PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mahtava Nopea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Marquardt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mahtava Nopea has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nopea
vs
Marquardt

185 cm
23
200 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

183 cm
23
193 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

T.K.O. The Killer Outfit

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mahtava Nopea!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nate Marquardt!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Fujiwara and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marquardt thuds his shin into the meat of Nopea's side.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Marquardt.
A solid leg kick lands there for Marquardt.
Marquardt slips a straight right by Nopea.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Nopea crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Marquardt - the referee stops the clock and Nopea gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Marquardt. Nopea manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Marquardt, right into the meat.
Nopea takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Mahtava Nopea seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nopea is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nopea tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marquardt swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Marquardt throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
A nice leg kick lands there from Marquardt.
Crunch! Marquardt slams his shin into Nopea's torso.
Marquardt throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Nopea's head.

It looks like Mahtava Nopea has been cut.
Marquardt throws a head kick that half lands.
Marquardt lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Nopea is rocked!
Nice takedown defense from Nopea. No joy for Marquardt on that attempt.
Nopea on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Marquardt. Marquardt obviously looking to wear him down.
Nopea takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Nopea takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Oh Nopea is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Marquardt connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nopea seems to have got his legs back now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marquardt dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Nopea. That did some damage!
Marquardt connects with a high kick.

Marquardt throws a head kick that lands with a deafening thwack! The crowd roars as Nopea stumbles backwards and falls to the mat. Marquardt follows into mount!
Nopea stops Marquardt from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Marquardt looking to control but Nopea is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Marquardt controlling the pace for now.
Marquardt can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nopea is looking to escape.

Marquardt working for a guillotine from mount but Nopea is in no mood to give up.
Marquardt controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nopea defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Marquardt.

Marquardt has control of Nopea's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Nopea regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Marquardt pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.

Marquardt stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Marquardt walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marquardt takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Nopea takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

Marquardt shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Marquardt looking to control but Nopea is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nopea is working to get back to half guard.
Nopea has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
Marquardt wants to control the position but Nopea frees himself and scrambles - Marquardt manages to regain control in side control.
Nopea stops Marquardt from passing to mount.
Marquardt advances nicely into full mount.
Nopea can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nopea is squirming around, avoiding Marquardt's attempts to control the action.

Marquardt working for a submission but Nopea is keeping him at bay.
Nopea is squirming around, avoiding Marquardt's attempts to control the action.
Nopea is working to get back to half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Marquardt goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Nopea turns into him and now he's in Marquardt's guard.
Nopea tries to free his leg and advance position but Marquardt is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Marquardt dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mahtava Nopea's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nopea throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Nopea throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nopea tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Marquardt paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Marquardt bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Marquardt tries a head kick but it misses.
Mahtava Nopea is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Marquardt drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Marquardt trying to control the position from guard on top but Nopea is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marquardt wants to pass the guard but Nopea is keeping the position.
Marquardt is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marquardt passes Nopea's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Marquardt in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Nopea tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Marquardt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:01 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Nate Marquardt!
Nate Marquardt is the new middleweight champion!