PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mashu Nakamura (ranked 4861 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Boghosian (ranked 4886 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Nakamura
vs
Boghosian

180 cm
23
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mashu Nakamura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Paul Boghosian!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Ren Mimura and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakamura keeps the fight on the outside.
Horrible takedown attempt by Nakamura or perhaps it was just good defense by Boghosian, which made it look bad.
Nakamura lands a head kick. Boghosian smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Nakamura lands a head kick. Boghosian smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Boghosian closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Nakamura to the mat! Nakamura manages to get full guard.
Boghosian tries to free his leg and advance position but Nakamura is retaining full guard.
Nakamura manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Boghosian manages to get himself to full guard.

Boghosian looking for a guillotine here but Nakamura defends easily.
Boghosian really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nakamura. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nakamura being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boghosian looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nakamura looking to sit in guard and control but Boghosian gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Boghosian working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Boghosian wants to stand but Nakamura is controlling his posture from full guard.
Boghosian controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Boghosian stands up and waves to Nakamura to follow him.

Nakamura gets caught napping as Boghosian dives in and scores a takedown. Nakamura manages to retain guard.
Boghosian trying to control the position from guard on top but Nakamura is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Boghosian accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Boghosian stands up and waves to Nakamura to follow him.
Nakamura moves in looking to clinch but Boghosian pushes him off.
Nakamura dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Boghosian. That did some damage!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boghosian tries to clinch up.
Nakamura fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Boghosian on the side of the head.

Boghosian 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.
Boghosian content to stall in guard here.
Boghosian won't allow Nakamura to sweep him here.
Nakamura trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Boghosian content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boghosian stands and throws Nakamura's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Nakamura regains half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nakamura wants to improve his position but Boghosian is controlling well.
Nakamura pushes Boghosian off looking to stand but Boghosian dives back in and keeps control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Paul Boghosian will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Boghosian rushes Nakamura and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nakamura jumps guard but Boghosian stands there with Nakamura around his waist. Nakamura gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Boghosian using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nakamura has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Nakamura fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Nakamura pulls guard effortlessly.
Boghosian sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boghosian scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boghosian scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Nakamura keeping moving, preventing Boghosian from controlling successfully.
Boghosian is looking to pass into half guard but Nakamura pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Nakamura is in guard.

Boghosian trying to keep a closed guard but Nakamura is proving a slippery customer.

Boghosian is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nakamura is aware though and is defending well.
Boghosian is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nakamura postures up in Boghosian's guard and throws a big left but Boghosian blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura postures up.

Boghosian throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Boghosian is breathing heavily.
Nakamura trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nakamura with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nakamura is fighting to break Boghosian's control of his arms but Boghosian is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nakamura tries to clinch up.
Boghosian misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Boghosian connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mashu Nakamura. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nakamura lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Boghosian scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Nakamura sneaks back into half guard.
Boghosian wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nakamura keeps working.
Boghosian prevents Nakamura from standing back up.
Boghosian seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Nakamura does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boghosian tries to pass the half guard into mount. Nakamura knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Boghosian is thwarting Nakamura's attempts to control the position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Nakamura tries to roll over but Boghosian keeps him under control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Nakamura closes the distance and clinches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nakamura working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
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!
Boghosian is looking to control Nakamura's arms but Nakamura gets an underhook and turns him. Now Boghosian has his back to the cage.
Boghosian doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
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 Mashu Nakamura 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!

Nakamura misses with a takedown attempt
and Boghosian counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nakamura is defended easily by Boghosian.
Boghosian is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Nakamura throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Boghosian's waist but Boghosian gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Nakamura off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mashu Nakamura. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nakamura changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Boghosian drives through and clinches with Nakamura against the cage.
Nakamura on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boghosian is trying to pull guard but Nakamura has him pressed against the cage.

Boghosian breaks from the clinch.
Nakamura lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Boghosian throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Nakamura was covering up waiting for the punch and Boghosian finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Nakamura is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boghosian is trying to pull guard but Nakamura has him pressed against the cage.
Boghosian pushes off an throws an elbow but Nakamura leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Boghosian is trying to pull guard but Nakamura turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Boghosian fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Boghosian pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nakamura throws a head kick that misses.
Boghosian doesn't manage to clinch there - Nakamura circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura throws a nice head kick!
Nakamura scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Boghosian circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nakamura is looking to clinch.
Mashu Nakamura is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Boghosian scores with a jab to the body.
Nakamura has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Boghosian finds it's way round the side to connect with Nakamura's head.
Boghosian is looking to slow Nakamura down with leg kicks.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nakamura shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Boghosian counters by moving into the clinch.

Boghosian breaks from the clinch.
Nakamura shoots in for a takedown but Boghosian shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Boghosian 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.
Nakamura not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Nakamura can't keep his opponent in guard - Boghosian advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Nakamura avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Boghosian.

Nakamura is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Boghosian pulls his head out easily.
Boghosian winds up and cracks Nakamura with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boghosian working the head and body with strikes.
Boghosian performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Boghosian lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Boghosian stops Nakamura from getting back to his feet.
Nakamura is looking for a sweep. Boghosian is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Boghosian comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Boghosian has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Paul Boghosian!