PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hidetoshi Nakata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pawel Nastula (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hidetoshi Nakata has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Nakata
vs
Nastula

178 cm
23
175 lbs
5 - 2 - 1

175 cm
22
169 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Hidetoshi Nakata!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Pawel Nastula!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Ren Mimura and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakata shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nastula but Nastula pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Nakata shoots in and bounces Nastula off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Nastula throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Nastula is adopting a defensive guard.
Nakata wants to control from the top but Nastula keeps moving.

Nakata postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Nastula is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Nakata, into his guard.

Nakata is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nastula is aware though and is defending well.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Nastula chips away with some ground and pound.
Nastula with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nastula trying to control but Nakata is working from the bottom.
Nakata wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nakata is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nastula defends well.

Nakata throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Nastula escapes and throws Nakata's legs to the side, diving into side control!
You can see the frustration on Nakata's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Nastula trying to control the position but Nakata is working away.
Nastula advances to mount.
Nastula with the ground and pound from mount.

Nakata defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Nastula.
Nastula throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nastula lands with some strikes.
Nastula scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Nakata?
Nastula prevents Nakata from getting the reversal.
Nastula avoids the attempt from Nakata to control.
Nakata is squirming around, avoiding Nastula's attempts to control the action.
Nastula with shots to the head and body - Nakata looks very uncomfortable down there.
Nakata is squirming around, avoiding Nastula's attempts to control the action.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Nastula cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Nastula can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nakata is looking to escape.

Nastula looking for a guillotine from mount but Nakata is having none of it.
Nastula looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakata is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Nastula throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Nakata bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Nakata makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Nakata drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Nakata jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Nakata thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Nakata missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Nakata trying to control but Nastula is working from the bottom.
Nakata wants to pass the guard but Nastula is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nakata wants to control from the top but Nastula keeps moving.
Nakata works over Nastula with some ground and pound from guard.
Nakata scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nakata is looking to clinch.
Nakata tries to clinch up.
Nakata tries to close the distance and clinch but Nastula swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Nakata closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Nastula to the mat! Nastula manages to get full guard.
Nakata postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Nakata thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Nakata pushing down on Nastula's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Nakata perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Nastula wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nakata drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Nakata lands a couple of digs.
Nastula tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nakata is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Nakata postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nakata preventing the sweep.

Nakata 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.
Nakata working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Nastula's head.
Nakata postures up.
Nakata trying to control but Nastula is working from the bottom.

Nastula throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nastula is breathing heavily.

Nakata drops back looking for a leg! Nastula is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nastula manages to kick Nakata off! Nakata jumps back into Nastula's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Nakata instigates a clinch.

Nakata gets control of Nastula's arms and successfully pulls guard. Nakata will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Nakata is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nastula is aware though and is defending well.

Nakata is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nastula defends well.
Nakata is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Nastula trying to control but Nakata is working from the bottom.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nakata has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nastula can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Nastula passes Nakata's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Nastula tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Nakata.

Nakata looking for submissions off his back.
Nastula sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nakata defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nakata looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Nakata is looking to control Nastula's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Nakata avoid being mounted?

Nakata looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Nakata looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Nakata is refusing to be controlled, as Nastula sits in half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nastula swats away the attempt to clinch by Nakata.

Nakata drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nakata drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Nakata jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Nakata cracks Nastula with a solid left hand.
Nakata slips nicely into half guard.
Nakata winds up and cracks Nastula with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Nakata looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Nakata blocks the strikes from Nastula.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hidetoshi Nakata dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Nastula with a poor takedown

and Nakata counters with a shoot takedown. Nastula fights it but they end up in guard.
Nakata postures up in Nastula's guard and throws a big left but Nastula blocks it.
Nastula wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Nakata thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Nastula looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nakata is one step ahead there.

Nakata drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Nakata jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Hidetoshi Nakata overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nakata working some strikes from top position.
Nakata has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Nakata drops back looking for a leg! Nastula is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nastula manages to kick Nakata off! Nakata jumps back into Nastula's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Nakata drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Nakata jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nastula avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Nakata drives through with a takedown into guard.

Nakata drops back looking for a leg! Nastula is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nastula manages to kick Nakata off! Nakata jumps back into Nastula's guard.
Nastula is trying to control the position but Nakata postures up.
Nakata lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Nakata drops back looking for a leg! Nastula is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nastula manages to kick Nakata off! Nakata jumps back into Nastula's guard.
Nakata content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakata is looking to work some ground and pound but Nastula has wrist control.
Nastula bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nakata's guard.

Nakata has his foot on Nastula's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Nastula works his way back into a safe position though.

Nakata looking for a guillotine here but Nastula defends easily.

Nakata is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nastula is aware though and is defending well.
Nakata keeping moving, preventing Nastula from controlling successfully.

Nakata looking for a guillotine here but Nastula defends easily.
Nakata wants to stand up but Nastula is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nakata is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nastula defends well.

Nakata is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nastula is aware though and is defending well.
Nastula keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Nakata's head.

Nakata is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Nastula wants to control from the top but Nakata keeps moving.
Nastula in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakata keeping full guard, as Nastula tries to pass.

Nakata looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Nastula wants to pass the guard but Nakata is keeping the position.
Nastula trying to control the position from guard on top but Nakata is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nakata utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Nastula avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hidetoshi Nakata is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nakata is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Pawel Nastula has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nakata trying to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hidetoshi Nakata showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nakata, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight for Hidetoshi Nakata!
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight for Hidetoshi Nakata!
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Hidetoshi Nakata!

Hidetoshi Nakata wins by unanimous decision!