PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Souichiro Nagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chong Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nagi
vs
Li

165 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Souichiro Nagi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Chong Li!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Sano and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nagi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Li, pushing him back against the cage.
Li looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Nagi breaks from the clinch.

Nagi shoots in and bounces Li off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Nagi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Nagi tries to stand but Li is controlling from the bottom.
Nagi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Li keeping moving, preventing Nagi from controlling successfully.
Nagi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Li keeping moving, preventing Nagi from controlling successfully.

Li is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nagi thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Nagi closes the distance and clinches.

Nagi manages to break the clinch.

Nagi clinches up against the cage.

Nagi drags the fight down to the ground.
Li would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Li prevents Nagi from getting back to his feet.
Nagi working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nagi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Li wants to pass the guard but Nagi is keeping the position.

Li avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Li tries to clinch but Nagi is having none of it.

Nagi shoots in and bounces Li off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Li is looking for a triangle but Nagi pushes his legs off easily.
Nagi trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li looking to control.

Nagi thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Li keeping moving, preventing Nagi from controlling successfully.
Li controls Nagi momentarily but Nagi frees himself.

Li looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Li keeping moving, preventing Nagi from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Li looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Li is trying to control the position but Nagi postures up.
Nagi tries to free his leg and advance position but Li is retaining full guard.
Nagi advances to half guard.
Nagi is keen to just control but Li is a slippery customer.
Li looks like he's trying to stand up.

Li has one foot on Nagi's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Li scores with a three punch combo!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Souichiro Nagi will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nagi has taken the fight to the clinch.

Nagi has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Li uses from the top position.

Nagi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Li trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nagi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Li stands up from Nagi's guard - Li perhaps looking for a knockout.
Li doesn't manage to clinch there - Nagi circles away.
Nagi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nagi fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagi tries to close the distance and clinch but Li swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Li.
Nagi is looking to regain half guard here but Li keeps moving and retains side control.

Li stands up.
Li wants to clinch up but Nagi keeps it at a distance.
Li wants to clinch but Nagi slips to the side

and Nagi counters by moving into the clinch.
Li being controlled against the cage.

Nagi wants the takedown. Li is fighting it off but Nagi persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Li's guard against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Li has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Nagi off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Nagi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Li paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Li tries to clinch there but Nagi circles away.
Nagi tries for a takedown but Li sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Nagi shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Li trying to hold on to Nagi's head to control him but Nagi postures up.
Nagi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Li on the ground.

Nagi decides to stand up.
Souichiro Nagi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li stuffs the takedown attempt from Nagi. Nagi gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Souichiro Nagi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Nagi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Li is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Li works his way to full guard. Good work.
Nagi trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
Li wants to sweep here but Nagi controlling him for the moment.

Nagi is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Li is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Li has escaped and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Li pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nagi is keeping the position for now.

Nagi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Li gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Li is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
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 Souichiro Nagi will probably get the nod.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Nagi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Li shoots in but Nagi avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Nagi closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Souichiro Nagi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Li sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Li pushes Nagi off and gets back to his feet.

Li changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Nagi looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Nagi struggling a bit here.

Li stands up and beckons Nagi to his feet.
Nagi checks the leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice takedown defense from Nagi. No joy for Li on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li misses with a body shot.

Nagi closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Nagi wants to stand but Li is controlling his arm.
Li is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Nagi's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Nagi blocks the strikes from Li.
Li wants to control but Nagi is keeping busy.
Nagi stalling.
Nagi wants to take a breather but Li is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Li looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Nagi trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
Nagi throwing strikes but missing.

Li is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Nagi is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nagi showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Li looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nagi is one step ahead there.
Li not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Nagi wants to get up but he can't break Li's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Li looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four 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.
Nagi landing some decent shots from guard.
Nagi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Li has Nagi pulled in close to control his posture.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Li is on top in guard.
Nagi keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Nagi being controlled here, momentarily.
Chong Li has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Souichiro Nagi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nagi is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chong Li comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Nagi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Souichiro Nagi!