PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Momochi Hanzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karl Nerlinger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Momochi Hanzo has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Hanzo
vs
Nerlinger

176 cm
23
175 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

178 cm
23
180 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Venom Combat Sports

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Momochi Hanzo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Karl Nerlinger!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Sano and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nerlinger throws a right hand that misses
and Hanzo counters with a one-two to the body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Hanzo.
Nerlinger will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

Nerlinger has closed the distance and engaged Hanzo in a clinch.
Nerlinger tries a body shot but Hanzo blocks it.
A head punch on the inside from Hanzo fails to land.
Hanzo looking to stall.
Hanzo softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Nerlinger tries a body shot but Hanzo blocks it.
Nerlinger tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nerlinger.
Nerlinger being controlled against the ropes.
Hanzo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hanzo blocks a body shot from Nerlinger.
Nice body punch from Hanzo - that landed with a thud.
Hanzo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nerlinger prevents a body shot from Hanzo.
Nerlinger goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanzo misses with a body punch.

Nerlinger has clasped his hands together around Hanzo's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Hanzo is trying to get back to half guard.
Hanzo is trying to control Nerlinger's posture but Nerlinger avoids it.
Nerlinger looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Hanzo is avoiding damage well.
Hanzo is trying to control Nerlinger's posture but Nerlinger avoids it.
Hanzo is trying to improve his position.
Hanzo struggling a bit here.
An elbow from Nerlinger crashes against the mat.
Nerlinger cracks Hanzo with a big elbow.
Hanzo is trying to control Nerlinger's posture but Nerlinger avoids it.
Hanzo defending against the ground and pound.

Nerlinger tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nerlinger has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Nerlinger working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanzo takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Nerlinger throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Hanzo is looking for a sweep.
Nerlinger working the ground and pound.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
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!

Nerlinger working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Hanzo is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Nerlinger off and has taken his back!
Nerlinger manages to reverse the position and now he's in Hanzo's guard. Nice work there by Nerlinger.
Nerlinger stopping the sweep attempt from Hanzo.
Hanzo is working hard here to advance position.
Hanzo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nerlinger's guard.

Hanzo passes into half guard.
Nerlinger is looking for a sweep. Hanzo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanzo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Nerlinger works his way to full guard. Good work.
Hanzo engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Nerlinger throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nerlinger tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hanzo trying to control but Nerlinger is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hanzo stopping the sweep attempt from Nerlinger.
Hanzo trying to control but Nerlinger is working from the bottom.
Hanzo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nerlinger is keeping the position for now.
Nerlinger keeping moving, preventing Hanzo from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Hanzo lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

Nerlinger decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hanzo trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Nerlinger dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hanzo gets tackled into the ropes by Nerlinger. Nerlinger maintains the clinch.

Nerlinger tightens his grip and picks Hanzo up, before dumping him to the ground. Hanzo manages to land in guard.
Nerlinger must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hanzo lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Nerlinger is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hanzo defends well.
Hanzo stopping the sweep attempt from Nerlinger.
Nerlinger is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Hanzo works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nerlinger slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hanzo not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hanzo wants to control from the top but Nerlinger keeps moving.
Nerlinger has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nerlinger tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nerlinger wants to hit a switch here but Hanzo passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Nerlinger there!
Hanzo trying to control but Nerlinger is having none of it.
Hanzo content just to control the position here.
Hanzo trying to control but Nerlinger is having none of it.
Hanzo controlling the pace for now.
Hanzo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nerlinger is looking to escape.
Nerlinger is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanzo controlling his opponent.
Nerlinger can't escape the position.
Nerlinger keeps trying to improve his position.
Hanzo looking to control but Nerlinger is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nerlinger is looking to improve his position but Hanzo isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hanzo is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Nerlinger is surviving well by controlling Hanzo's body position as best he can.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Nerlinger manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Nerlinger wants to get back to full guard.
Nerlinger trying to get back to full guard but Hanzo takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Nerlinger is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hanzo trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nerlinger slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Nerlinger tries to get to full guard but Hanzo has control of the leg.
Hanzo looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Nerlinger is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nerlinger is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Hanzo jumps into side control!
Nerlinger is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Nerlinger is not content to let Hanzo control the position.
Hanzo controlling the position.
Hanzo is looking to take a break and control but Nerlinger is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Nerlinger is looking to regain half guard here but Hanzo keeps moving and retains side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nerlinger is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Nerlinger gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Momochi Hanzo will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Hanzo throws a series of strikes that have Nerlinger backpedaling.
Hanzo throws a head kick that Nerlinger semi-blocks.
Momochi Hanzo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nerlinger walks into a left hand.
Nerlinger moves in looking to clinch but Hanzo pushes him off.
Nerlinger misses with a body shot.
Nerlinger takes a swing at Hanzo's ribcage but misses.
A little feinted left hand from Hanzo on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Hanzo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Nerlinger needs to keep his hands up - Hanzo had a free shot at his head there.
Hanzo connects with an inside leg kick.

Nerlinger fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hanzo to the ground. Nerlinger is now in Hanzo's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Nerlinger throws a sloppy strike and Hanzo has hooked up an armbar on the loose arm! He's turned and extended fully! Nerlinger is forced to tap! Great BJJ from Hanzo!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Momochi Hanzo!
During a confident post fight interview, Momochi Hanzo thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.