PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hayato Nobukara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damian Zork (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Nobukara
vs
Zork

168 cm
22
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hayato Nobukara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Damian Zork!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Chris Downing and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zork moves in looking to clinch but Nobukara pushes him off.
Nobukara tries to bum rush Zork with a series of wild strikes but Zork uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Zork shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nobukara pinned against the cage. Nobukara gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Zork is looking to clinch but Nobukara is avoiding it.
Nobukara keeps the fight on the outside.
Zork tries to clinch but Nobukara moves out of range.
Zork looks for a takedown but Nobukara sprawls well.
Nobukara takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Nobukara swinging wilding here.
Some bone on bone action there as Nobukara checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Nobukara throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Nobukara scores with a leg kick.
Zork tries to clinch there but Nobukara circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nobukara throws a nice outside leg kick.
Nobukara fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nobukara pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A good leg kick by Nobukara.
Zork tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zork takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Nobukara misses with a double jab.
Nobukara throws a head kick that misses.
Zork is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Nobukara.
Nobukara scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Zork shoots in but Nobukara avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hayato Nobukara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damian Zork.
Nobukara takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Zork takes a kick to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zork tries to close the distance and clinch but Nobukara swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Zork closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nobukara is trying to stand back up but Zork is controlling him
Nobukara knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Zork on the ground.
Zork wants to control but Nobukara is keeping him busy.
Nobukara is looking to escape.
Nobukara on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Nobukara tries to get out of the position.
Nobukara is breathing heavily.
Zork is trying to control. Nobukara wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Nobukara is trying to stand up here but Zork is controlling him well.

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.

Zork forces Nobukara back against the cage and clinches.
Zork is pushing Nobukara up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Zork breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zork connects with a high kick.

It looks like Hayato Nobukara has been cut.
Zork lands with a thumping leg kick.
Zork throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Nobukara's waist but Nobukara gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Zork off to one side.
Zork throws a head kick that misses
and Nobukara counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Zork is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Zork fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Zork darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zork controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zork postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Nobukara to stand up.
Zork fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zork shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Nobukara as he jumps to the side.
Zork fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Zork dodges the punch combination from Nobukara.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zork catches Nobukara with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Zork throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damian Zork dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hayato Nobukara's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Zork darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Nobukara is trying to stand.
Zork seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Zork decides to stand and escape the position.
Zork is looking to clinch but Nobukara is avoiding it.
Nobukara avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zork fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Zork closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Zork tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nobukara can't break the clinch.
Nobukara is looking to break free of the clinch but Zork has double underhooks.
Nobukara wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zork has him pressed against the cage.
Zork is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Zork pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zork shoots for a takedown but Nobukara saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hayato Nobukara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damian Zork.
Zork closes this distance looking for a takedown but Nobukara circles away.
Zork wants to clinch up but Nobukara keeps it at a distance.
Nobukara throws a sloppy head kick

and Zork counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nobukara won't be happy with that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zork is trying to get an arm triangle but Nobukara is defending well.
Nobukara wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Zork lands an elbow.
Zork lands some shots froms side control.
Zork lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Nobukara down.
Zork grinds an elbow into Nobukara's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nobukara tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
A nice elbow there by Zork.
Zork landing strikes from the mount and Nobukara is in trouble!
Zork punishing his opponent with strikes.
Zork has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Zork lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Nobukara is squirming around, avoiding Zork's attempts to control the action.
Zork with a couple of short strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zork has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Nobukara's face.
Zork fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Zork stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Zork fails with the takedown.
Zork fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A head kick by Nobukara misses

and Zork counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Zork.

Zork pulls Nobukara into guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nobukara is looking to stand up but Zork won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damian Zork showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Hayato Nobukara's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Zork fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A chopping leg kick lands by Nobukara.
Zork on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Nobukara. Nobukara obviously looking to wear him down.
Nobukara scores with a nice body kick.
Zork fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Zork throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Nobukara counters with an outside leg kick.
Zork tries to clinch
and Nobukara counters with a big head kick but Zork shrugs it off.
Nobukara cracks the inside of Zork's front leg.
Nobukara lands a nice leg kick that just misses Zork's sensitive parts.
Nobukara throws a low kick but it's checked well by Zork.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nobukara throws a looping overhand right but Zork ducks down to avoid it.
Zork tries to clinch but Nobukara moves away
and Nobukara counters with a solid body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nobukara thows a leg kick but Zork checks it

and Zork counters with a shoot takedown. Nobukara fights it but they end up in guard.
Nobukara is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Zork dives into side control.

Zork stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Zork throws a head kick that misses
and Nobukara counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Hayato Nobukara is winning the standup battle so far.
Nobukara swings for the body but Zork moves out of range.
Zork shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Nobukara as he avoids it easily.
Hayato Nobukara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damian Zork.
Nobukara lands a two punch combo.
Nobukara throws a lazy right hand but Zork sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Zork shoots for a takedown but Nobukara saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hayato Nobukara is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nobukara circles away from the clinch attempt
and Nobukara counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nobukara slips a jab and a cross from Zork.
Zork will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nobukara swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nobukara looks to land a combination but Zork avoids it well.
Zork is looking to clinch but Nobukara is avoiding it.

Zork decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Nobukara wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nobukara pushes Zork off but Zork dives into side control.
Zork grinds an elbow into Nobukara's temple.
Nobukara is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Zork asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Zork stands up and beckons Nobukara to his feet.

Nobukara gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zork with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nobukara keeping moving, preventing Zork from controlling successfully.
Nobukara is looking to stand up but Zork isn't so interested in that idea.
Zork trying to control the position from guard on top but Nobukara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hayato Nobukara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zork pushing down on Nobukara's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damian Zork comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Zork winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Damian Zork!