PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hidetoshi Nakata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Van Driesen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nakata
vs
Driesen

188 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

167 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

Good takedowns
Brawler
Intelligent

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hidetoshi Nakata!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Van Driesen!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Driesen clinches up with Nakata and pushes him back against the cage.
Nakata tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Driesen just stands there and leans against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Driesen's face as he tries to break the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Nakata - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Nakata is looking to take this one to the mat.
Driesen jumps guard but Nakata stands there with Driesen around his waist. Driesen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Nakata successfully pulls guard.
Driesen wants to control from the top but Nakata keeps moving.
Nakata has momentary wrist control but Driesen slips an elbow through the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nakata utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Nakata looking to hit a scissor sweep but Driesen is one step ahead there.
Driesen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Driesen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakata wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Nakata working for submissions but it's allowed Driesen to get to half guard.
Driesen is looking to advance position but Nakata won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Nakata wants to get back to full guard.
Nakata trying to control here.
Nakata moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Nakata knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Driesen on the ground.
Driesen trying to stand up but can't free himself from Nakata's guard.
Driesen sitting in guard here, content to control.
Nakata keeping moving, preventing Driesen from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nakata manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Nakata prevents the takedown attempt.
Driesen creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Driesen is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nakata pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hidetoshi Nakata has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Van Driesen.

Nakata jumps guard and drags Driesen to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Nakata keeping moving, preventing Driesen from controlling successfully.
Nakata is controlling Driesen's posture.
Driesen stopping the sweep attempt from Nakata.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Driesen wants to control from the top but Nakata keeps moving.

Nakata has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Driesen off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Driesen wants to clinch up but Nakata keeps it at a distance.
Driesen shoots in but no luck this time.
Nakata scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Driesen tries to clinch up.
Nice sprawl there from Nakata as Driesen shoots in.
Nakata scores with a head kick. Driesen tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Driesen with a poor takedown
and Nakata counters with a stiff right hand.
Driesen looks winded!
Nakata shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Driesen as he jumps to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hidetoshi Nakata dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Driesen tries to keep at a distance but Nakata has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nakata is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Driesen is defending well.
Nakata is trying to pull guard but Driesen turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Nakata tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hidetoshi Nakata. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Nakata pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Driesen with a lazy takedown attempt
and Nakata counters with a straight right hand.
Nakata throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nakata tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Nakata rushes Driesen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nakata is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Driesen can't break the clinch.
Nakata really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Driesen is trying to break the clinch but Nakata has him pressed against the cage.

Nakata escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nakata shoots and misses
and Driesen counters with a three punch combo that has Nakata backing up. Nakata nods at Driesen to acknowledge the strikes.
Driesen tries to bum rush Nakata with a series of wild strikes but Nakata uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nakata looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

Driesen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Nakata!
A lull in the action here.
Driesen lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Driesen looks up at the clock and then as Nakata takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Driesen smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Nakata is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Driesen off and has taken his back!
Nakata is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Driesen can do to turn this around?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Driesen is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Nakata.
Nakata will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Driesen is in bad spot here.

Nakata has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Driesen has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Nakata controlling well, preventing Driesen from escaping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakata gets his hands free as Driesen looks to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Nakata has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Nakata throwing wild punches that miss their target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Driesen trying to control but not successfully.

Nakata seems to be going for a rear naked choke. He has an arm under Driesen's chin but Driesen turns very nicely into Nakata's guard. Good BJJ skills being displayed there by Driesen.
Driesen wants to control from the top but Nakata keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Driesen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nakata works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Hidetoshi Nakata will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Nakata tries to score a power double leg takedown but Driesen sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nakata somewhat.

Nakata pushes Driesen up against the cage in a clinch.

Nakata pulls guard successfully.
Driesen sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Driesen wants to control from the top but Nakata keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Driesen stays in close to Nakata's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Driesen trying to control the position from guard on top but Nakata is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Driesen lands a couple of digs.
Nakata is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Driesen trying to control the position from guard on top but Nakata is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Driesen takes a swing at Nakata's ribcage but misses.
Driesen throws a jab when Nakata was well out of range.

Nakata clinches up against the cage.

Nakata breaks the clinch.
Driesen on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Hidetoshi Nakata is winning the standup battle so far.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Nakata enables Driesen to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Nakata manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Driesen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Driesen trying to control but Nakata is working from the bottom.
Driesen passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakata wants to get back to his feet but Driesen drags him back down.
Nakata is trying to improve his position.
Nakata pushes Driesen away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Driesen gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Driesen wants to stand but Nakata has his arm trapped.
Nakata is not content to let Driesen control the position.
Driesen just content to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Driesen trying to control the action but Nakata is working from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Nakata prevents Driesen from moving into mount.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nakata lands a head kick. Driesen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Nakata misses with a few strikes there.
Van Driesen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hidetoshi Nakata is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Driesen misses with a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Hidetoshi Nakata.
Well Nakata has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hidetoshi Nakata!