PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gaku Nakanishi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Campion (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gaku Nakanishi could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Michael Campion's chin.

Nakanishi
vs
Campion

188 cm
26
269 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
230 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Sully's Bar & Grill

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Gaku Nakanishi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Michael Campion!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Sandra Marshall and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nakanishi is defended easily by Campion.

Campion shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Nakanishi's guard.
Nakanishi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nakanishi is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Campion throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nakanishi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nakanishi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Campion is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nakanishi not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Campion is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakanishi is pulling down on Campion's head. It's preventing any offense from Campion, at least for the moment.
Campion pushing down on Nakanishi's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Campion trying to control from half guard but Nakanishi is working away.
Nakanishi wants to improve his position but Campion is controlling well.
Campion wants to take a breather but Nakanishi is having none of it.
Nakanishi tries to roll over but Campion keeps him under control.
Campion is stalling here. Nakanishi is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Campion seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Nakanishi has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Campion sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
We've been hearing that Nakanishi has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakanishi works his foot free and advances to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nakanishi misses with a head shot.
Nakanishi content just to control the position here.
Campion tries to hold on but Nakanishi pushes him away.
Nakanishi in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Campion is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Campion wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Campion takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Campion tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nakanishi working the ground and pound effectively.
Campion sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Nakanishi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nakanishi wants to control but Campion is keeping him busy.
Campion wants to control but Nakanishi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Nakanishi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nakanishi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Nakanishi slips a nice elbow through Campion's hands, connecting with Campion's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakanishi looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Nakanishi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Campion defending well though.
Campion has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nakanishi is working away from the top position though.
Nakanishi drops an elbow to the side of Campion's head.
Campion has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nakanishi is working away from the top position though.
Nakanishi is controlling the pace.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nakanishi prevents Campion from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaku Nakanishi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Campion rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nakanishi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nakanishi tries for a takedown but Campion sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Campion drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Nakanishi defends it well.
Nakanishi shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Campion counters with a shoot takedown. Nakanishi fights it but they end up in guard.
Campion looking to pass the guard.
Campion trying to control the position from guard on top but Nakanishi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Campion stopping the sweep attempt from Nakanishi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Campion has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Nakanishi is proving hard to escape from.
Campion throws a big right hand that misses.
Nakanishi can't keep his opponent in guard - Campion advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Campion is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Campion is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Campion is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Campion is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Nakanishi tries to roll over but Campion keeps him under control.

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.
Campion missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nakanishi is looking to control Campion's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Nakanishi avoid being mounted?
Nakanishi avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Campion.
Campion not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Campion working the head and body with strikes.
Campion not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Campion passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Nakanishi!
Campion punishing his opponent with strikes.
Nakanishi is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Campion cracks Nakanishi with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Campion looking to finish Nakanishi with some ground and pound. This is bad for Nakanishi!
Campion lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Nakanishi hang on?
Nakanishi taking shots to the head.
Campion fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Campion with a couple of short strikes.
Campion has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Campion wants to control the pace but Nakanishi is squirming around nicely.
Campion scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Campion breaks from Nakanishi's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Nakanishi is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakanishi is working hard here to advance position.
Campion landing shots from mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Campion wants to control the pace but Nakanishi is squirming around nicely.
Nakanishi wants to hold on but Campion pushes him away.
Campion pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Campion pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Campion scoring with strikes but Nakanishi is staying in there.
Campion lands a couple of good shots and Nakanishi has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Michael Campion has got the better of the ground game so far.
Even with his hooks in, Campion manages to miss with strikes from the back.

Campion is looking for the choke from the back position but Nakanishi is controlling his hands well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Campion showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Campion will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nakanishi shoots in looking for a takedown. Campion tries to sprawl out of it but Nakanishi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Campion manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Campion swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Campion throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nakanishi shoots in looking for a takedown. Campion tries to sprawl out of it but Nakanishi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Campion manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Campion circles away from the clinch attempt.
Campion defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nakanishi.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gaku Nakanishi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Campion gets caught napping as Nakanishi dives in and scores a takedown. Campion manages to retain guard.

Campion is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nakanishi defends well.
Campion looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakanishi with a nice head shot there.
Our spies down at at Rabid Dog inform us that Campion has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Nakanishi preventing the sweep.

Campion throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nakanishi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Nakanishi is in close to Campion's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Campion looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nakanishi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Nakanishi lands a decent elbow from side control.
Nakanishi is putting a hurting on Campion here, landing some big shots from side control.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Campion. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Nakanishi is chipping away with strikes.
Sloppy strikes there by Nakanishi.
Nakanishi is looking to take a break and control but Campion is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Campion has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakanishi scores with a couple of short elbows.
Nakanishi scores with a couple of short elbows.
You can see the frustration on Campion's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Nakanishi is chipping away with strikes.

Campion is rocked!
Nakanishi is chipping away with strikes.
Campion is still in real trouble! Can Nakanishi finish him?
Campion is trying to get back to half guard.
Nakanishi scores with a big shot from side control... and another... and another! Oh Campion is done here - save him referee! More strikes land and eventually the ref does step in and Nakanishi can finally stop beating on his defenseless opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gaku Nakanishi!
Michael Campion spoke after the fight, saying 'Kudos mate...till we meet again.'.