PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Yoel Romero (ranked 3173 p4p, 312 weight class) and Atsuro Nagashi (ranked 2097 p4p, 234 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Romero
vs
Nagashi

199 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
25
224 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Inexperienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Yoel Romero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Atsuro Nagashi!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, James Atkins and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nagashi gets caught napping as Romero dives in and scores a takedown. Nagashi manages to retain guard.
Nagashi looking for a sweep. Not yet Nagashi, not yet.
Nagashi is pulling down on Romero's head. It's preventing any offense from Romero, at least for the moment.

Romero avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Romero throwing strikes from guard but Nagashi blocks nicely.
Romero will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Nagashi has Romero pulled in close to control his posture.
Romero postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Nagashi lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Nagashi stopping the sweep attempt from Romero.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nagashi pushing down on Romero's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Romero wants to control but Nagashi is keeping busy.
Romero wants to get back to full guard.
Nagashi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Romero looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Nagashi content to control rather than advance.
Romero trying to control from the bottom.
Romero is controlling Nagashi's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Nagashi controlling the pace.
Nagashi's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
More stalling from Nagashi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Romero is not content to let Nagashi control the position.
Nagashi has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Romero keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Nagashi controlling the position easily from mount.
Nagashi is continuing to stall.
Romero wants to hold on but Nagashi pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nagashi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nagashi throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Nagashi throwing strikes here but Romero is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Romero wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Nagashi.
Nagashi thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
BOOM! Nagashi connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Romero is wriggling around trying to escape.
Nagashi throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Romero because Nagashi loaded up on that one.
Nagashi punching from mount but Romero doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Romero is squirming around, avoiding Nagashi's attempts to control the action.
Nagashi punching from mount but Romero doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Nagashi lands with some strikes.
Romero on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Romero tries to get out of the position.
Romero tries to hold on but Nagashi postures up.
Romero is trying desperately to improve position.
Romero knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nagashi on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romero is working hard here to advance position.
Romero tries to lock up and control but Nagashi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Poor strikes thrown by Nagashi there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Nagashi looking to finish with strikes here!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nagashi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Romero is looking to escape.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Romero tries to lock up and control but Nagashi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Romero working to try and regain half guard.
Nagashi throws some wild stikes that Romero manages to avoid easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Romero is in all sorts of trouble here.
Nagashi looking to finish with strikes here!
Nagashi content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Romero uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nagashi.
Nagashi lands with a good body shot.

Romero moves into range and clinches up with Nagashi.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Nagashi pulls guard successfully.
Romero lands a couple of elbows.
Nagashi controlling the position.
Romero loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nagashi is on top in guard.

Romero wants to stand up but Nagashi is controlling him.
Nagashi wants to control from the top but Romero keeps moving.
Nagashi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nagashi slips nicely into half guard.
Nagashi sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Romero tries to kick Nagashi off but Nagashi keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romero trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Nagashi stalling.
Romero trying to hold on to Nagashi's head to control him but Nagashi postures up.
Romero avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nagashi.
Romero has his hands clasped together around Nagashi's back. He's all about the action.
Nagashi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Nagashi trying to control the action but Romero is working from the bottom.
Nagashi sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Nagashi stops Romero from getting back to his feet.

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.
Nagashi works his way into side control.
Nagashi is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Atsuro Nagashi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nagashi is looking to take a break and control but Romero is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Nagashi slows the pace down.
Romero regains half guard, as Nagashi was trying to land strikes.
Nagashi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Nagashi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nagashi.
Romero wants to get back to full guard.
Nagashi is keen to just control but Romero is a slippery customer.
Nagashi moves nicely into side control.
Romero defending against the ground and pound.
Nagashi wants to control but Romero is keeping him busy.
Nagashi working the ground and pound but Romero is defending the strikes.
Romero is being controlled here.
Romero is trying to control Nagashi's posture but Nagashi avoids it.
Nagashi moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Romero wants to control but Nagashi postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nagashi content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Nagashi trying to control the action but Romero is working from the bottom.
Romero tries to improve position but can't.
Nagashi tries to score with some ground and pound. Romero controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Nagashi wants to control but Romero is keeping him busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The strikes coming from Nagashi are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Nagashi working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Atsuro Nagashi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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.

Nagashi throws a jab but it's blocked by Romero.
Nagashi shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Nagashi scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Nagashi misses with a hook.

Romero pushes Nagashi up against the cage in a clinch.
Romero blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nagashi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Romero backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Romero.
Romero blocks an uppercut.

Romero has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Nagashi uses from the top position.
Nagashi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nagashi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nagashi content to stall in guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nagashi passes Romero's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Nagashi looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Nagashi trying to control the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romero is trying to control but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nagashi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Romero keeps working.
Nagashi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Romero's head.
Nagashi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nagashi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nagashi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Nagashi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nagashi is keen to just control but Romero is a slippery customer.
Nagashi thows a huge punch but Romero dodges it nicely.
Well, if Nagashi is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Romero keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

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.
Nagashi prevents Romero from improving his position.
Nagashi thows a huge punch but Romero dodges it nicely.
Still in half guard, Nagashi seems content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Romero blocks a jab.
Romero uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nagashi.

Romero has closed the distance and engaged Nagashi in a clinch.
Nagashi digs a right hand into Romero's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Romero's gas tank.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nagashi softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Nagashi pushes Romero back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Nagashi lands with a left to the head.
Nagashi lands a right hand.
Romero trying to stall but Nagashi improves his position.

Nagashi decides to pull guard.
Nagashi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Romero.
Nagashi pulls Romero in to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nagashi is on top in guard.

Nagashi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Romero working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nagashi.
Nagashi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nagashi engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Let's hope that Nagashi has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Nagashi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Nagashi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Romero keeps working.
Nagashi working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here as Nagashi stalls from top position.
An elbow from Nagashi crashes against the mat.
Nagashi in side control, throwing shots but Romero defends.
Nagashi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Romero keeps working.
Romero avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Nagashi.
Nagashi looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Romero is avoiding damage well.
Romero tries to bench press Nagashi off him but Nagashi keeps the position.
The strikes coming from Nagashi are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Romero trying to remain calm as Nagashi controls from the top position.
Nagashi wants to control but Romero is keeping him busy.
Nagashi is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Romero will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Atsuro Nagashi really dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A looping hook to the body misses from Nagashi. Romero does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nagashi throws a body shot but no joy.

Romero clinches with his opponent.
Nagashi lands with a short shot to the head.
Nagashi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nagashi lands a left hand that snaps the head of Romero backwards.
Nagashi lands a nice uppercut.
Nagashi misses with a punch to the body.
Nagashi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Nagashi stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Nagashi jumps guard and drags Romero to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Nagashi is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Romero defends well.
Romero with a flurry of punches that miss.
Romero throwing strikes but missing.
Nagashi trying to control the position here.
Nagashi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romero has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nagashi is working away from the top position though.
Nagashi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nagashi is trying to control. Romero wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Nagashi is thwarting Romero's attempts to control the position.
Nagashi is controlling the pace.
Nagashi is keen to just control but Romero is a slippery customer.
Nagashi sitting and controlling from the half guard.

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.
Nagashi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Romero defending well though.
Nagashi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nagashi is thwarting Romero's attempts to control the position.
Romero is staying active underneath Nagashi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Nagashi trying to control the pace.
Romero keeping control of the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Atsuro Nagashi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Romero scores with a jab.
A swing and a miss from Romero.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nagashi cracks Romero with an open hand slap.

Romero closes the distance and clinches.
Nagashi lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Romero backwards.
Nagashi lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Romero.
Nagashi misses with a short punch on the inside.

Nagashi decides to pull guard.
Nagashi working a defensive guard here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nagashi is on top in guard.

Nagashi trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.
Nagashi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Nagashi is pushing down on Romero's leg trying to pass to half guard. Romero is fighting to maintain full guard but Nagashi has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nagashi is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Romero lands with a few short shots to the body.
Romero is trying to control but can't.
Nagashi prevents Romero from improving his position.
Nagashi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nagashi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nagashi passes the guard and advances to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Atsuro Nagashi dominated that fourth 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. This is the final round!

Nagashi moves into range and clinches up with Romero.

Nagashi successfully pulls guard.
Nagashi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Nagashi has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Romero postures up in Nagashi's guard and throws a big left but Nagashi blocks it.
Romero stands up over Nagashi, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Nagashi is controlling Romero's posture.

Nagashi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Romero doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Romero manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nagashi is trying to keep Romero in close.
Nagashi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nagashi is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Romero!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagashi avoids the attempt from Romero to control.
Romero can't escape the position.
Nagashi tries to control but Romero wriggling away.
Nagashi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Romero is in all sorts of trouble here.
Nagashi looking to finish with strikes here!
Romero is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Romero avoids a series of strikes thrown by Nagashi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nagashi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nagashi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Nagashi tries to control but Romero wriggling away.
Nagashi misses with a head shot.
Romero is squirming around, avoiding Nagashi's attempts to control the action.
Nagashi throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Romero tries to hold on but Nagashi postures up.
Poor strikes thrown by Nagashi there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Nagashi controlling his opponent.
Romero blocking the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Nagashi.
Nagashi misses with a head shot.
Romero wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Nagashi.
Nagashi throwing strikes here but Romero is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Romero is trying desperately to improve position.
Romero tries to hold on but Nagashi postures up.
Nagashi controlling from mount.
Nagashi throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Poor strikes thrown by Nagashi there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nagashi throws some wild stikes that Romero manages to avoid easily.
Nagashi throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Nagashi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Romero blocking the ground and pound.
Nagashi wants to control the pace but Romero is squirming around nicely.
Romero tries to hold on but Nagashi pushes him away.
Nagashi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Nagashi with more of the same as he continues to hold on.
Nagashi thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nagashi throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Romero because Nagashi loaded up on that one.
Yoel Romero has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nagashi looking to control but Romero is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Atsuro Nagashi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nagashi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 45:50
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 45:50
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Atsuro Nagashi!
Atsuro Nagashi tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.