Aafke Stam and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakamura tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tornqvist paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nakamura closes the distance but Tornqvist moves to the side
and Tornqvist counters with a one-two to the body.

Nakamura takes the fight into the clinch.
Nakamura tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Tornqvist avoids it.
Nakamura pushes off an throws an elbow but Tornqvist leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Tornqvist blocks the elbow strike.
Tornqvist is trying to push Nakamura away but Nakamura has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Tornqvist manages to break the clinch.
Nakamura uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Tornqvist.
Nakamura fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tornqvist scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
A slow jab from Tornqvist misses its intended target.

Tornqvist shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Tornqvist was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tornqvist tries to advance to mount but can't.
Nakamura tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura sneaks back into half guard.
Nakamura is trying to control but can't.
Nakamura has his hands clasped together around Tornqvist's back. He's all about the action.
Nakamura wants to control but Tornqvist is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Nakamura manages to get to full guard.
Nakamura wants to sweep here but Tornqvist controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Tornqvist wants to stand but Nakamura has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Nakamura trying to control the position here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nakamura looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nakamura doesn't manage to clinch there - Tornqvist circles away.
Tornqvist throws a hook but Nakamura blocks it.

Nakamura gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Nakamura obliges.
Nakamura lands an elbow inside that Tornqvist shrugs off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura missing with knees to the body.

Nakamura successfully pulls guard.
Nakamura is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Nakamura lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Nakamura drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Tornqvist dives on top into guard.

Tornqvist is looking to work some ground and pound but Nakamura has wrist control.
Nakamura wants to sweep but no luck.
Nakamura lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura looking to pass the guard.
Tornqvist knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nakamura on the ground.
Tornqvist keeping moving, preventing Nakamura from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jimmy Tornqvist will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nakamura darts in trying to clinch
and Tornqvist counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Nakamura thinking.
Nakamura tries to clinch but Tornqvist moves out of range.
A punch combination from Tornqvist misses.
Nakamura is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nakamura slips a jab and a cross from Tornqvist.
Nakamura tries to close the distance and clinch but Tornqvist swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nakamura darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Nakamura tries to clinch
and Tornqvist counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Jimmy Tornqvist is winning the standup battle so far.
Nakamura is looking to clinch but Tornqvist is avoiding it.
Nice defenses there by Nakamura.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nakamura tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tornqvist misses with a wild body shot.
Tornqvist avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nakamura doesn't manage to clinch there - Tornqvist circles away.
Nakamura tries to clinch up
enabling Tornqvist to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tornqvist misses with an uppercut
and Nakamura makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Tornqvist really felt that one!
Nakamura moves in looking to clinch but Tornqvist pushes him off.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A punch combination from Tornqvist misses.
Tornqvist avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tornqvist keeps the fight on the outside.
Tornqvist will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tornqvist lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Nakamura circles away quickly and effectively.
Nakamura fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nakamura fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tornqvist avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tornqvist swats away the attempt to clinch by Nakamura.
Nakamura bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Tornqvist misses with a few strikes there.
Tornqvist circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tornqvist tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Nakamura swivels and escapes.
Nakamura is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura doesn't manage to clinch there - Tornqvist circles away.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Nakamura darts in and clinches Tornqvist up against the cage.
Nakamura lands a damaging elbow.
Nakamura tries to land knees in the clinch but Tornqvist avoids the damage to the body.
Nakamura tries a body shot but Tornqvist blocks it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tornqvist is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Nakamura working Tornqvist over with knees to the body.
Tornqvist is trying to force a seperation but Nakamura has the dominant position.
Tornqvist is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Nakamura manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Nakamura wants to sweep but no luck.
Tornqvist being controlled here momentarily.
Nakamura's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tornqvist manages to get himself to full guard.

Tornqvist on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Tornqvist tries to get out of the position.
Nakamura wants to pass the guard but Tornqvist is keeping the position.
Nakamura keeps trying to improve his position.
Tornqvist might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Nakamura looking to sit in guard and control but Tornqvist gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nakamura is on top in guard.

Nakamura trying to control the position from guard on top but Tornqvist is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nakamura slips nicely into half guard.
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 Jimmy Tornqvist will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. 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.

Tornqvist misses with a few strikes there.
Nakamura's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Tornqvist connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Nakamura scrambles back to his feet.
Tornqvist looks to throw the jab but Nakamura is out of range.
Tornqvist avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nakamura tries to clinch there but Tornqvist circles away.
Nakamura tries to close the distance and clinch but Tornqvist swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Tornqvist looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Nakamura pulls Tornqvist in close to prevent any damage.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nakamura is on top in guard.

Nakamura slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nakamura is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Tornqvist has escaped the position, nice work there.
Nakamura passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Tornqvist!
Nakamura with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Nakamura mounts Tornqvist! Really nice guard pass there!

Nakamura wants to finish this one by submission but Tornqvist is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Nakamura.
Jimmy Tornqvist is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura fails to move to back control.
Nakamura wants to control the pace but Tornqvist is squirming around nicely.

Nakamura working for a guillotine from mount but Tornqvist is in no mood to give up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura throwing strikes here but Tornqvist is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nakamura working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Nakamura moves to the back position.

Tornqvist is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Nakamura gets his way!

Nakamura is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Tornqvist knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Tornqvist for a finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nakamura has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Tornqvist has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Nakamura is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Tornqvist is defending well though. Nakamura let's go of the attempt for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Nakamura looking to break Tornqvist's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Tornqvist remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Nakamura will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

And that's the end of the fight!
Hero Nakamura comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tornqvist has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 28:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jimmy Tornqvist!