PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gurizuri Nakamura (ranked 954 p4p, 1197 weight class) and Thor White (ranked 132 p4p, 167 weight class). Gurizuri Nakamura had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Nakamura
vs
White

168 cm
35
186
22 - 18 - 2

189 cm
30
195
17 - 9 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction
Fantasy Threads

Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 18 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gurizuri Nakamura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thor White!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
White misses with a straight left.
Nakamura appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Nakamura ducks under a wild hook from White.
Nakamura throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A little jabbing left from White on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Nakamura takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
White looks to score with a jab to the body but Nakamura is just out of range.
A shot to the body from Nakamura misses
and Nakamura takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nakamura lands a right hook to the body.
Nakamura throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and White counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White walks into a straight right hand from Nakamura.
White misses with a straight right.

Nakamura shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches White napping and manages to drive through into side control!
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!
White is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
White takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Nakamura landing a few strikes.
White sneaks back into half guard.
White on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
White gets back to full guard.
Nakamura trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nakamura makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura scoring with punches from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nakamura is chipping away with strikes.
Nakamura in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
White taking punishment in the form of punches.
Nakamura working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
White manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Nakamura is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura is pressing down on White's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
White works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nakamura might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nakamura is looking to improve his position.
Nakamura slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
White looking to pass the guard.
Nakamura is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

White actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
White wants to get back to full guard.
Nakamura trying to control the action but White is working from the bottom.
White is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Nakamura scores with a couple of nice shots.
Nakamura scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Nakamura lands a nice short elbow.
White is refusing to be controlled, as Nakamura sits in half guard.

White actively working from the bottom here.
Nakamura working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on White's thigh. White counters though and makes it back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gurizuri Nakamura dominated that round.
That's time! Nakamura's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nakamura lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
White throws a hook but Nakamura blocks it.
Nakamura slips a jab from White.
White's coach down at CHECMATE PRIME MMA was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on White's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
White throws a big shot that misses.
Nakamura looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Nakamura darts in and clinches White up against the cage.
White wants to get back to striking at distance but Nakamura won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nakamura swings away with an uppercut that misses.
White fails to pull guard.
White is trying to break the clinch but Nakamura is controlling him.

White gets control of Nakamura's arms and successfully pulls guard. White will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Nakamura got a little sloppy there for a moment and White has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nakamura has managed to get both his arms back between White's legs - danger averted.
Nakamura working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of White's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

White is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nakamura defends well.

White is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nakamura is aware though and is defending well.
Nakamura 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.
Nakamura lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Nakamura trying to control but White is working from the bottom.
Nakamura wants to pass the guard but White is keeping the position.
Nakamura trying to control but White is working from the bottom.
Nakamura is really struggling to control White but he's trying to hold on to the position.

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.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nakamura's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Nakamura sitting in guard here, content to control.

White throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nakamura lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

White is looking for a triangle but Nakamura pushes his legs off easily.
Nakamura working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of White's head.
Nakamura with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
White has momentary wrist control but Nakamura slips an elbow through the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

White looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
White has momentary wrist control but Nakamura slips an elbow through the middle.
Gurizuri Nakamura overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

White is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Nakamura working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of White's head.
Nakamura stays in close to White's body and controls the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nakamura accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Nakamura stands and throws White's legs to the side, diving into side control.
White taking punishment in the form of punches.
White is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura trying to control the action but White is working from the bottom.
Nakamura is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that White can do to turn this around?
Nakamura is working White over with some ground and pound from side control.
Nakamura working the ground and pound from side control.
Nakamura scores with a couple of short elbows.
Nakamura landing strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
White is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Nakamura cracks White with a big right hand but White just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nakamura working the body and head with strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gurizuri Nakamura dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

White slips a jab and a cross from Nakamura.
Nakamura ducks down and throws a hook to the body but White moves away.
White takes one to the chin there.
Nakamura lands a jab to the nose.
Nakamura misses with a telegraphed body shot
and White counters with a left to the body.
White takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Nakamura throws a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nakamura swings for the body but White moves out of range.
White now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Nakamura misses with a shot to the body
and White cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nakamura lands a lovely overhand right.
Nakamura swings widly with a right hand
enabling White to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
White avoids the body shot from Nakamura.
Nakamura jabs White to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Gurizuri Nakamura is winning the standup battle so far.
Nakamura scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. White doesn't seem bothered though.
Nakamura just misses with a punch to the body.
Nakamura lands a slapping body shot.
Nakamura throws a right hand that misses
and White counters with a two punch combo.
Nakamura throws a body punch but White moves out of range.
Despite the aggression on White's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
White just misses with a punch to the body.
White takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura connects with a body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nakamura throws a body shot but no joy.
White looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Nakamura fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
The fighters circling - Nakamura throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
White throws out a counter right but Nakamura avoids it with no problem.
Nakamura lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Nakamura connects with a looping right hand.
White avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nakamura uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from White.
White swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nakamura jabs White to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura misses with a wild body shot.

Nakamura gets a takedown into half guard.
Nakamura is trying to control. White wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Nakamura is nestled in close to White, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Nakamura landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Nakamura drops an elbow to the side of White's head.
Still in half guard, Nakamura seems content to control.
Nakamura wants to pass the guard but White is defending well.
White gets full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

White is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Nakamura postures up and lands a big shot to White's brow.
Nakamura wants to control from the top but White keeps moving.

White looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Nakamura has picked White up and slammed him! White can't keep hold of the triangle and Nakamura manages to pass to side control!
White 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.
Gurizuri Nakamura is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Thor White has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nakamura happy to just control the position for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gurizuri Nakamura showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nakamura has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gurizuri Nakamura!