PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Daken Nakamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and on no (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nakamura
vs
no

172 cm
24
149 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

160 cm
28
145 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Daken Nakamura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, on no!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Sano and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from no.
Nakamura definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
no swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Horrible takedown attempt by no or perhaps it was just good defense by Nakamura, which made it look bad.
Nakamura is looking to clinch but no is avoiding it.
Nakamura takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
no thows a leg kick but Nakamura checks it
and Nakamura counters with a slapping leg kick.
Nakamura fails with an attempt to clinch.
no shoots in looking for a takedown. Nakamura tries to sprawl out of it but no keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Nakamura manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
no does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
no tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

no closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nakamura manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Nakamura stalling in the clinch.
Nakamura has no pressed against the cage.
Nakamura looks to throw an elbow but misses.

no has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Nakamura uses from the top position.
Nakamura in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
no trying to control the position here.
Nakamura trying to control but no is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

no manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Nakamura pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nakamura tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and no counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Nakamura closes the distance and clinches.
no jumps guard but Nakamura turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Daken Nakamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of on no.

no gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Nakamura regains guard.

Nakamura scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nakamura tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but no paws at him with a jab and circles away.
no misses with a few strikes there.
Nakamura fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
no fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nakamura lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

no clinches up against the cage.
no blocks an elbow strike.

no has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Nakamura is trying to keep an underhook but no manages to get the takedown into half guard.

no is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Nakamura is just riding it out for now. no eventually gives up the hold.
no throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nice strikes from no there.
Nakamura keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
no is trying to control the action in half guard but Nakamura is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
no throwing shots but Nakamura is blocking nicely.
Nakamura keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nakamura avoiding damage under a succession of punches from no.
no sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nakamura defending well though.
Nakamura is trying to get back to full guard.
Nice strikes from no there.
no missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nakamura wants to control but no is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

on no dominated that 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.

no tries to close the distance and clinch but Nakamura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nakamura throws a counter high kick but no was just alert enough to avoid it.

no clinches up with Nakamura and pushes him back against the cage.
Nakamura is looking for a takedown up against the cage. no gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Nakamura tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
no has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Nakamura is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Nakamura prevents a takedown attempt there.
Nakamura lands a nice knee to the body.
no is defending well against a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nakamura is pressed up against the cage. no has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Nakamura down to the mat. Nakamura avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

no closes the distance and clinches.
no looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Nakamura tries a body shot but no blocks it.
no is trying to pull guard but Nakamura has him pressed against the cage.
Daken Nakamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of on no.

That's one minute gone in the round.
no leaning against his opponent.
Nakamura tries to land knees in the clinch but no avoids the damage to the body.
no is trying to pull guard but Nakamura has him pressed against the cage.
no tries to pull guard but Nakamura holds him up against the cage and eventually no drops back down to his feet.
no tries to pull guard but Nakamura won't allow it.
Nakamura has no pushed against the cage.
Nakamura is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Nakamura breaks the clinch.
no gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Nakamura counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Nakamura.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on no's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Nakamura lands a damaging elbow.
no blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
no can't get the takedown.

Nakamura pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nakamura tries to clinch but no moves out of range.
A little jabbing left from no on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
no misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
on no seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
no swings and misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
A punch combination from no misses.
no is breathing heavily.
Nakamura tries to close the distance and clinch but no swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
no tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
no misses with a head kick.
As no tries to get set, Nakamura tries to push him back and clinch up but no manages to avoid the attempt.
no has his takedown stuffed
and Nakamura counters with a head kick. That will keep no thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nakamura fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with no, pushing him back against the cage.
no takes a knee to the side of the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Nakamura obliges.
Nakamura looking for a takedown.
Nakamura has no pushed against the cage.
no blocks a body shot from Nakamura.
A hook to the body from Nakamura.
Knees to the body from Nakamura.

Nakamura manages to break the clinch.
Nakamura checks the leg kick.
As no tries to get set, Nakamura tries to push him back and clinch up but no manages to avoid the attempt.

Nakamura clinches up with no and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura scores a nice knee to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Nakamura obliges.
Nakamura throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Nakamura working some nice short punches in the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nakamura trying to land knees to the body.
Nakamura misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nakamura lands an elbow inside that no shrugs off.
Nakamura lands a body punch.
Nakamura lands a good knee to the midsection. no won't want to take too many of those.
Nakamura landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Nakamura scores a nice knee to the body.

Nakamura breaks the clinch.
no tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daken Nakamura dominated that second round.
That's time! Nakamura's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

no keeps the fight on the outside.
no tries a quick counter leg kick but Nakamura is wise to it.

Nakamura closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into no's guard.

no has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Nakamura has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Nakamura using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Nakamura drops to a knee looking for a takedown but no gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Nakamura is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Nakamura drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
no takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
no's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

no breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

no gets tackled into the cage by Nakamura. Nakamura maintains the clinch.
Nakamura tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and no avoids it.
no is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nakamura pulls him back up using the underhooks.
no tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
no blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
no is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Nakamura to keep the fight standing.
Daken Nakamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of on no.
Nakamura crunches a lovely knee into no's ribcage.
Nakamura putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has no in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
no is trying to drag Nakamura to the mat but Nakamura just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
no fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
no stops a takedown attempt from Nakamura.
Nakamura landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Nakamura trying to land knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Nakamura.
Nakamura is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. no is defending well for now.
Nakamura struggles to land a body shot inside as no controls his hands.

Nakamura has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics no uses from the top position.
Nakamura 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.
no throws a strike but Nakamura rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nakamura throws an elbow that misses. no uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Nakamura's guard. Nice move by no!

no gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as no throws out the jab.
no tries to clinch but Nakamura is having none of it.
Nakamura thinks about countering with a head kick.
Nakamura is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that no can do to turn this around?
no lands a jab-cross combination.
Nakamura tries to clinch up.
Nakamura displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from no.
no falls off balance throwing a combination

and Nakamura holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
no managing to block the knees to the body from Nakamura.
no prevents a body shot from Nakamura.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
no is looking to take this one to the mat.
Nakamura makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
no displaying some good clinch control by pressing Nakamura up against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Nakamura.
Nakamura taking a breather.
Daken Nakamura has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Nakamura crunches a lovely knee into no's ribcage.
Nakamura lands a body shot.

Nakamura manages to pull guard.
no postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nakamura controls no momentarily but no frees himself.
no loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daken Nakamura showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Nakamura has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daken Nakamura!