PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kana Nobu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Cascella (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Carlos Cascella has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Kana Nobu's chin.

Nobu
vs
Cascella

225 cm
25
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
138 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Inexperienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kana Nobu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Carlos Cascella!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shirou Masuda and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nobu throws a head kick that half lands.
Nobu tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cascella sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nobu somewhat.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Cascella lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Nobu has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Nobu and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Good leg kick by Nobu there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Cascella fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cascella lands with a right hand.
Kana Nobu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cascella misses with a lunging right hand

and Nobu counters with a single leg into guard. Cascella didn't expect that.
Cascella is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Nobu stands up and waves to Cascella to follow him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Cascella tries to keep at a distance but Nobu has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nobu keeps control of Cascella as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Nobu breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cascella throws a jab when Nobu was well out of range.
Nobu with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Cascella to score with a decent uppercut.
Nobu lands a nice looking body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cascella wants to slow Nobu down by chopping away at his legs.
Crunch! Nobu slams his shin into Cascella's torso.

Cascella tries to keep at a distance but Nobu has taken the fight into the clinch.

Nobu escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nobu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cascella misses with a combination
and Nobu counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Nobu throws a sloppy head kick and Cascella moves out of range easily.
Nobu scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Cascella misses with an uppercut
and Nobu counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Cascella blocks a head kick by Nobu.
Nobu keeps the fight on the outside.
Nobu ducks under a wild hook from Cascella.
Cascella tries to clinch there but Nobu circles away.
Nobu rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Cascella to counter with a crisp jab.
Nobu throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nobu is breathing heavily.
Cascella takes a kick to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cascella missing with a left hand there. Nobu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cascella throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Cascella gets tackled into the cage by Nobu. Nobu maintains the clinch.
Nobu tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cascella smiles and moves away.
Nobu dives in and grabs Cascella's left leg, looking for a takedown. Cascella pushes down on Nobu's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kana Nobu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cascella attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Nobu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cascella lands with a straight right. Nobu didn't see that one coming.
Cascella misses with a low kick.
Cascella sizes up Nobu with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Nobu moves out of range of the leg kick from Cascella.
Cascella throws the left hand but Nobu avoids the punch easily.
A bone on bone clash there as Nobu blocks the leg kick.
Cascella bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cascella connects with a crisp jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cascella misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cascella circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cascella bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Nobu's head.
Nobu fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cascella avoids it really well and circles away.
Cascella throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Nobu on the side of the head.
Cascella fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Nobu looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Nice uppercut lands for Cascella. That snapped Nobu's head back.
Nobu takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Nobu swats away the attempt to clinch by Cascella.
Cascella fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Cascella tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cascella misses with a looping left.
Cascella pivots, looking for a leg kick but Nobu is out of range and Cascella settles back down.
Nobu gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Cascella fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Nobu is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cascella.
Cascella jabs at Nobu's body.
Nobu swats away the attempt to clinch by Cascella.
Nobu throws a series of strikes that have Cascella backpedaling.
Cascella is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Nobu had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Nobu tries to clinch but Cascella moves out of range.
Cascella tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nobu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cascella lands a nice shot that snaps Nobu's head back.
Nobu throws a right hand that misses
and Cascella counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cascella fails to land with a series of punches.
Cascella slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Cascella doesn't manage to clinch there - Nobu circles away.

Cascella gets in close and instigates a clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cascella misses with some punches.

Nobu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cascella is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nobu scores with a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kana Nobu dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Cascella cracks Nobu with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Cascella throws a shot from downtown. Nobu moves away and avoids it.
Cascella throws a right and a left that Nobu avoids nicely.
Cascella takes a kick to the side of the head.
Cascella misses with a low kick.
Nobu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Nobu closes the distance and clinches.

Nobu breaks the clinch.
Nobu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cascella paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A telegraphed right hand from Cascella misses the target.
Cascella loads up on a big right hand but Nobu slips the punch.
Kana Nobu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nobu gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cascella.
Cascella keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Cascella throws a hook to the side of Nobu's head but Nobu sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cascella throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Nobu.
Nobu looks for a takedown but Cascella sprawls well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Nobu gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nobu escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cascella throws a one two combo.
Cascella tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Nobu manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nobu checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

Cascella clinches up against the cage.
Nobu has Cascella pressed against the cage, preventing Cascella from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Nobu breaks the clinch.
Cascella throws a series of punches but Nobu avoids them all with ease.
Cascella scores with a sloppy right hand. Nobu should have avoided that one.
Cascella scores with a nice strike.
Cascella tries to bum rush Nobu with a series of wild strikes but Nobu uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A lazy left from Cascella finds it's target.
Nobu misses with a head kick.
A clash of legs there as Nobu blocks the low kick.
Cascella throws a low kick but Nobu moves out of range easily.
Nobu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nobu looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Nice shot lands for Cascella.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Nobu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A slow jab from Cascella misses its intended target.
Cascella misses with a few strikes there.
Cascella thuds a left hand into Nobu's body.
Cascella cracks Nobu with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Cascella fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nobu misses with an attempted mid kick.
Cascella is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nobu really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nobu shoots in for a double leg but Cascella sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cascella tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nobu swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cascella will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nobu takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cascella connects with a single shot there.
Nobu jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cascella tries to work over Nobu's front leg with a kick but Nobu checks it.
Cascella with a nice cross.
Nice uppercut lands for Cascella. That snapped Nobu's head back.
Cascella tries to clinch but Nobu is having none of it.
Nobu misses with a double jab
and Cascella cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cascella moves in looking to clinch but Nobu pushes him off.
Cascella lands with an overhand left.
Nobu throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Cascella counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Nobu on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Cascella tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Nobu swivels and escapes.
Cascella misses with a jab to the body

and Nobu counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Nobu breaks the clinch.
Cascella throws a push kick but Nobu slaps the foot to one side.
Nobu throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cascella throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Nobu stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cascella throws a right hand that Nobu ducks under and follows up with a left that Nobu also avoids with ease.
Nobu takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Nobu scores with a head kick.
Cascella fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nobu manages to avoid it.
Nobu shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cascella defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kana Nobu. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Nobu has Cascella up against the cage in a clinch.
Cascella keeps control of Nobu as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cascella lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Nobu blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nobu tries to break the clinch but Cascella is controlling the position.
A head punch on the inside from Cascella fails to land.
Cascella working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Cascella tries to break the clinch but Nobu is controlling the position.
Cascella scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Cascella wants to get back to striking at distance but Nobu won't allow it.
Cascella tries to break the clinch but Nobu is controlling the position.
Cascella keeps control of Nobu as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kana Nobu will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Cascella misses with an uppercut.
Nobu changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cascella tries to avoid it but Nobu manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cascella to the ground. Cascella escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nobu misses with a double jab
and Cascella counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cascella throws the left hand but Nobu avoids the punch easily.
Nobu throws a head kick that misses.
Nobu takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Cascella shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Cascella clinches with his opponent.

Nobu breaks the clinch.
Kana Nobu is winning the standup battle so far.
Nobu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nobu misses with a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloppy strikes from Cascella. Those never looked like landing.
Cascella uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Cascella slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Cascella ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cascella doesn't manage to clinch there - Nobu circles away.
Cascella throws a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cascella dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Cascella throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Cascella connects with a single shot there.
Nice shot by Cascella.
Cascella scores with a body shot.
Nobu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cascella throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Nobu slips under a jab.
Cascella is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Cascella throws an overhand right that lands on Nobu's shoulder, as Nobu tries to avoid the shot.
Cascella fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Nobu checks it well.
Nobu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nobu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cascella.
Cascella misses with a low kick.
Cascella misses with a low kick.
Cascella lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Cascella throws an overhand right that lands on Nobu's shoulder, as Nobu tries to avoid the shot.
Cascella lands a slapping body shot.
Cascella moves out of range of the body kick from Nobu.
Cascella scores with the left hand. Nobu knows he should have avoided that one.
Jab by Cascella.
Nobu circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cascella cracks Nobu with a good jab.
Cascella throws an off balance right hand
and Nobu counters with a body kick.
Cascella connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Nobu's hands.
Nobu uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cascella.
Cascella works Nobu's body with a nice hook.
Cascella scores with a hook.
Nobu lets loose with a powerful body kick. Cascella will feel that in the morning.
Cascella connects with a body shot.
A head kick from Nobu lands but Cascella takes it in his stride.
Nobu fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Cascella is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cascella lands with a good body shot.
Cascella throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Nobu on the side of the head.
Cascella uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Nobu has time to react.
Cascella doesn't manage to clinch there - Nobu circles away.
Nobu throws a head kick that misses.
Kana Nobu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nobu swings for the body but Cascella moves out of range.
Cascella lands a jab to Nobu's midsection.
Cascella swinging wildly here.
Cascella closes the distance but Nobu moves to the side
letting Nobu counter with a right hand.
Cascella throws a shot from downtown. Nobu moves away and avoids it.
Cascella scores with a jab to the head.
Cascella takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Cascella tries to close the distance and clinch but Nobu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nobu shoots in looking for a takedown. Cascella tries to sprawl out of it but Nobu keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cascella manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nobu moves away from the strike by Cascella.

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.
Cascella looks to land a right hand but Nobu moved out of range.
Nobu takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Nobu takes a jab right on the kisser.

Nobu instigates a clinch.
Nobu fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kana Nobu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cascella looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cascella has a couple of punches blocked by Nobu.
Cascella has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cascella lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nobu backwards.
Cascella is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Nobu is keeping busy.
Nobu keeps control of Cascella as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Nobu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nobu walks into a jab.
Cascella throws a right and a left that Nobu avoids nicely.
Carlos Cascella has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nobu changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cascella tries to avoid it but Nobu manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cascella to the ground. Cascella escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Carlos Cascella comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nobu 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kana Nobu!