PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mahtava Nopea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Masahiko Akinawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Akinawa comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Boots Randolph - Yakety Sax kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Nopea
vs
Akinawa

175 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

184 cm
21
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mahtava Nopea!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masahiko Akinawa!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Ren Mimura and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nopea drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Nopea lands some shots froms side control.
Akinawa tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Nopea wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Akinawa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
An elbow from Nopea crashes against the mat.
Nopea taking a breather here.
Nopea trying to control the position but Akinawa is working away.
Nopea working the body and head with strikes.
Akinawa takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Akinawa struggling a bit here.

Nopea tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Akinawa is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nopea looking to control but instead Akinawa has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Nopea not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nopea is looking to advance position but Akinawa won't allow it.

Nopea is working for an americana but Akinawa has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Nopea was thinking about the submission.
Akinawa has Nopea pulled in close to control his posture.
Nopea postures up in Akinawa's guard and throws a big left but Akinawa blocks it.
Akinawa looking for a sweep. Not yet Akinawa, not yet.

That's two 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.
Akinawa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Akinawa misses with a takedown attempt

and Nopea counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Akinawa is trying to keep Nopea in close.
Nopea trying to control the position from guard on top but Akinawa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Akinawa tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Akinawa looks gassed!
Nopea connects with a couple of short punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nopea with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Nopea 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nopea working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nopea postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Nopea postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Akinawa is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Nopea, into his guard.
Nopea is striking from the bottom but Akinawa uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.

Nopea actively working from the bottom here.
Akinawa wants to take a breather but Nopea is having none of it.
Akinawa throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Akinawa wants to take a breather but Nopea is having none of it.
Akinawa thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Akinawa wants to free his trapped foot but Nopea is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Nopea looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akinawa is trying to get back to full guard.
Akinawa is looking to control Nopea's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Akinawa avoid being mounted?

Akinawa looking for submissions off his back.

Nopea stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Akinawa to get to his feet.
Akinawa doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Nopea counters with a nice double leg into side control. Akinawa won't be happy with that.
Akinawa tries to buck Nopea off but Nopea is having none of it.
You can see the frustration on Akinawa's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Akinawa tries to bench press Nopea off him but Nopea keeps the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mahtava Nopea dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Akinawa tries to clinch but Nopea moves out of range.
Akinawa tries for a takedown but Nopea circles away easily

and Nopea counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Akinawa throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Nopea trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nopea content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Akinawa trying to control the position.
Akinawa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nopea manages to get himself to full guard.
Akinawa wants to control from the top but Nopea keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nopea looking for a sweep. Not yet Nopea, not yet.

Akinawa stands up from Nopea's guard - Akinawa perhaps looking for a knockout.
Masahiko Akinawa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nopea shoots in and bounces Akinawa off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Nopea won't allow Akinawa to sweep him here.
Nopea trying to control the position from guard on top but Akinawa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nopea stands and throws Akinawa's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Akinawa tries to buck Nopea off but Nopea is having none of it.
Akinawa is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Nopea wants to control but Akinawa is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nopea working the ground and pound.
Akinawa manages to work his way to half guard, despite Nopea's best efforts.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nopea looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Akinawa with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Akinawa throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Akinawa trying to control here.
Nopea working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Akinawa wants to control but Nopea is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Nopea is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Akinawa is trying to stand up here but Nopea is controlling him well.
Nopea is pressing down on Akinawa's thigh, looking to free his foot. Akinawa is holding on for now.
Nopea throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nopea thows a huge punch but Akinawa dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nopea missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nopea stops Akinawa from getting back to his feet.
Akinawa is trying to maintain the position but Nopea is very close to passing his half guard.
Akinawa is not content to let Nopea control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Nopea shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Nopea is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Akinawa wants to stand and escape but Nopea is having none of it.
Nopea scoring with punches to the head and body.
Akinawa keeping moving, preventing Nopea from controlling successfully.
Nopea passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Nopea tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Akinawa wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akinawa taking punishment in the form of punches.
Nopea working the ground and pound from side control.
Nopea misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Akinawa throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Nopea looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Akinawa is avoiding damage well.
Akinawa manages to get back to half guard.
Akinawa trying to control here.
Nopea throwing shots but Akinawa is blocking nicely.
Mahtava Nopea overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Akinawa wants to control but Nopea is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Nopea slips a nice elbow through Akinawa's hands, connecting with Akinawa's forehead.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Akinawa lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Nopea has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Nopea and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Akinawa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Nopea counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Akinawa's guard now.
Nopea passes easily into side control. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mahtava Nopea dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Akinawa digs a good hook to Nopea's body.
Masahiko Akinawa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Akinawa with a lazy takedown attempt

and Nopea counters with a shoot takedown. Akinawa fights it but they end up in guard.
Akinawa trying to keep a closed guard but Nopea is proving a slippery customer.
Akinawa is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Akinawa wants to stand up but Nopea is controlling the position.
Akinawa is keen to just control but Nopea is a slippery customer.
Akinawa trying to pass the guard but Nopea defending well.
Nopea trying to hold on to Akinawa's head to control him but Akinawa postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Akinawa wants to stand but Nopea has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nopea tries to get to full guard but Akinawa has control of the leg.
Nopea missing with punches from the bottom.
Nopea strikes from the bottom but Akinawa passes into mount!
Nopea is looking to improve his position but Akinawa isn't that keen on the idea.
Akinawa trying to control but Nopea is having none of it.
Nopea tries to lock up and control but Akinawa gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Nopea regains half guard.
Nopea punching from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nopea is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Akinawa's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Akinawa's back!

Nopea is cranking Akinawa's head sideways - that looks painful. He's managed to get his other arm under the chin and this looks bad for Akinawa! He's tightened the choke and Akinawa is tapping out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Mahtava Nopea!