PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Big Mark Nathaniels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Minotauro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nathaniels comes to the cage accompanied by I Want To Get Away - Lenny Kravitz. The crowd seem to be enjoying Minotauro's choice of entrance music: ZZ. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Mark Nathaniels
vs
Minotauro

194 cm
23
230 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
265 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Crashforce Nutrition (Authentic 160Q/159Q supps!)

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Big Mark Nathaniels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Antonio Minotauro!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nathaniels shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Minotauro counters with a takedown into side control.
Nathaniels wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minotauro wants to control but Nathaniels is keeping him busy.
Minotauro looks gassed!

Nathaniels throws Minotauro to one side and escapes!
Minotauro shoots and misses

and Nathaniels counters with a shoot takedown. Minotauro fights it but they end up in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nathaniels postures up and lands a big shot to Minotauro's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nathaniels working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nathaniels has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Nathaniels is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Nathaniels lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Minotauro has a closed guard, preventing Nathaniels from standing up.
Minotauro has momentary wrist control but Nathaniels slips an elbow through the middle.
Nathaniels with a nice head shot there.
Nathaniels scoring with some ground and pound.
Nathaniels is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Nathaniels stands up over Minotauro, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nathaniels postures up.
Nathaniels landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minotauro working a defensive guard here.
Nathaniels postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nathaniels distracts Minotauro with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Nathaniels trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nathaniels with a nice head shot there.
Nathaniels content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Nathaniels thows a big elbow that misses.
Nathaniels postures up in Minotauro's guard and throws a big left but Minotauro blocks it.
Minotauro is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nathaniels scoring with some ground and pound.

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.
Nathaniels works over Minotauro with some ground and pound from guard.
Nathaniels missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Minotauro wants to stand but Nathaniels is controlling the position.
Minotauro is trying to control the position but Nathaniels postures up.
Nathaniels in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Minotauro looking for a guillotine here but Nathaniels defends easily.
Nathaniels is in close to Minotauro's body, working some short punches and elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Big Mark Nathaniels dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

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

Nathaniels pushes Minotauro off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Nathaniels scores with a one two! Minotauro had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Nathaniels scores with a hook to the body. Minotauro takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Nathaniels closes this distance looking for a takedown but Minotauro circles away.
Nathaniels lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Nathaniels.

Nathaniels shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Nathaniels looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Minotauro really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minotauro tries to hold on but Nathaniels postures up.
Nathaniels landing strikes, looking to finish!
Nathaniels raining down hammerfists from mount.
Minotauro is in a horrible position here. Nathaniels smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Minotauro tries to hold on but Nathaniels postures up.
Nathaniels with good strikes from the mount here!
Minotauro is desperately trying to improve his position but Nathaniels has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two 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.
Nathaniels avoids the attempt from Minotauro to control.
BOOM! Nathaniels connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Minotauro taking shots to the head.
Nathaniels landing strikes from the mount and Minotauro is in trouble!
The referee warns Minotauro that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Nathaniels postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Minotauro looks a forlorn figure.
Nathaniels lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Minotauro tries to lock up and control but Nathaniels gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nathaniels lands a big elbow.
Nathaniels raining down shots from the mount!
Nathaniels cracks Minotauro with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Nathaniels landing punches.
Minotauro tries to hold on but Nathaniels pushes him away.
Nathaniels lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Minotauro hang on?
Nathaniels lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Nathaniels lands a nice shot to the head.
Minotauro in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Minotauro wants to hold on but Nathaniels pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nathaniels putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Nathaniels avoids the attempt from Minotauro to control.
BOOM! Nathaniels connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Nathaniels scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Minotauro?
The referee warns Minotauro that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Minotauro sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Minotauro trying to control here.
Nathaniels lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Minotauro is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Big Mark Nathaniels 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!

Minotauro has his takedown stuffed

and Nathaniels counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Big Mark Nathaniels overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nathaniels missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Nathaniels postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Nathaniels is working Minotauro over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Minotauro controls Nathaniels momentarily but Nathaniels frees himself.
Nathaniels postures up in Minotauro's guard and throws a big left but Minotauro blocks it.
Nathaniels throwing strikes but missing.

Minotauro looking for a guillotine here but Nathaniels defends easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nathaniels with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nathaniels content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Nathaniels postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nathaniels is in close to Minotauro's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Minotauro keeping full guard, as Nathaniels tries to pass.
Nathaniels throws a strike but Minotauro rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Minotauro drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Nathaniels dives on top into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nathaniels throws and elbow that misses. Minotauro uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Nathaniels's guard. Nice move by Minotauro!
Minotauro trying to control but Nathaniels is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minotauro stops Nathaniels from standing up.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Minotauro trying to control but Nathaniels is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Antonio Minotauro has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Nathaniels misses with the combination.
Minotauro misses with a takedown
and Nathaniels counters with a series of strikes. Minotauro will be more careful next time no doubt.
Nathaniels with a poor takedown

and Minotauro counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Nathaniels is trying to stand back up but Minotauro is controlling him
Antonio Minotauro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Big Mark Nathaniels is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Minotauro not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Big Mark Nathaniels.
Well Nathaniels 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Big Mark Nathaniels!