PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joe Nash (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nathaniel Tabares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Tabares's choice of entrance music: your a jerk. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Nash
vs
Tabares

180 cm
18
149 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 New York, Joe Nash!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nathaniel Tabares!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Columbo Gatti and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tabares tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Nash swivels and escapes.
Tabares dives in and grabs Nash's left leg, looking for a takedown. Nash pushes down on Tabares's head and hops out.
A combination from Nash does no damage.
Nice sprawl there from Tabares as Nash shoots in.
Tabares avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nash fails to land with a series of punches.
Tabares tries for a takedown but Nash circles away easily

and Nash counters by clinching up.
Joe Nash has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nathaniel Tabares.
Tabares using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Tabares managing to block the knees to the body from Nash.
Tabares tries to land knees in the clinch but Nash avoids the damage to the body.
A body shot lands from Nash.
Tabares keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Nash's efforts to push away.
Nash is pressed up against the cage. Tabares has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Nash down to the mat. Nash avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nash with a lazy takedown attempt

and Tabares counters with a shoot takedown. Nash fights it but they end up in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nash is trying to keep Tabares in close.
Tabares trying to control but Nash is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nash wants to sweep here but Tabares controlling him for the moment.
Tabares stops Nash from standing up.
Tabares sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Nash's guard.
Nash is looking for a sweep. Tabares is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tabares wants to free his trapped foot but Nash is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Nash trying to hold on to Tabares's head to control him but Tabares postures up.

That's two 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.

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

Nash gets the takedown into side control.
Tabares looks gassed!
Sloppy strikes there by Nash.
Tabares throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Nash tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Nash creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Tabares sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The strikes coming from Nash are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Tabares parries the strikes from Nash easily there. Nash is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Tabares to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nash is putting a hurting on Tabares here, landing some big shots from side control.
Tabares is looking for a sweep.
Nash is looking to take a break and control but Tabares is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tabares defending against the ground and pound.
Tabares takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Tabares takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Nash is working Tabares over with some ground and pound from side control.
Nash working the ground and pound.
Nash scoring with punches and elbows.
Nash is chipping away with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nash tries to advance to mount but can't.
Nash in side control lands a decent elbow.
Tabares avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Nash.
Nash lands a nice forearm strike.
Tabares is looking to regain half guard here but Nash keeps moving and retains side control.
Nash working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Nash lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Tabares down.
Tabares defending against the ground and pound.
Tabares is looking to reverse the position.

Nash decides to stand up, so the ref orders Tabares to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Nash dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Tabares will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Tabares fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nash, pushing him back against the cage.

Tabares has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Nash uses from the top position.
Nash stopping the sweep attempt from Tabares.
Nash scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Nash with a nice head shot there.
Tabares avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tabares is breathing heavily.
Nash lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Tabares preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nash looking to pass the guard.
Nash throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tabares wants to sweep here but Nash controlling him for the moment.
Nash wants to control from the top but Tabares keeps moving.
Nash lands a couple of digs.
Nash is working Tabares over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Nash lands a couple of digs.

Tabares looking for a guillotine here but Nash defends easily.
Nash throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tabares works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nash throwing strikes from guard but Tabares blocks nicely.

Tabares isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Nash stacks Tabares on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Nash!
Tabares taking punishment in the form of punches.
Nash working the body and head with strikes.
Nash working the body and head with strikes.
Nash landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Nash working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Tabares is working to avoid the ground and pound but Nash connects with a decent elbow.
Nash working the ground and pound from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nash tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Tabares on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Tabares is looking for a sweep.
Tabares takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Nash scoring with punches from side control.
Nash scoring with punches from side control.

Nash stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Nash is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Tabares's half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nash wants to work for an arm triangle but Tabares is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Nash working Tabares over with strikes.
Nash moves into full mount! Tabares won't be happy about that!
Nash looking to finish Tabares with some ground and pound. This is bad for Tabares!
Nash cracks Tabares with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nash with the ground and pound from mount.
Nash punishing his opponent with strikes.
Nash postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Tabares looks a forlorn figure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Nash dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Nash looks to land a combination. Tabares sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Tabares takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Nash works over Tabares's head and body with a nice combination.
No luck for Nash with that takedown attempt.
Nash bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Tabares's head.
Tabares darts in trying to clinch
letting Nash counter with a right hand.
Tabares will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nash misses with a combination

and Tabares counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Tabares takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nash wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tabares wants to stand up but Nash is controlling the position.
Nash pushes Tabares off looking to stand but Tabares dives back in and keeps control.
Joe Nash overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tabares tries to stand and escape but Nash is controlling the position.
Tabares stops Nash from getting back to his feet.
Nash moves into full guard.

Nash uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nash throws a combination that misses

so Tabares counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Nash is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Nash is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Nash wants to get back to his feet but Tabares is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tabares not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Nash trying to keep a closed guard but Tabares is proving a slippery customer.
Nathaniel Tabares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nash wants to control the position but Tabares says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Nash punching from the bottom.
Nash trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Tabares staying out of range there.
Tabares is trying hard to land a takedown here. Nash sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Nash has closed the distance and engaged Tabares in a clinch.

Nash successfully pulls guard.
Nash wants to stand but Tabares is controlling the position.

Tabares drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Nash dives on top into guard.
Nash makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nathaniel Tabares.
Well Nash 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Nash!