PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Evan Darrow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oda Nobunaga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nobunaga comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Japanese dance music kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! This should be fireworks!

Darrow
vs
Nobunaga

170 cm
22
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
136 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Evan Darrow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Oda Nobunaga!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yuuki Gou and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Darrow dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Nobunaga. That did some damage!
Darrow circles away from the clinch attempt.

Darrow closes the distance and clinches.
A body shot lands from Darrow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darrow.
Darrow tries a knee to the head but Nobunaga blocks it.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Darrow.
Darrow gets through Nobunaga's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Darrow misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nobunaga misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short right from Darrow on the inside.
Stalling in the clinch from Nobunaga.
Nobunaga misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nobunaga scores with a nice hook to the head.
Nobunaga scores with a shoulder strike.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Darrow lands a nice uppercut.
Nobunaga lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Nobunaga throws a punch but it's blocked by Darrow.
Nobunaga scores with a shot to the side of Darrow's head.
Nobunaga blocks a body shot from Darrow.
A short left from Darrow.
Darrow looking to throw knees to the head but Nobunaga is blocking nicely.
Darrow doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darrow is leaning against Nobunaga and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Darrow lands with a left to the head.
Darrow misses with a hook from the clinch.
Darrow lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A shot in the inside from Darrow.
Nobunaga lands a shot to the body.
Darrow goes for a takedown in the clinch but Nobunaga prevents it.
Nobunaga blocking some punches.
Darrow with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nobunaga holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Nobunaga tries to stall but Darrow uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Nobunaga throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Darrow.
Darrow lands a right hand.
Nobunaga swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Darrow successfully pulls guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Darrow has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nobunaga trying to control the position from guard on top but Darrow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nobunaga wants to get up but he can't break Darrow's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darrow is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Nobunaga looking to sit in guard and control but Darrow gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Darrow not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Darrow won't allow Nobunaga to sweep him here.
Darrow not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Nobunaga not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Darrow is stalling in the full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Nobunaga tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Darrow paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Darrow misses with a head kick.
Nobunaga throws out a counter right but Darrow avoids it with no problem.
Nobunaga wants to clinch but Darrow slips to the side
and Darrow counters with a big head kick but Nobunaga shrugs it off.
Darrow seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Nobunaga moves to clinch but Darrow breaks away
and Darrow counters with a right hand to the body.
Nobunaga on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Darrow. Darrow obviously looking to wear him down.
Darrow lands with a nice body kick.
Darrow just misses with a punch to the body.
Nobunaga has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Darrow lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Darrow avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Darrow takes the fight into the clinch.
Nobunaga lands with a left to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evan Darrow dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Darrow throws a leg kick which misses Nobunaga's front leg but catches the back leg as Nobunaga tries to avoid it.

Darrow drives through and clinches with Nobunaga against the cage.
Darrow misses with some punches.
Darrow goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Darrow swings wildly with an uppercut but Nobunaga uses good head movement to avoid it.
Darrow misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nobunaga.
Darrow misses with a short punch on the inside.
Darrow lands with a short shot to the head.
Nobunaga swings wildly with an uppercut but Darrow uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nobunaga tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Darrow is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nobunaga is defending well for now.
Nobunaga misses with a short punch on the inside.
Darrow is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nobunaga can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nobunaga tries to work over Darrow's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nobunaga doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Darrow lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Darrow throws a knee to the head but misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nobunaga.
Darrow is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nobunaga pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Nobunaga fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Darrow drags the fight down to the ground.
Nobunaga wants to control from the top but Darrow keeps moving.
Nobunaga wants to stand and escape but instead Darrow has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Nobunaga wants to stand but Darrow is controlling the position.
Darrow engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Nobunaga is looking to stand up but Darrow isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darrow's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Darrow continues to stall.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Darrow connects with a high kick.
Nobunaga tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Darrow paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nobunaga drops his hands momentarily and Darrow takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Darrow darts in and clinches Nobunaga up against the cage.
Nobunaga wants to stall.
Evan Darrow has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darrow misses with some punches.
Nobunaga digs a right hand underneath Darrow's ribcage. Darrow let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Nobunaga is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Darrow throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Nobunagas head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nobunaga.
A hook to the body from Darrow.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Darrow creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Darrow misses with a punch to the body.
Darrow lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Darrow is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Nobunaga can't fight it off and eventually Darrow manages to take the fight to the floor. Nobunaga looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Darrow passes into half guard.
Darrow is taking a breather. Nobunaga 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.

Darrow stands up from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nobunaga misses with a straight right.

Nobunaga tries to keep at a distance but Darrow has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nobunaga scores with a shoulder strike.
Nobunaga lands a body punch.
Darrow tries a body shot but Nobunaga blocks it.
Darrow misses with a knee to the head.
Nobunaga lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Darrow backwards.
Nobunaga throws a punch but it's blocked by Darrow.
Darrow blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nobunaga blocks an uppercut.
Darrow lands an uppercut.
Nobunaga misses with a short punch on the inside.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Darrow misses with a hook from the clinch.

Darrow manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Darrow manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nobunaga manages to get himself to full guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evan Darrow dominated that second 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. 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.

Darrow darts in and clinches Nobunaga up against the cage.
Nobunaga is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A head punch on the inside from Nobunaga fails to land.
Nobunaga lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nobunaga misses with a punch on the inside.
Darrow throws an elbow that misses.
Darrow lands with a light punch inside.
Darrow with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nobunaga misses with a punch on the inside.
Darrow has a couple of punches blocked by Nobunaga.
Darrow lands a right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nobunaga tries to throw a body punch but Darrow avoids it by throwing Nobunaga back against the cage.
Nobunaga lands with a right to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darrow.
Darrow throws a punch but it's blocked by Nobunaga.
Nobunaga stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Nobunaga trying to control the position but instead, Darrow has worked for underhooks and has pushed Nobunaga into the cage.
Nobunaga tries to work over Darrow's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darrow tries to land knees in the clinch but Nobunaga avoids the damage to the body.
Nobunaga has a couple of punches blocked by Darrow.
Nobunaga misses with a body punch.
Darrow softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Darrow lands a hook to the side of the head.
Darrow tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Nobunaga trying to stall but Darrow improves his position.
Darrow misses with some punches.
Nobunaga swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A nice left hand lands by Darrow.
Nobunaga tries a body shot but Darrow blocks it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Darrow.
Darrow blocks a body shot from Nobunaga.
Darrow tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A right handed body shot lands from Nobunaga.
Darrow lands with a right to the head.
Darrow pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Nobunaga blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darrow tries to land a knee to the head but Nobunaga blocks with his arms.
Nobunaga trying to control the position but instead, Darrow has worked for underhooks and has pushed Nobunaga into the cage.
Nobunaga blocks an uppercut.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Darrow lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Darrow creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Nobunaga looking to slow down the pace here.
Nobunaga has a couple of punches blocked by Darrow.
Nobunaga lands a right hand.
Nobunaga blocks the elbow strike.
Nobunaga working aggressively here.
Darrow lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Darrow blocking some punches.
Darrow throws an elbow that misses.
Nobunaga blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Darrow as Nobunaga tries to tie him up.
Darrow scores with a nice hook to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Nobunaga fails to land.
Darrow swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Darrow lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Darrow working Nobunaga over with knees to the body.
Nobunaga takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Darrow looking to throw knees to the head but Nobunaga is blocking nicely.
Nice elbow from Darrow.
Nobunaga avoiding damage as Darrow throws knees to the body.
Nobunaga working aggressively here.
Nobunaga wants to stall.
Nobunaga misses with a hook from the clinch.
Evan Darrow is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Still in the clinch, Darrow scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nice body punch from Darrow - that landed with a thud.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Nobunaga.
A nice right hand lands inside from Darrow.
Darrow fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Nobunaga.
Oda Nobunaga has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nobunaga.
Darrow tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nobunaga blocking some punches.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Nobunaga.
Darrow swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Darrow misses with some punches.
Nice body punch from Darrow - that landed with a thud.
Nobunaga has a couple of punches blocked by Darrow.
Darrow blocks an uppercut.
Darrow looking to throw knees to the head but Nobunaga is blocking nicely.
Darrow blocking some punches.
Nobunaga softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Darrow fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Darrow blocks an uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Evan Darrow showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Darrow has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Evan Darrow!
Oda Nobunaga was interviewed post fight and said 'Hatsu shigure saru mo komino wo hoshige nari. Arigato.'.