PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nam Dang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Salvatore Misawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Salvatore Misawa has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Nam Dang's chin.

Dang
vs
Misawa

177 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
23
173 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nam Dang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Salvatore Misawa!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Misawa looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Misawa leaves Dang with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Misawa closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Dang keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Misawa is stalling here. Dang is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Misawa seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Dang has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Misawa wants to control but Dang postures up.
Misawa avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Dang.

Dang wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Misawa, who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Misawa can't do much from the bottom here.
Misawa tries to bench press Dang off him but Dang keeps the position.
Misawa is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Dang is working for a kimura but Misawa is defending it quite comfortably.
Dang is looking to advance position but Misawa won't allow it.
Misawa keeping control of the position.
Misawa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dang. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Misawa is looking to control Dang's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Misawa avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Dang is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Dang prevents Misawa from standing back up.
Misawa tries to get to full guard but Dang has control of the leg.
Misawa is not content to let Dang control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A chopping leg kick lands by Misawa.
Dang fails with the takedown

and Misawa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Dang is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Misawa lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Misawa lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

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

Dang drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Misawa manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Dang has Misawa in his guard.

Misawa decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Dang, up you get!

Misawa shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Misawa passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Dang!

Misawa working for a guillotine from mount but Dang is in no mood to give up.
Misawa tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvatore Misawa dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Misawa fails with the takedown

and Dang counters with a takedown into side control.
Misawa tries to improve position but can't.
Misawa manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Dang is trying to control but can't.
Misawa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dang keeps working.
Dang wants to improve his position but Misawa is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Misawa is pressing down on Dang's thigh, looking to free his foot. Dang is holding on for now.
Dang has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Misawa is working away from the top position though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Dang gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Misawa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Misawa.
Misawa pushes Dang back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Misawa manages to break the clinch.
Misawa with a lazy takedown attempt

and Dang counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Misawa is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dang is looking for a kimura but Misawa is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Dang to get the leverage.

Dang is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Misawa wants to get back to full guard.
Dang thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Misawa's head.
Misawa is concentrating on defense, preventing Dang from advancing position.
Misawa is trying to stand.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Dang in particular looking to stall.

Dang wants to work for an arm triangle but Misawa is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Misawa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Misawa is trying to maintain the position but Dang is very close to passing his half guard.

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

Dang looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Dang has gone for a leg lock! Misawa slips out almost immediately though and dives into Dang's guard.
Dang looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dang keeping full guard, as Misawa tries to pass.
Dang controlling Misawa's posture.
Dang avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nam Dang dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Misawa with a poor takedown

and Dang counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Dang trying to control the position from guard on top but Misawa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Dang 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.

Dang is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Misawa is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Misawa has escaped and now he's on top!
Misawa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dang swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Dang is on top in guard.
Misawa 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.
Misawa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Misawa wants to sweep here but Dang controlling him for the moment.

Dang drops back, looking for a kneebar! Misawa looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Misawa looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Misawa!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
You can see the frustration on Dang's face as Misawa controls the position.
Misawa wants to stand but Dang has his arm trapped.
Dang tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Dang is trying to control Misawa's posture but Misawa avoids it.
Dang on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Dang tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dang is being controlled here.
Dang struggling a bit here.
Misawa wants to control but Dang is keeping him busy.

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.
Dang seems a little lost for a moment, as Misawa dominates the positioning.

Misawa decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Misawa lands with a thumping leg kick.
Misawa fails in his attempt to clinch.
Misawa shoots and misses

and Dang counters with a shoot takedown. Misawa fights it but they end up in guard.

Dang thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Misawa trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

And that's the end of the fight!
Nam Dang showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Dang 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 Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nam Dang!