PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Soichi Noko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Festus Riboloni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Soichi Noko looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Noko
vs
Riboloni

201 cm
22
240 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

193 cm
20
247 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Soichi Noko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Festus Riboloni!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riboloni shoots for a double leg takedown but Noko sprawls well. He's pushed Riboloni's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Riboloni looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Noko.
The referee asks Noko politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Noko prefers to stall for the moment though.

Noko is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Riboloni has escaped the position, nice work there.

Noko decides to stand up, so the ref orders Riboloni to his feet.
Noko tries for a takedown but Riboloni sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Riboloni swinging wilding here.

Noko closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Noko tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Noko has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Riboloni tries to buck Noko off but Noko is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noko working away.
Riboloni is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Noko asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Riboloni tries to bench press Noko off him but Noko keeps the position.
Riboloni is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Noko asserts his dominance and retains side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Noko is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Riboloni knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

Riboloni shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riboloni thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Noko's head.
Noko avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Riboloni.
Noko throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Noko regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Riboloni.
Noko on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Noko tries to get out of the position.
Noko bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Riboloni's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Noko gets to his feet - Riboloni follows without any prompting.

Noko drives through with a takedown into guard.
Riboloni throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Riboloni wants to stand up but Noko is controlling him.

Noko stands up from Riboloni's guard - Noko perhaps looking for a knockout.
Riboloni tries to close the distance and clinch up but Noko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice sprawl there from Riboloni as Noko shoots in.
Riboloni throws a solid leg kick but Noko takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Riboloni.

Noko gets the takedown into side control.
Riboloni tries to escape but Noko is in control.
Riboloni is trying to control Noko's posture but Noko avoids it.
Noko knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Riboloni on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riboloni being controlled for a moment.

Noko stands up and beckons Riboloni to his feet.

Noko has Riboloni up against the cage in a clinch.
Noko connects with a knee to the head.
Noko lands a nice knee to the body.

Noko breaks the clinch.
Noko cracks the inside of Riboloni's front leg.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Noko misses with a takedown attempt - Riboloni sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Soichi Noko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Noko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Riboloni misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Riboloni is trying hard to land a takedown here. Noko sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Soichi Noko dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Horrible takedown by Noko or perhaps it was just good defense by Riboloni which made him look bad.
Noko shoots for a takedown but Riboloni saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Riboloni shoots and misses

and Noko counters with a takedown into side control.
Noko working away.
A lull in the action here.

Noko decides to stand up, so the ref orders Riboloni to his feet.
Soichi Noko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Noko scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Riboloni tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Noko trying to control the action but Riboloni is working from the bottom.
Riboloni is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Noko asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riboloni gets back to half guard.
Noko content to control rather than advance.
Riboloni is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Still in half guard, Noko seems content to control.

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

Noko gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Noko dodges the punch combination from Riboloni.

Noko changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Riboloni looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Noko prevents Riboloni from escaping the position.

Noko has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Noko closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Noko lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Riboloni prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Soichi Noko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Noko landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Noko manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Riboloni would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Noko wriggles free and stands up.
Riboloni lands the left hand.
Noko with a lazy takedown attempt
and Riboloni counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Noko closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Riboloni moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Riboloni trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Noko thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Riboloni with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Noko can't handle though.
Riboloni will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Noko stands up and waves to Riboloni to follow him.
Festus Riboloni seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Riboloni keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Noko shoots in but Riboloni avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Riboloni throws an overhand right that lands on Noko's shoulder, as Noko tries to avoid the shot.
Noko shoots in looking for a takedown. Riboloni tries to sprawl out of it but Noko keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Riboloni manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Riboloni is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Noko.
Noko slips a jab and a cross from Riboloni.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Noko looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Riboloni is fending him off so far but Noko persists. Nope, Riboloni circles away and we're back to standing.
Some wild striking there from Riboloni.
Noko blocks a head kick by Riboloni.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Soichi Noko dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Noko or perhaps it was just good defense by Riboloni which made him look bad.

Noko feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Noko has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Riboloni looking for a sweep. Not yet Riboloni, not yet.
Riboloni wants to stand and escape but Noko is having none of it.
Noko scoring with some ground and pound.
Noko postures up.

Noko gets to his feet - Riboloni follows without any prompting.
Noko shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Riboloni displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Noko.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Soichi Noko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Riboloni jabs Noko right on the nose. Noko blinks but takes it well.

Noko looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Noko is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Riboloni wants to stand but Noko is controlling the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Riboloni working for a triangle but Noko defends it easily.

Noko stands up from Riboloni's guard - Noko perhaps looking for a knockout.

Noko scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Soichi Noko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Noko is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Noko tries to stand and escape but Riboloni is controlling the position.
Noko is controlling the pace.
Riboloni looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noko blocks the strikes from Riboloni.
Noko works his way into full mount!

Noko has hold of Riboloni's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Riboloni manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Noko blocks Riboloni's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Noko controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noko lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Riboloni hang on?

Noko looking to secure an arm triangle but Riboloni defends it well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Noko takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Noko fails to take his opponent's back.
Soichi Noko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Riboloni squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Noko controlling his opponent.
Riboloni is desperately trying to improve his position but Noko has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Noko controlling his opponent.
Poor strikes thrown by Noko there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Noko controlling the pace for now.
Riboloni is squirming around, avoiding Noko's attempts to control the action.
Festus Riboloni has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Noko get's back to his feet.
Riboloni throws a jab when Noko was well out of range.
Riboloni throws a series of punches but Noko avoids them all with ease.

And that's the end of the fight!
Soichi Noko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Noko, 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Soichi Noko!