PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hiosaki Nakima (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven Stamkos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Steven Stamkos was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Nakima
vs
Stamkos

174 cm
19
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

165 cm
22
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiosaki Nakima!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Steven Stamkos!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Sosuke Kotani and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nakima gets a takedown into half guard.
Nakima stops Stamkos from getting back to his feet.
Stamkos trying to control here.
Stamkos wants to get back to his feet.
Nakima trying to control from half guard but Stamkos is working away.
Nakima missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nakima working Stamkos over with strikes.
Nakima 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.
Nakima wants to stand up but Stamkos is controlling the position.
Stamkos should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
The fighters are battling for position here. Stamkos manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Nakima landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakima connects with a couple of short punches.
Stamkos throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Nakima is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Stamkos lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Nakima!
Stamkos dominating with strikes here.
Nakima tries to hold on but Stamkos pushes him away.
Stamkos blocks Nakima's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Nakima really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Stamkos takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Stamkos lands a nice shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stamkos prevents Nakima from getting the reversal.
Nakima is breathing heavily.
Stamkos working the ground and pound effectively.
Stamkos looking to control and managing it successfully.
Nakima throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Stamkos avoids the attempt from Nakima to control.
Nakima is squirming around, avoiding Stamkos's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakima tries to reverse the position but Stamkos maintains control.
Stamkos landing strikes from the mount and Nakima is in trouble!
Stamkos has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Nakima's face.
Nakima really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Stamkos is landing with some decent strikes but Nakima is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Nakima is wriggling around trying to escape.
Nakima wants to hold on but Stamkos pushes him away.
Stamkos punishing his opponent with strikes.
Nakima is in all sorts of trouble here.
Nakima tries to lock up and control but Stamkos gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four 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.
Stamkos takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Nakima is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Stamkos prevents Nakima from getting the reversal.
Stamkos looking to control but Nakima is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nakima working to try and regain half guard.
Stamkos avoids the attempt from Nakima to control.
Stamkos unloading with bombs!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Steven Stamkos will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nakima shoots in looking for a takedown. Stamkos tries to sprawl out of it but Nakima keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Stamkos manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nakima lands a with a good body shot.

Stamkos looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Stamkos is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Nakima!
Nakima is trying desperately to improve position.
Stamkos takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Nakima manages to regain half guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nakima regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakima is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Nakima tries to pass the half guard into mount. Stamkos knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Nakima working Stamkos over with strikes.
Nakima thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nakima 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.
The fighters are battling for position here. Stamkos manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Stamkos trying to strike off his back.
Stamkos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stamkos not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nakima throws a good cross that connects.
Nakima misses with a takedown

and Stamkos counters with a single leg into guard. Nakima didn't expect that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakima throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Nakima looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Nakima looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Nakima is trying to control the position but Stamkos postures up.
Steven Stamkos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stamkos stopping the sweep attempt from Nakima.
Stamkos scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Stamkos trying to control but Nakima is working from the bottom.
Nakima will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nakima shoots in for a takedown but Stamkos shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hiosaki Nakima. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stamkos throws a jab when Nakima was well out of range.
Nakima shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Stamkos as he jumps to the side.
Nakima shoots for a takedown but Stamkos saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Nakima looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Nakima postures up in Stamkos's guard and throws a big left but Stamkos blocks it.
Nakima trying to control the position from guard on top but Stamkos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stamkos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nakima working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stamkos is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nakima is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakima lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nakima won't allow Stamkos to sweep him here.
Stamkos is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A swing and a miss from Stamkos.
Nakima is looking to clinch.
Nakima looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Stamkos is fending him off so far but Nakima persists. Nope, Stamkos circles away and we're back to standing.
Stamkos misses with a takedown

and Nakima counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Stamkos is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Nakima drops down looking for an ankle pick but Stamkos pulls his leg out and moves away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Stamkos has taken the fight to the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Steven Stamkos will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Stamkos is looking to clinch but Nakima is avoiding it.
Stamkos changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nakima tries to avoid it but Stamkos manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nakima to the ground. Nakima escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nakima shoots in but Stamkos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nakima with a poor takedown

and Stamkos counters with a takedown into side control.
Stamkos creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Nakima takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Stamkos lands some shots froms side control.
Nakima is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Stamkos off and has taken his back!
Nakima lands shots from the back.
Nakima misses with an elbow to the head.
Nakima scores with punches to the body.
Nakima lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Nakima.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stamkos rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Stamkos keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stamkos keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
It looks like Nakima is going to stand back up.
Stamkos wants to control but Nakima is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Nakima missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nakima working the head and body with strikes.
Nakima looks to land a strike but Stamkos avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Stamkos trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Nakima looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Nakima preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stamkos wants to stand and escape but Nakima is having none of it.
Stamkos throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nakima's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Nakima throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nakima won't allow Stamkos to get back to his feet.
Stamkos is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Stamkos working Nakima over with strikes.
Stamkos is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Nakima tries to get to full guard but Stamkos has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stamkos takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Stamkos stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Steven Stamkos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stamkos shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nakima but Nakima pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Stamkos swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nakima is looking to clinch but Stamkos is avoiding it.

Nakima shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Nakima was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Stamkos is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Nakima with a couple of short strikes.
Nakima lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stamkos is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Hiosaki Nakima has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nakima lands with some strikes.
Nakima punishing his opponent with strikes.
Nakima scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Nakima scoring with strikes but Stamkos is staying in there.
Stamkos is trying to stand up.
Nakima lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Stamkos tries to hold on but Nakima postures up.
Nakima landing strikes from the mount and Stamkos is in trouble!
Nakima unloading with bombs!
Stamkos wants to control but Nakima is having none of it.
Steven Stamkos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nakima with good strikes from the mount here!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Steven Stamkos.
Well Stamkos has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Stamkos!