PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Shintaro Mifune (ranked 2514 p4p, 119 weight class) and Noddy Holder (ranked 2428 p4p, 115 weight class). Mifune kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is MIYAVI vs. KenKen - Flashback. Holder has chosen The loudest voice in Tycoon. as his entrance music. Noddy Holder has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mifune
vs
Holder

169 cm
19
140 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

164 cm
19
142 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Shintaro Mifune!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Noddy Holder!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Chris Downing and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Holder rushes Mifune and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mifune tries a body shot but Holder blocks it.

Mifune has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Holder uses from the top position.
Mifune wants to sweep here but Holder controlling him for the moment.
Mifune pulls Holder in to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mifune looking to hit a scissor sweep but Holder is one step ahead there.
Holder really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mifune. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mifune keeping moving, preventing Holder from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mifune wants to sweep but no luck.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Mifune keeping moving, preventing Holder from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Holder clinches up against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mifune.
Mifune misses with a body punch.
Holder is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Mifune tightens his grip and picks Holder up, before dumping him to the ground. Holder manages to land in guard.
Holder trying to keep a closed guard but Mifune is proving a slippery customer.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Holder can do anything to dispel that myth.
Mifune is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mifune showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Holder has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Super Awesome Ninja McDojo. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Mifune scoring with punches to the head and body.
Mifune lands a couple of elbows.
Mifune missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mifune with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Mifune loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Mifune thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Holder working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mifune.
Holder controls Mifune momentarily but Mifune frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mifune connects with a couple of short punches.
Mifune postures up in Holder's guard and throws a big left but Holder blocks it.
Mifune distracts Holder with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Mifune looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mifune distracts Holder with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Mifune is looking to work some ground and pound but Holder has wrist control.
Mifune advances to half guard.
Mifune throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Nice strikes from Mifune there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holder blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mifune.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mifune lands a nice short elbow.
Mifune 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.
Mifune is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Mifune is trying to control the action in half guard but Holder is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Mifune throwing shots but Holder is blocking nicely.
Mifune scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Holder taking some punishment here, with Mifune in his half guard.
Mifune slips a nice elbow through Holder's hands, connecting with Holder's forehead.
Mifune wants to control but Holder is keeping him busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mifune lands a nice short elbow.

Mifune is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mifune throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shintaro Mifune dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Holder.
Holder is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Holder gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Mifune throws a head punch that misses.
Holder blocks a body shot from Mifune.
Holder blocking some punches.
Mifune tries to land a knee to the head but Holder blocks with his arms.
Mifune jumps guard but Holder stands there with Mifune around his waist. Mifune gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mifune misses with the head strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mifune changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Holder fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Holder closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mifune jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Holder walks away with a smile on his face. Mifune gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shintaro Mifune. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Holder has Mifune up against the cage in a clinch.
Mifune is trying to drag Holder to the mat but Holder just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Mifune has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Holder avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Holder blocks an uppercut.
Holder stalling the fight.
Mifune working aggressively here.
Holder prevents the takedown attempt.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Holder takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Holder creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mifune's defenses.
Holder gets underhooks to prevent Mifune's takedown attempt.
Mifune is trying to pull guard but Holder turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Holder lands an elbow that stopped Mifune in his tracks for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mifune is looking to break free of the clinch but Holder has double underhooks.
Holder tries to stall but Mifune uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Mifune has a couple of punches blocked by Holder.
A head punch on the inside from Mifune fails to land.
Holder dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Mifune tries a knee to the head but Holder blocks it.
Mifune is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Holder can do to turn this around?
Holder prevents the takedown attempt.
Holder leaning his opponent against the cage.
Holder pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Mifune goes for a takedown attempt but Holder pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Holder has managed to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mifune is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Holder pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Mifune goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Noddy Holder seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Mifune tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mifune stalling.
Mifune throws a punch but it's blocked by Holder.
Mifune wants to take the fight to the mat but Holder manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Holder lands an elbow just above Mifune 's eye.
Holder lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Holder throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mifune blocks it with crossed arms.
Mifune takes an elbow to the temple.
Mifune tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Holder smiles and moves away.
Mifune looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Mifune will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Holder is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mifune takes an elbow to the forehead.
Mifune tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mifune throws a punch but it's blocked by Holder.
Holder throws an elbow but it misses.
Holder lands a nice elbow.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mifune fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Mifune takes an elbow to the forehead.
Mifune tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mifune throws a punch but it's blocked by Holder.
Holder tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mifune avoids it.
Mifune is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Holder pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Holder lands a damaging elbow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Holder.
Holder creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Mifune wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mifune blocks the elbow strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Holder throws an elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Noddy Holder showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Holder closes the distance and clinches.
Mifune misses with a punch on the inside.
Mifune misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Mifune is working for takedown but Holder is calmly controlling the position for now.
Mifune swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Holder looking to slow down the pace here.
Mifune tries for a takedown but Holder manages to get underhooks.
Mifune takes an elbow to the temple.
Holder lands an elbow inside that Mifune shrugs off.
Holder looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mifune misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mifune tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Holder smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shintaro Mifune. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Holder has Mifune up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holder lands an elbow inside.
Holder lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Shintaro Mifune has been cut.
Nice elbow from Holder.
Holder lands an elbow that stopped Mifune in his tracks for a moment.
Mifune tries for a takedown but Holder manages to get underhooks.
Mifune changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Holder fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Holder moves into range and clinches up with Mifune.

Mifune manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Mifune looking to hit a scissor sweep but Holder is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holder trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Holder stopping the sweep attempt from Mifune.
Shintaro Mifune overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mifune lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Hammerfist, elbow! yells Mifune's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mifune not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Mifune lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mifune 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.
Mifune with a nice head shot there.
Holder preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mifune not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Holder is trying to hold Mifune in close to prevent damage but Mifune has managed to pass into half guard.
Mifune not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mifune trying to mount his opponent but Holder defends it.
Mifune thows a huge punch but Holder dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mifune working over Holder with some ground and pound. Holder looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Mifune throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Holder blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mifune.
Holder avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mifune.

Mifune is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Mifune stalling.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mifune missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Noddy Holder.
I think Holder has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Noddy Holder!
A victorious Noddy Holder thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.