PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Ruanti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hiro Nakamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Hiro Nakamura enters the cage!

Ruanti
vs
Nakamura

187 cm
30
205 lbs
29 - 8 - 0

188 cm
28
215 lbs
17 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Untouchable Fight Nutrition
Zentrope Fighting Universe

Untouchable Fight Nutrition
New World Order Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 29 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Daniel Ruanti!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hiro Nakamura!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ruanti closes the distance and pushes Nakamura back into the cage.

Ruanti escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ruanti rushes Nakamura and presses him up against the cage.
Ruanti tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nakamura.
Nakamura tries to throw a body punch but Ruanti avoids it by throwing Nakamura back against the cage.
Nakamura working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nakamura throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ruanti blocks it with crossed arms.
Ruanti works on Nakamura's body with a couple of short punches.
Ruanti tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Nakamura's elbow.
Ruanti lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ruanti pushes Nakamura back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ruanti stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Nakamura lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Nakamura.
Ruanti wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Nakamura tries to land knees in the clinch but Ruanti avoids the damage to the body.
Ruanti misses with a short punch on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Nakamura.
Ruanti throws a knee to the head but misses.

Ruanti breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A low kick from Ruanti misses
and Nakamura makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nakamura pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Nakamura clinches with his opponent.
Nakamura wants a takedown.
Ruanti scores with a shot to the side of Nakamura's head.
Ruanti managing to block the knees to the body from Nakamura.
Nakamura can't find room to land a body shot as Ruanti controls the action.
Nakamura blocks a body shot from Ruanti.
Ruanti lands a body punch in the clinch.
A hook to the body from Ruanti.
Ruanti with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nakamura blocking some punches.
A short right from Nakamura on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruanti tries to work over Nakamura's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ruanti tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ruanti misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nakamura misses with a hook to the ribs.

Ruanti breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruanti misses with a head kick.
Ruanti moves out of range of the body kick.
Ruanti tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Nakamura avoids a kick to the body.
Ruanti thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Nakamura if he has to take too many more of those.
A swing and a miss from Nakamura.
Ruanti dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Nakamura. That did some damage!
Ruanti displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Ruanti takes a swing at Nakamura's ribcage but misses.
Nakamura shoots in for a takedown but Ruanti shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Daniel Ruanti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ruanti connects with a solid leg kick.
Ruanti fakes the leg kick and cracks Nakamura in the body.
Nakamura looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura shoots for a double leg takedown but Ruanti sprawls well. He's pushed Nakamura's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Daniel Ruanti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hiro Nakamura.
Ruanti throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Ruanti cracks a nice hook into Nakamura's ribs.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ruanti.
That kick from Ruanti tenderised Nakamura's leg. Nakamura is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Nakamura. Ruanti shrugs it off though.
Ruanti lands a lovely overhand right.
Ruanti connects with a looping right hand.
Ruanti misses the shot to the body.
Ruanti moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ruanti throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ruanti wants to land a leg kick but Nakamura is out of range.
Nakamura thumps Ruanti with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Nakamura ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ruanti just misses with a punch to the body.
Ruanti throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
letting Nakamura counter with a right hand.
Nakamura takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Ruanti is looking to clinch.
Ruanti throws a sloppy head kick and Nakamura moves out of range easily.
A big left from Nakamura misses.
Ruanti smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ruanti just misses with a punch to the body.
Nakamura ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ruanti moves away.
Ruanti throws a solid leg kick but Nakamura takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Ruanti.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Ruanti dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Nakamura steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Ruanti. That one must have hurt.
Nakamura throws out a loose jab but Ruanti uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ruanti slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Nakamura changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Ruanti takes a swing at Nakamura's ribcage but misses.
Nakamura tries to score with a low kick but Ruanti moves his leg out of the way.
A head kick misses from Ruanti.
An inside leg kick lands from Ruanti.
Nakamura tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ruanti was well out of range. Poor timing from Nakamura.

Nakamura 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.
Nakamura with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nakamura has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nakamura working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Ruanti is trying to keep Nakamura in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ruanti is on top in guard.
Nakamura looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ruanti works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nakamura is refusing to be controlled, as Ruanti sits in half guard.
Nakamura wants to control but Ruanti is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruanti trying to control the action but Nakamura is working from the bottom.
Nakamura moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ruanti drops back, looking for a kneebar! Nakamura looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Nakamura looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Nakamura!
Nakamura looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Ruanti is avoiding damage well.
You can see the frustration on Ruanti's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ruanti is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Nakamura is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Nakamura wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ruanti keeps working.
Nakamura working away.
Ruanti is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Ruanti tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Nakamura wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The strikes coming from Nakamura are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Nakamura working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Nakamura throws an elbow but Ruanti slips to the side and avoids it well.
Ruanti gets back to half guard.
Nakamura throwing shots but Ruanti is blocking nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruanti won't allow Nakamura to pass to mount.
Ruanti is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hiro Nakamura will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nakamura throws a looping overhand right but Ruanti ducks down to avoid it.
Ruanti throws a nice outside leg kick.
Ruanti throws a leg kick
and Nakamura counters with a solid body kick.
Ruanti slips a jab from Nakamura.
Ruanti jabs Nakamura to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A jab from Nakamura does it's job there.
Ruanti moves out of range of the strikes.
Ruanti tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Ruanti throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Nakamura counters with a thumping low kick.
Ruanti misses with the combination.
Ruanti throws a right hand that Nakamura ducks under and follows up with a left that Nakamura also avoids with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura throws a looping overhand right but Ruanti ducks down to avoid it.
Ruanti tries to score with a low kick but Nakamura moves his leg out of the way.
Ruanti throws the left hand but Nakamura avoids the punch easily.
Ruanti uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Nakamura.
Ruanti tests Nakamura's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ruanti thows a leg kick but Nakamura checks it
and Nakamura counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Ruanti thinking.
A slapping body kick lands there for Ruanti.
Nakamura scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ruanti fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Ruanti has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Daniel Ruanti has been cut.
Daniel Ruanti is winning the standup battle so far.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
No luck for Nakamura with that takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Ruanti to score with a decent uppercut.
Ruanti lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Ruanti explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Nakamura takes a swing at Ruanti's ribcage but misses.
Some wild striking there from Ruanti.
Ruanti misses with a kick to the body.
Nakamura digs a good hook to Ruanti's body.

Nakamura moves into range and clinches up with Ruanti.
Ruanti blocks an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruanti is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Daniel Ruanti has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Maybe Ruanti would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Nakamura.
Nakamura fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nakamura misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ruanti.
Nakamura blocks a body shot from Ruanti.
Nakamura stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Nakamura can't find room to land a body shot as Ruanti controls the action.
A head punch on the inside from Ruanti fails to land.
Nakamura makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Nakamura lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A short body shot lands from Nakamura as the two fighters clinch.
Ruanti tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A right hand to the body from Nakamura.
Nakamura lands an uppercut.
Nakamura lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Nakamura scores with a nice short uppercut.
Knees to the body from Nakamura.
Nakamura misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nakamura throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ruantis head.
Nakamura lands a hook to the side of the head.
Nakamura lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Ruanti backwards.

Ruanti is rocked!
A head punch on the inside from Ruanti fails to land.
Oh Ruanti is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Nakamura creates some distance for himselfand unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Ruanti's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Ruanti drops to his knees and Nakamura pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hiro Nakamura!
Hiro Nakamura is the new light heavyweight champion!
Our winner, Hiro Nakamura, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.