PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Esa Nahka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Crane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Nahka
vs
Crane

175 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

184 cm
20
147 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Esa Nahka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Crane!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Tiny Johnson and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crane closes this distance looking for a takedown but Nahka circles away.
Nahka swats away the attempt to clinch by Crane.
Esa Nahka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nahka rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Crane moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Crane will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Nahka instigates a clinch.
Crane wants a takedown but no success here.
Esa Nahka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Crane.

Nahka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Crane shoots for a takedown but Nahka saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Nahka bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Nahka trying to control the action but Crane is working from the bottom.
Crane manages to work his way to half guard, despite Nahka's best efforts.
Crane is trying to maintain the position but Nahka is very close to passing his half guard.
Still in half guard, Nahka seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nahka's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Nahka has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Nahka thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Crane is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Nahka pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Crane looks gassed!
Nahka trying to pass the guard but Crane defending well.
Nahka content to control rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Nahka missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nahka controlling the action here.
Nahka thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Crane's head.
Crane is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Nahka's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Nahka's back!
Nahka trying to control the position but Crane manages to sink in the hooks.

Crane looking for the choke but no joy.
Nahka tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crane not allowing Nahka to control his hands.

Nahka manages to stand up with Crane still on his back. Eventually Crane drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.

Nahka has closed the distance and engaged Crane in a clinch.
Nahka misses with a knee strike.

Nahka ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Nahka no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Crane wants to stand but Nahka is controlling his posture from full guard.
Nahka wants to stand but Crane is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crane trying to move into half guard but instead Nahka has managed to sweep!
Nahka sitting in guard here, content to control.
Nahka has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Nahka tries to stand but Crane is controlling from the bottom.
Nahka looking to pass the guard.
Crane wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esa Nahka dominated that round.
That's time! Nahka's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nahka moves into range and clinches up with Crane.
Crane drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Crane is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Nahka ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Nahka no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Crane trying to control but Nahka is working from the bottom.
Nahka is trying to control the position but Crane postures up.
Crane looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Crane postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Esa Nahka just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Nahka shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Nahka showed some decent athleticism there.
Crane trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Nahka lands a heavy elbow.
Nahka takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Crane keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Nahka pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crane keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Nahka controlling from mount.
Crane is trying desperately to improve position.
Nahka controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nahka lands a heavy elbow.
Crane tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nahka trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nahka avoids the attempt from Crane to control.
Crane is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Nahka trying to control but Crane is having none of it.
Nahka unloading with bombs!

That's four 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.
Nahka sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Nahka pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Nahka controlling the position easily from mount.
Nahka dominating with strikes here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Crane flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esa Nahka dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Crane fails with the takedown

and Nahka holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Crane looking for a takedown.
Nahka's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Crane tries for a takedown but Nahka manages to get underhooks.
Esa Nahka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Crane.

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

Nahka closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Nahka lands in his opponent's guard.
Nahka forces his way into half guard.
Nahka performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Crane is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nahka prevents Crane from improving his position.

Nahka wants to work for an arm triangle but Crane is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Nahka is trying to control the action in half guard but Crane is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Crane regains full guard. Nicely done.

Crane had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Nahka is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Crane Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Nahka's back instead.
Even with his hooks in, Crane manages to miss with strikes from the back.

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

Nahka preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Crane.
Nahka trying to survive by controlling the hands.
Crane is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Nahka. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

Nahka defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
I really don't envy Nahka right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crane wants to control but Nahka is keeping busy.
Crane controlling well, preventing Nahka from escaping the position.
Nahka knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Crane on the ground.
Crane scores with punches from the back.
Nahka is really stuck here.
Nahka staying busy and making it hard for Crane to control.

Crane is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Nahka is defending well though. Crane let's go of the attempt for now.
Nahka trying to control the action but Crane just sinks the hooks in.

That's four 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.
Crane trying to control.
Nahka wriggles onto his back under a barage of strikes.
Nahka tries to hold on but Crane pushes him away.
James Crane has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nahka is bucking up trying to escape but Crane cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Nahka is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Esa Nahka is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nahka wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Crane.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to James Crane.
Well Nahka has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 George Francis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Esa Nahka!