PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kenji Nakamura (ranked 1218 p4p, 2230 weight class) and Smif Thibodeaux (ranked 137 p4p, 236 weight class). Kenji Nakamura has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nakamura
vs
Thibodeaux

166 cm
26
145
4 - 1 - 0

160 cm
26
154
4 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

Highland Clothing

Island Boys Nutrition

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kenji Nakamura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Smif Thibodeaux!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Michael Johnstone and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakamura throws out a powerful jab.
Nakamura wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nakamura definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Nakamura scores with a nice right hand.
Nakamura wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Thibodeaux looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Nakamura closes the distance and clinches.
Nakamura lands a right hand that snaps the head of Thibodeaux backwards.
Nakamura has a couple of punches blocked by Thibodeaux.
A right hand to the body from Nakamura.

Thibodeaux pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Nakamura moves into range and clinches up with Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux wants to break the clinch but can't.
Thibodeaux is trying to push Nakamura away but Nakamura has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Nakamura lands a shoulder strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nakamura lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Thibodeaux throws a head punch that misses.
Nakamura has Thibodeaux pressed against the cage, preventing Thibodeaux from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Thibodeaux breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thibodeaux throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nakamura smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nakamura punishes Thibodeaux's body with a nice straight punch.

Thibodeaux gets tackled into the cage by Nakamura. Nakamura maintains the clinch.
Nakamura lands a right hand that snaps the head of Thibodeaux backwards.
Nakamura lands a body shot.
Nakamura gets through Thibodeaux's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Thibodeaux wants to break free but Nakamura has control.
Nakamura misses with a hook to the ribs.

Thibodeaux's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nakamura misses with a wild body shot.
Nakamura cracks a nice hook into Thibodeaux's ribs.

Nakamura clinches up with Thibodeaux and pushes him back against the cage.

Thibodeaux breaks from the clinch.
The crowd cheers as Nakamura lands an impressive looking overhand right. Thibodeaux doesn't seem phased though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nakamura's jab looks to have found its range, popping Thibodeaux under the eye.
The crowd cheers as Nakamura lands an impressive looking overhand right. Thibodeaux doesn't seem phased though.
Thibodeaux takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Nakamura lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kenji Nakamura seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Nakamura rushes Thibodeaux and presses him up against the cage.
Nakamura keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Thibodeaux's efforts to push away.
Nakamura throws a head punch that misses.
A short right from Nakamura.
A short uppercut from Nakamura.
Nakamura scores with a shot to the side of Thibodeaux's head.
Nakamura lands with a light punch inside.
Thibodeaux tries to break the clinch but Nakamura is controlling the position.
Thibodeaux is trying to force a seperation but Nakamura has the dominant position.
Nakamura tries a body shot but Thibodeaux blocks it.
Nakamura working aggressively here.
Thibodeaux is trying to push Nakamura away but Nakamura has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nakamura manages to break the clinch.
Thibodeaux takes one on the button.
Thibodeaux takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Nakamura lands the left hand.
Nakamura lands a jab to the head.
Nakamura bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Thibodeaux's head backwards.
Nakamura throws a shot to the body.
Nakamura tries to clinch there but Thibodeaux circles away.
A nice side step and Thibodeaux releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Nakamura scores with a jab to the head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Thibodeaux. Nakamura does a little dance to reset his feet.
Good exchange - Nakamura coming out on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nakamura lands a right hook to the body.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Thibodeaux.
Nakamura scores with a jab.
Nakamura lands with a shot to the body.
Thibodeaux walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Nice uppercut lands for Nakamura. That snapped Thibodeaux's head back.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Nakamura.
Nice shot lands for Nakamura.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nakamura slips under a jab.
Nakamura lands with a cross.
Nakamura dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kenji Nakamura dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Thibodeaux throws the left hand but Nakamura avoids the punch easily.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Thibodeaux. Nakamura shrugs it off though.
Thibodeaux throws a looping overhand right but Nakamura ducks down to avoid it.
Nakamura lands with a nice body punch.
Nakamura connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Thibodeaux's hands.
Thibodeaux has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Thibodeaux takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Thibodeaux walks into a left hand.
Thibodeaux swings widly with a right hand
and Nakamura counters with a lovely straight right hand!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thibodeaux misses with an uppercut.
Nakamura scores with a sloppy right hand. Thibodeaux should have avoided that one.
Nakamura moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura with a hook.
A jab lands there for Nakamura.
Nakamura is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Thibodeaux can do to turn this around?
Nakamura scores with a jab to the body.
Thibodeaux walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Thibodeaux is rocked!
Thibodeaux throws a lazy uppercut
and Thibodeaux takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Thibodeaux is still on wobbly legs! Can Nakamura finish him?
Nakamura bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Thibodeaux's head backwards.
Nakamura moves out of range as Thibodeaux throws a body kick.
Thibodeaux seems to have recovered his senses.
Nakamura connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Thibodeaux's hands.
Nakamura connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Thibodeaux momentarily.
Thibodeaux gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nakamura just misses with a punch to the body.
Thibodeaux misses with a shot to the body
and Nakamura counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thibodeaux has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Nakamura finds it's way round the side to connect with Thibodeaux's head.
Nakamura lands a slapping body shot.
Thibodeaux on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Nakamura stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Thibodeaux rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Nakamura counters with a left to the body.
Good exchange - Nakamura coming out on top.
Thibodeaux takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Nakamura scores with a decent looking hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura lunges at Thibodeaux with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Thibodeaux's hand.
Nakamura clobbers Thibodeaux with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Nakamura pounces like a tiger and cracks Thibodeaux with a vicious hook! Thibodeaux is down but not out! Nakamura follows up with more strikes forcing the ref to jump in and stop it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Kenji Nakamura!