PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Keith Connor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kemo Nozume (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nozume is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Pagan's Mind - Enigmatic Calling. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Connor
vs
Nozume

195 cm
21
275 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

196 cm
21
285 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Keith Connor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kemo Nozume!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Connor throws a shot from downtown. Nozume moves away and avoids it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nozume.
Nozume fails with the takedown.
Nozume tries to score a power double leg takedown but Connor sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nozume somewhat.
Keith Connor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kemo Nozume.

Nozume decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Nozume content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Nozume trying to control from half guard but Connor is working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Connor tries to get to full guard but Nozume has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nozume not doing much here.
Connor wants to get back to full guard but Nozume has mounted him!
Nozume working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Connor taking shots to the head.
Nozume lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

It looks like Keith Connor has been cut.
Nozume takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Nozume scoring with strikes but Connor is staying in there.
Nozume with the ground and pound from mount.

Connor is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connor wants to control but Nozume is having none of it.
Oh Connor is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Nozume content just to control the position here.
Connor seems to have got his legs back now.
Nozume cracks Connor with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
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.
Connor manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Still in half guard, Nozume seems content to control.
Connor is looking to improve his position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nozume keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Nozume prevents Connor from improving his position.
Connor is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nozume works his way into side control.
Connor keeping his opponent close.
Connor is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Nozume is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Nozume in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Nozume controlling his opponent.
Nozume raining down hammerfists from mount.

Keith Connor's cut is getting worse.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nozume controlling the position easily from mount.
Connor is squirming around, avoiding Nozume's attempts to control the action.
Nozume controlling from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nozume avoids the attempt from Connor to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kemo Nozume dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Keith Connor's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Connor lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Nozume at a distance.
Connor fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Kemo Nozume seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Connor with a jab.
Connor throws a series of punches but Nozume moves out of range.
Connor lands a really nice looking cross but Nozume seems unphased.
Connor misses the shot to the body.
Nozume doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Nozume is countered with a crisp right hand from Connor that sends him to the canvas! Connor follows him to the mat into side control.

Nozume is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Connor tries to score with some ground and pound. Nozume controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Nozume is still in real trouble! Can Connor finish him?
Nozume manages to work his way to half guard, despite Connor's best efforts.

Connor is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Nozume has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Connor is trying to control the action in half guard but Nozume is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Nozume seems to have recovered his senses.
Nozume is looking for a sweep. Connor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Nozume blocking the ground and pound attempt from Connor.
Connor prevents Nozume from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nozume makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Nozume.
Kemo Nozume has got the better of the ground game so far.
Connor wants to control from the top but Nozume keeps moving.
Connor preventing the sweep.
Nozume is trying to control the position but Connor postures up.
Connor tries to free his leg and advance position but Nozume is retaining full guard.
Connor stopping the sweep attempt from Nozume.
Connor landing with the ground and pound.
Connor missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two 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.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Nozume holds on and takes a little breather.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Nozume wants to sweep here but Connor controlling him for the moment.
Nozume controls Connor momentarily but Connor frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Connor slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Nozume gets the takedown into side control.
Nozume staying calm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connor prevents Nozume from improving position.
Nozume is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Connor is looking for a sweep.
Connor being controlled for a moment.
Nozume is putting a hurting on Connor here, landing some big shots from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keith Connor dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Keith Connor's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Connor gets caught napping as Nozume dives in and scores a takedown. Connor manages to retain guard.
Nozume controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Connor is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Connor keeping moving, preventing Nozume from controlling successfully.
Nozume looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Nozume has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Jab, jab by Connor - just one landing.

Connor drops his shoulder and cracks Nozume with a huge uppercut! Nozume goes down! Can Connor finish him?
Nozume wants to sweep here but Connor controlling him for the moment.
Connor has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Nozume keeping moving, preventing Connor from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nozume pulls Connor in to control the position.
Connor won't allow Nozume to sweep him here.
Connor looking to sit in guard and control but Nozume gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nozume wants to control from the top but Connor keeps moving.
Nozume stopping the sweep attempt from Connor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nozume engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Nozume connects with a couple of short punches.
Connor is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Nozume wants to control from the top but Connor keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nozume is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Connor seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Connor lands with a nice body punch.
Nozume keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Connor.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nozume.
Connor scores with a body shot.
Nozume takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Kemo Nozume has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Connor lands a nice shot to the body.
Nozume takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Connor ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Connor scores with the left hand. Nozume knows he should have avoided that one.
Keith Connor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nozume has his takedown stuffed
and Connor counters with a huge left! Nozume is in big trouble! He's backing up but Connor isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Nozume from any more damage. A dominating finish by Connor!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Keith Connor!
In defeat, Kemo Nozume stepped up to the mic, saying 'Auvers blue?'.