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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Akira Shoji (ranked 3518 p4p, 4312 weight class) and Pierce Nolen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!
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| 173 cm
22
226
1 - 1 - 0 |
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185 cm
25
265
0 - 0 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin |
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BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akira Shoji!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pierce Nolen!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shirou Masuda and Yukihiro Yamamoto.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shoji looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nolen is fending him off so far but Shoji persists. Nope, Nolen circles away and we're back to standing.
Nolen wants to counter the offense by Shoji and move into the clinch position.
Shoji shoots in for a takedown but Nolen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Shoji closes the distance and clinches up with Nolen, looking for a takedown. Shoji pushes Nolen against the cage but Nolen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akira Shoji. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nolen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nolen tries a head kick but it misses.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Nolen has eaten all the pies!
Shoji swinging wildly here.
Shoji closes the distance and clinches up with Nolen, looking for a takedown. Shoji pushes Nolen against the cage but Nolen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nolen shoots for a takedown but Shoji saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Shoji appears to be looking for a big counter.
Nolen thuds a left hand into Shoji's body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shoji darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Shoji is looking to take a break and control but Nolen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Nolen actively working from the bottom here.
Shoji with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nolen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Shoji is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Nolen has managed to free his arm - good work.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Shoji is controlling the pace.
Shoji wants to control but Nolen is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nolen wants to control but Shoji is keeping busy.
Shoji frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nolen tries to hold on but Shoji postures up.
Shoji lands a big shot there that rocks Nolen but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Shoji content just to control the position here.
Shoji lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Shoji controlling from the full mount.
Nolen is working to get back to half guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shoji unloading with bombs!
Shoji won't let Nolen get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Shoji sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Shoji tries to control but Nolen wriggling away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shoji fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Akira Shoji dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!
Shoji tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nolen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shoji gets tackled into the cage by Nolen. Nolen maintains the clinch.
Shoji trying to stall but Nolen improves his position.
Nolen manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Nolen tries to pull guard but Shoji forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Shoji has picked Nolen up - he's going for a ride! Shoji dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Shoji with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shoji wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nolen keeps working.
Nolen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Shoji is taking a breather. Nolen says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Shoji works his way into side control.
Nolen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Shoji wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shoji working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Akira Shoji overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nolen tries to buck Shoji off but Shoji is having none of it.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shoji tries for a kimura but Nolen is defending well.
Shoji content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Nolen can't do much from the bottom here.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shoji decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Akira Shoji is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight moves into the clinch position.
Shoji prevents a takedown attempt there.
Nolen breaks the clinch.
No luck for Shoji with that takedown attempt.
Nolen tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Shoji defends well and Nolen ends up having to push Shoji into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Akira Shoji has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pierce Nolen.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shoji looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nolen has his takedown stuffed
and Shoji counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Nolen is breathing heavily.
Shoji scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Shoji throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Shoji drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Shoji jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Shoji is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shoji keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Nolen's head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Akira Shoji dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!
Nolen misses with a takedown attempt - Shoji sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Shoji misses with the combination.
Shoji slaps away a takedown attempt from Nolen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Nolen moves to clinch but Shoji breaks away
and Shoji counters with a shoot takedown. Nolen fights it but they end up in guard.
Shoji advances position into side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nolen trying to remain calm as Shoji controls from the top position.
Shoji decides to stand back up.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Nolen fails with the takedown.
Shoji tries to counter by clinching up but Nolen breaks away and moves out of range.
Akira Shoji has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pierce Nolen.
Nolen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Shoji moves into range and clinches up with Nolen.
Nolen is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Shoji pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Shoji breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Shoji gets the takedown into side control.
Shoji is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nolen can do to turn this around?
Shoji decides to stand back up. Shoji steps back and let's Nolen get back to his feet.
Shoji leaves Nolen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nolen lands a two punch combo.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shoji scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Nolen tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shoji has managed to slip his arm under Nolen's chin. This could be all over... yep, Nolen is tapping out! Submission win for Shoji.
Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Akira Shoji!
During a confident post fight interview, Akira Shoji thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
44% |
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