PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joaquin Morales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shunsuke Nakahara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joaquin Morales has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Morales
vs
Nakahara

204 cm
24
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

174 cm
25
155 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Sun-Tzu

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joaquin Morales!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shunsuke Nakahara!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Sano and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakahara stuffs the takedown attempt from Morales. Morales gets slowly back to his feet.

Nakahara shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Nakahara was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Morales is being controlled here.
Nakahara working away.

Nakahara decides to stand back up. Nakahara steps back and let's Morales get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nakahara moves out of range of the strikes.
A head kick by Nakahara misses
and Morales counters with a two punch combo.
Nakahara misses with a few strikes there.
A quick step to the side and Morales tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Morales shoots in for a takedown but Nakahara shows good takedown defense.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nakahara clinches.
Morales is trying to force a seperation but Nakahara has the dominant position.

Morales's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nakahara misses with a combination
letting Morales counter with a right hand.

Nakahara shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Morales manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Nakahara controlling from the top position.
Nakahara won't allow Morales to sweep him here.
Morales wants to control the position but Nakahara says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Morales avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nakahara.
Morales tries to get to full guard but Nakahara has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakahara takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Morales is trying to maintain the position but Nakahara is very close to passing his half guard.
Morales blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nakahara.
Nakahara slows the pace down in half guard.
Nakahara tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Nakahara performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Morales is trying to control but can't.

Nakahara stands up from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakahara on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Nakahara closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Morales dives in for a single leg takedown but Nakahara sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joaquin Morales. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nakahara misses with a head kick.

Nakahara takes the fight into the clinch.
Morales creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Morales tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Nakahara just stands there and leans against the cage.
Morales wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Nakahara manages to break the clinch.
Nakahara scores with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nakahara shoots in and gets a takedown into Morales's guard.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Nakahara is pushing down on Morales's leg trying to pass to half guard. Morales is fighting to maintain full guard but Nakahara has managed to sneak the leg through.
Nakahara slows the pace down in half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nakahara wants to stand up but Morales is controlling the position.

Nakahara decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Nakahara drives through with a takedown into Morales's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Nakahara throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Morales works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Morales preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Morales really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nakahara is looking to stand up but Morales won't let him.
Morales is trying to keep Nakahara in close.
Morales being controlled here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nakahara gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Morales tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Nakahara just stands there and leans against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Nakahara.

Nakahara breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nakahara rushes Morales and presses him up against the cage.

Nakahara gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Morales blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nakahara.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morales is looking for a sweep. Nakahara is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Nakahara decides to return to a standing position.
Nakahara misses with a left hand
and Morales counters with a nice uppercut.
Nakahara tries to land a leg kick but Morales saw it coming and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakahara lands with a nice body kick.
Nakahara fails to land with a series of punches.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Nakahara!
Nakahara throws a head kick that misses
and Morales cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nakahara wants to clinch but Morales slips to the side
and Morales counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nakahara has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Nakahara has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Morales takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Morales is rocked!

It looks like Joaquin Morales has been cut.
Nakahara lands a hook that stumbles Morales back into the cage. Nakahara follows up with a straight and another hook that land right on the button, dropping Morales to the canvas! Nakahara pounces and lands several unanswered shots - Morales has had enough and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:44 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Shunsuke Nakahara!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Shunsuke Nakahara waved his t-shirt featuring Sun-Tzu's logo in front of the cameras.