PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nobuki Imanari (ranked 1761 p4p, 1450 weight class) and Johnny Winkleman (ranked 221 p4p, 183 weight class). 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?

Imanari
vs
Winkleman

170 cm
22
155
4 - 1 - 0

225 cm
29
161
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nobuki Imanari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Johnny Winkleman!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Bruno Lombardi and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Imanari throws a lazy body kick

and Winkleman counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Imanari is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Winkleman is aware though and is defending well.

Winkleman drops back looking for a leg! Imanari is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Imanari manages to kick Winkleman off! Winkleman jumps back into Imanari's guard.
Winkleman showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Imanari is trying to control the position but Winkleman postures up.

Winkleman got a little sloppy there for a moment and Imanari has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Winkleman has managed to get both his arms back between Imanari's legs - danger averted.
Winkleman controlling from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari working a defensive guard here.
Imanari is pulling down on Winkleman's head. It's preventing any offense from Winkleman, at least for the moment.
Imanari keeping moving, preventing Winkleman from controlling successfully.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's two 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.
Imanari throws a jab when Winkleman was well out of range.
Imanari throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Winkleman sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Imanari throws a lazy right hand but Winkleman sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Imanari throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Imanari throws out a powerful jab.
Imanari swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Winkleman is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Nice sprawl there from Imanari as Winkleman shoots in.
Winkleman takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Imanari connects with the punch.
Imanari tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
An inside leg kick lands from Imanari.
Winkleman on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Imanari. Imanari obviously looking to wear him down.
Winkleman pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Imanari clinches.
Imanari works on Winkleman's body with a couple of short punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Winkleman swings wildly with an uppercut but Imanari uses good head movement to avoid it.
Winkleman stalling in the clinch but Imanari improves position.
A short right from Imanari on the inside.

Winkleman breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Imanari missing with a left hand there. Winkleman was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Imanari lands a right hook to the body.
Imanari turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Imanari misses with a straight right.
Imanari swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Winkleman on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Imanari. Imanari obviously looking to wear him down.
Winkleman uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Imanari.
Imanari misses with a hook. Winkleman ducked under it nicely.
Winkleman slips under a jab from Imanari.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Imanari with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Imanari connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A slow jab from Imanari misses its intended target.
Winkleman drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Imanari defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Winkleman fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Winkleman throws a hook to the side of Imanari's head but Imanari sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Winkleman has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Imanari.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Winkleman swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Imanari connects with an inside leg kick.
Winkleman takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Imanari is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Imanari works the jab nicely.
Winkleman looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Imanari tried to score with a low kick but Winkleman checks it.
Winkleman throws a jab when Imanari was well out of range.
Imanari appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Nobuki Imanari is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Winkleman sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Imanari lands a jab to the head.
Imanari swings for the body but Winkleman moves out of range.
Imanari ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Winkleman moves away.
Imanari closes the distance looking to clinch

so Winkleman counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Imanari working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Winkleman doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Winkleman manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Winkleman thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Imanari escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Winkleman gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Winkleman trying to control the position from guard on top but Imanari is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
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.
Winkleman is stalling in the full guard.
Imanari keeping moving, preventing Winkleman from controlling successfully.
Imanari might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Winkleman controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

Winkleman drops back looking for a leg! Imanari is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Imanari manages to kick Winkleman off! Winkleman jumps back into Imanari's guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Winkleman misses with a straight left.

Winkleman gets tackled into the cage by Imanari. Imanari maintains the clinch.
Good body shot from Imanari.
Imanari lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Winkleman is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A frustrated look appears on Winkleman's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Imanari.
Imanari lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Imanari makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Imanari blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Winkleman's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Winkleman's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Winkleman blocking some punches.
Imanari working aggressively here.
Winkleman blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Winkleman fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Imanari lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Winkleman backwards.
Winkleman tries for a takedown but Imanari manages to get underhooks.
A short right from Imanari.
Imanari manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Imanari lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short left from Imanari.
Imanari swings wildly with an uppercut but Winkleman uses good head movement to avoid it.
Winkleman content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Imanari.
Imanari keeps control of Winkleman as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Imanari is working Winkleman over against the cage.
Imanari lands a nice shot to the body.
Imanari lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Winkleman.
Winkleman is breathing heavily.
Imanari lands a hook to the side of the head.
Imanari throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
I was talking to Imanari's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A left hand lands to the body for Imanari.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Winkleman's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Imanari lands a body punch in the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Imanari as the two fighters clinch.
Imanari lands a body shot in the clinch.
Imanari is leaning against Winkleman and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
A body shot lands from Imanari.
A short left from Imanari.
A left hand lands to the body for Imanari.
Imanari digs a right hand into Winkleman's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Winkleman's gas tank.
Imanari scores with a shoulder strike.
Still in the clinch, Imanari scores with a nice short uppercut.
Imanari lands a body shot in the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Imanari.

Winkleman is rocked!
Imanari scores with a hook to the body.
Winkleman is still on wobbly legs! Can Imanari finish him?
A short body shot lands from Imanari as the two fighters clinch.
Imanari lands a right hand.
Imanari lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Imanari lands an uppercut in the clinch that drops Winkleman to his knees! Imanari keeps firing more shots against his stricken opponent and the referee jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Nobuki Imanari!
Nobuki Imanari decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.