PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight kickboxing rules bout between Benjamin Berkley (ranked 23542 p4p, 2979 weight class) and Kazuhisa Nagashima (ranked 282 p4p, 136 weight class). Berkley comes to the ring accompanied by X. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Berkley
vs
Nagashima

168 cm
21
147
6 - 3 - 0

171 cm
20
145
5 - 0 - 0

World class MT
KO power

Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Benjamin Berkley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kazuhisa Nagashima!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Steve Montenegro and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Berkley moves out of range as Nagashima strikes.
Nagashima just misses with a punch to the body.
It looked like Berkley wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Nagashima fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Berkley on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Berkley throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Berkley closes the distance and clinches.
Nagashima throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nagashima pushes Berkley back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
I was talking to Berkley's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Berkley lands an elbow just above Nagashima 's eye.

It looks like Kazuhisa Nagashima has been cut.
Berkley looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Berkley blocks a body shot from Nagashima.
Nagashima utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nagashima lands an elbow inside that Berkley shrugs off.
Nagashima blocks an elbow strike from Berkley.

Berkley breaks from the clinch.
Berkley tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nagashima steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Berkley.
Berkley ducks right into an uppercut from Nagashima.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nagashima gets tackled into the ropes by Berkley. Berkley maintains the clinch.
Berkley wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Nagashima lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Nagashima looking to throw knees to the head but Berkley is blocking nicely.
Nagashima scores with a hook to the body.
Nagashima tries a knee to the head but Berkley blocks it.
Nagashima landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Berkley lands a damaging elbow.
Berkley tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Berkley escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nagashima gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Berkley.
Berkley throws a right and a left that Nagashima avoids nicely.
Nagashima lands an overhand right.

Berkley closes the distance and clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nagashima is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Berkley is defending well for now.
Knees in the clinch landing for Nagashima.
Nagashima cracks Berkley with a nice body shot.
Berkley has had enough of the clinch but Nagashima keeps him there for the moment.
Nagashima lands a damaging elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berkley takes an elbow to the forehead.
Berkley blocks a body shot from Nagashima.
Nagashima blocks an elbow strike.
Nagashima misses with some punches.
A hook to the body from Nagashima.
Berkley wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Nagashima has Berkley pressed against the ropes, preventing Berkley from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Berkley breaks from the clinch.
Nagashima takes one on the chin but seems OK.
A nice inside leg kick there by Berkley. That's going to slow Nagashima down.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nagashima. Berkley does a little dance to reset his feet.
Berkley throws a quick counter head kick but Nagashima was just out of range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Nagashima. That's going to slow Berkley down.
Nagashima misses with a hook.

Berkley rushes Nagashima and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nagashima lands a knee to the head.
Berkley pushes off an throws an elbow but Nagashima leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Berkley lands a left hand that snaps the head of Nagashima backwards.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Berkley manages to break the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kazuhisa Nagashima will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kazuhisa Nagashima's cut.
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.

Berkley thows a left - swing and a miss!
Berkley throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Berkley moves into the clinch.
Berkley creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Nagashima throws a head punch that misses.
Nagashima throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Berkleys head.

Berkley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nagashima thuds his right hand into Berkley's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Berkley steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nagashima.
Nagashima throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Berkley closes the distance and clinches.
Berkley looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nagashima gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Berkley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Berkley misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Berkley falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Nagashima counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagashima walks into a jab.

Berkley rushes Nagashima and presses him up against the ropes.
Nagashima tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Berkley avoids it.
Nagashima avoids the elbow strike from Berkley, against the ropes.
Berkley on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Berkley breaks the clinch.
Benjamin Berkley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Berkley rushes Nagashima and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Berkley has had enough of the clinch but Nagashima keeps him there for the moment.
Nagashima misses with some punches.
Kazuhisa Nagashima seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Berkley tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nagashima tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Berkley's elbow.
Berkley is trying to push Nagashima away but Nagashima has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Nagashima tries to work over Berkley's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nagashima trying to land knees to the body.
Berkley avoiding damage as Nagashima throws knees to the body.
Nagashima lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Berkley backwards.
Berkley working aggressively here.
Nagashima has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Berkley seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Nagashima can turn it around.

Berkley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Berkley gets tackled into the ropes by Nagashima. Nagashima maintains the clinch.
Berkley pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nagashima tries to land knees in the clinch but Berkley avoids the damage to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Berkley tries to break free but Nagashima pushes him back against the ropes.
Nagashima blocking some punches.
Berkley misses with the head strike.
Nagashima trying to land knees to the body.

Berkley breaks from the clinch.

Berkley fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nagashima, pushing him back against the ropes.
Nagashima lands with a left to the head.
Nagashima missing with knees to the body.
Nagashima tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nagashima is leaning against Berkley and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Nagashima trying to control the position but instead, Berkley has worked for underhooks and has pushed Nagashima into the ropes.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Berkley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A cross from Nagashima lands.
Berkley takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Berkley takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Nagashima fakes the leg kick and cracks Berkley in the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kazuhisa Nagashima showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kazuhisa Nagashima's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Berkley scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Nagashima throws a shot from downtown. Berkley moves away and avoids it.
Nagashima misses with a low kick.
Nagashima just misses with a punch to the body.

Berkley closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Nagashima blocks an elbow strike.
Nagashima lands with a left to the head.
Nagashima tries to throw a body punch but Berkley avoids it by throwing Nagashima back against the ropes.
Berkley working hard to break the clinch.
Nagashima scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Nagashima misses with a punch to the body.

Berkley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Berkley will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Berkley lands a jab to the head.
Nagashima scores with a jab to the body.

Nagashima fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Berkley, pushing him back against the ropes.
Nagashima lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagashima taking a breather.
Berkley tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nagashima working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nagashima tries to work over Berkley's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Berkley lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Berkley creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Nagashima blocks an elbow strike from Berkley.
Berkley throws an elbow that misses.
Nagashima putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Berkley in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Berkley lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Nagashima is trying to stall.
Nagashima creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Berkley wants to break free but Nagashima has control.
Nagashima scores with a shoulder strike.
Nagashima has Berkley pressed against the ropes, preventing Berkley from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Berkley's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Nagashima instigates a clinch.
Nagashima avoids a wild elbow strike from Berkley.
Berkley tries to circle away but Nagashima has him pinned against the ropes.
A short right from Nagashima on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nagashima keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Berkley's efforts to push away.
Berkley lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nagashima lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Berkley backwards.
Nagashima lands a body shot in the clinch.
Nagashima tries to land knees in the clinch but Berkley avoids the damage to the body.
Berkley lands a nice elbow.
Nice elbow from Nagashima.

It looks like Benjamin Berkley has been cut.
Nagashima lands an uppercut.
Berkley is looking to break free of the clinch but Nagashima has double underhooks.
Berkley wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Nagashima has him pressed against the ropes.

Berkley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Benjamin Berkley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nagashima fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Berkley checks it well.
Nagashima misses with an attempted mid kick.
Berkley throws a big shot that misses.
Nagashima throws a body punch but Berkley moves out of range.
Good leg kick by Nagashima.

Nagashima rushes Berkley and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kazuhisa Nagashima comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Nagashima 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight for Kazuhisa Nagashima!
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight for Kazuhisa Nagashima!
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight for Kazuhisa Nagashima!

Kazuhisa Nagashima wins by unanimous decision!
A very excited looking Kazuhisa Nagashima made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.