PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nicky Noons (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Naor Yozem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yozem has chosen Chris Cornell - You Know My Name as his entrance music. Noons is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. The key to victory for Nicky Noons has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Noons
vs
Yozem

185 cm
21
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

194 cm
22
212 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Attliction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nicky Noons!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Naor Yozem!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Lou da Vinci and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yozem is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Noons is breathing heavily.

Yozem looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Yozem in particular looking to stall.

Yozem is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Yozem moves nicely into side control.
Yozem moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Noons takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Noons being controlled for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noons taking a bit of punishment here - Yozem scoring with strikes.
Yozem cracks Noons with a big right hand but Noons just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
A lull in the action here as Yozem stalls from top position.
Noons tries to buck Yozem off but Yozem is having none of it.
Yozem working the head with strikes.
Yozem taking a breather here.

Yozem stands up and beckons Noons to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noons walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Noons lands with a nice combination. Yozem backs away looking to recover.

Yozem drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Yozem controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Yozem wants to get up but he can't break Noons's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Noons looking for a sweep. Not yet Noons, not yet.

Yozem stands up from Noons's guard - Yozem perhaps looking for a knockout.
Yozem doesn't manage to clinch there - Noons circles away.

Noons shoots in and bounces Yozem off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
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!

Noons drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Noons jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yozem looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Noons wants to pass the guard but Yozem is keeping the position.
Yozem is controlling Noons's posture.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Yozem is on top in guard.
Yozem controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Yozem wants to stand but Noons has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Yozem sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Noons working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Yozem.

That's four 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.

Yozem decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Noons, up you get!
Naor Yozem seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Yozem looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Noons!

Yozem is working for a guillotine from mount but Noons frees his head quite easily.
Yozem content just to control the position here.
Noons is working to get back to half guard.

Yozem is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Noons is surviving well by controlling Yozem's body position as best he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Noons is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Naor Yozem dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Yozem moves into the clinch successfully.

Yozem breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Noons swats away the attempt to clinch by Yozem.
Yozem misses with the combination.
Noons throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Yozem darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Yozem seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Yozem is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Noons defends it well.
Noons works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noons trying to keep a closed guard but Yozem is proving a slippery customer.
Yozem controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Yozem keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Noons's head.
Noons being controlled here, momentarily.
Yozem must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Yozem is pushing down on Noons's leg trying to pass to half guard. Noons is fighting to maintain full guard but Yozem has managed to sneak the leg through.
Yozem with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Let's hope that Yozem has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Despite being in the dominant position, Naor Yozem just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Yozem misses with a takedown attempt
and Noons counters with a nice body shot.

Yozem gets the takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noons is looking to reverse the position.

Yozem decides to stand back up.
Noons jabs at Yozem's body.
Yozem takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Yozem misses with a double jab.
Noons misses with a takedown

and Yozem counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Noons wants to improve his position but Yozem is controlling well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Noons is trying to stand back up but Yozem is controlling him
Noons manages to get to full guard.
Yozem with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Yozem sitting in guard here, content to control.
Yozem passes Noons's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yozem tries to pass to full mount but Noons defends it.
Yozem slows the pace down in half guard.
Yozem is looking to advance position but Noons won't allow it.

Noons looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Yozem is nestled in close to Noons, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Yozem trying to mount his opponent but Noons defends it.
Noons wants to control but Yozem is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Yozem decides to return to a standing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Noons shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Yozem counters with a low kick, right behind Noons 's knee.

Yozem closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Noons to the mat! Noons manages to get full guard.
Yozem passes Noons's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Yozem throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Noons trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Yozem manages to pass to mount!
Noons regains half guard.
Naor Yozem has got the better of the ground game so far.
Noons tries to roll over but Yozem keeps him under control.
Noons is refusing to be controlled, as Yozem sits in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Noons is trying to control but can't.
Yozem perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Naor Yozem showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Yozem scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Nicky Noons has been cut.

Yozem changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Noons looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Yozem is chipping away with strikes.

Yozem stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Yozem lands a brutal head kick. Noons looks out on his feet and Yozem throws more strikes until the ref is forced to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick and Punches). Naor Yozem!