PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Clifford Nguyen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Cena (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nguyen
vs
Cena

199 cm
18
278 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Clifford Nguyen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, John Cena!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nguyen wants to clinch up but Cena keeps it at a distance.

Cena looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Cena is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Cena is thwarting Nguyen's attempts to control the position.
Cena slows the pace down in half guard.
Nguyen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cena content to control rather than advance.

Cena gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cena is trying hard to land a takedown here. Nguyen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Cena throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Nguyen was covering up waiting for the punch and Cena finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Nguyen has Cena pulled in close to control his posture.
Cena must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cena advances to half guard.
Nguyen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cena is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cena takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Nguyen wants to get back to his feet.
Nguyen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cena trying to control the pace.

Cena stands up from half guard.

Cena decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nguyen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Cena tries to pass the half guard into mount. Nguyen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Nguyen trying to hold on to Cena's head to control him but Cena postures up.
Nguyen misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Cena decides to return to a standing position.

Cena closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Nguyen tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Cena tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cena has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Cena lands a nice forearm strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cena goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Nguyen has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Cena but great work by Nguyen.
Cena gets back to half guard.
Cena wants to control but Nguyen is keeping busy.

Cena is defending against the submission attempts here by Nguyen.

Cena has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Nguyen is on him like a limpet, forcing Cena back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Cena dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Cena drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cena controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Cena has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cena landing with the ground and pound.

Cena gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Clifford Nguyen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cena fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nguyen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cena.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nguyen swinging wildly here.
Cena is trying hard to land a takedown here. Nguyen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Clifford Nguyen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Cena.
Cena shoots in looking for a takedown. Nguyen tries to sprawl out of it but Cena keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Nguyen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nguyen is looking to counter the offense by Cena and move into the clinch.
Nguyen closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cena gets caught flat footed, as Nguyen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Cena has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Nguyen has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Nguyen is pressed up against the cage. Cena has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Nguyen down to the mat. Nguyen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Cena looking to score a takedown here. Nguyen is defending well but Cena drives through and ends up in Nguyen's guard.
Nguyen working a defensive guard but Cena passes into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Nguyen manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Cena keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

Nguyen pulls guard successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cena is in close to Nguyen's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Cena stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Cena shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Nguyen manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Cena controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nguyen is trying to control the position but Cena postures up.

Cena got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nguyen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cena has managed to get both his arms back between Nguyen's legs - danger averted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cena working some strikes from top position.
Nguyen trying to keep a closed guard but Cena is proving a slippery customer.
Cena looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Cena stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Cena feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Nguyen looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but John Cena will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Nguyen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Cena feints and as Nguyen raises his hands in defense, Cena changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nguyen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cena's guard.

A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nguyen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Cena had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Nguyen defends it easily.

Nguyen postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Cena is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Nguyen, into his guard.

Cena slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cena gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cena throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Nguyen tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Cena is in Nguyen's guard.
Cena controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Nguyen looking for a guillotine here but Cena defends easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cena lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Cena with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cena sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cena is continuing to stall.
Cena prevents Nguyen from getting back to his feet.
Cena trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Nguyen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cena is aware though and is defending well.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cena cracks Nguyen with a solid left hand.
Cena working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Nguyen's head.
Cena is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Nguyen looking for a sweep. Not yet Nguyen, not yet.
Cena seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Cena trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cena keeps trying to improve his position.
Nguyen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cena controls the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cena closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Nguyen quickly recovers to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cena decides to stand up.

Cena changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Nguyen looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Nguyen wants to control but Cena postures up.
Cena is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Nguyen will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Nguyen tries to bench press Cena off him but Cena keeps the position.
Clifford Nguyen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Cena is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cena in side control lands a decent elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Cena comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cena winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Cena!