PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hiroshi Nakamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Rose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ben Rose has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nakamura
vs
Rose

170 cm
24
150 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

185 cm
19
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiroshi Nakamura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ben Rose!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nakamura fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Rose to the ground. Nakamura is now in Rose's guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Nakamura preventing the sweep.
Rose has control of Nakamura's left arm, preventing Nakamura from doing any damage.
Rose looking to control.
Nakamura is standing up over Rose. Rose looks to escape but Nakamura dives into side control.
Nakamura lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Rose is looking to reverse the position.
Rose takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rose is trying to control Nakamura's posture but Nakamura avoids it.
Rose is trying to escape the position but Nakamura is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose wants to control but Nakamura postures up.
Nakamura tries to move into full mount but can't pass Rose's legs.
Rose manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Nakamura is working for a kimura but Rose is defending it quite comfortably.
Rose is trying to stand up here but Nakamura is controlling him well.
Rose is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Nakamura sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Nakamura stands up from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura circles away from the clinch attempt

and Nakamura counters with a single leg into guard. Rose didn't expect that.
Nakamura has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rose wants to sweep but no luck.
Rose has a closed guard, preventing Nakamura from standing up.
Rose keeping moving, preventing Nakamura from controlling successfully.
Rose trying to keep a closed guard but Nakamura is proving a slippery customer.
Rose looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura wants to stand and escape but instead Rose has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Nakamura is pulling down on Rose's head. It's preventing any offense from Rose, at least for the moment.
Rose tries to free his leg and advance position but Nakamura is retaining full guard.

Rose decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rose tries to land a leg kick but Nakamura saw it coming and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura misses with a takedown attempt - Rose sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nakamura shoots in and drives through. Rose sprawls well.
Rose falls off balance throwing a combination

and Nakamura counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rose is trying to keep Nakamura in close.
Nakamura tries to free his leg and advance position but Rose is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nakamura trying to control the position from guard on top but Rose is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nakamura postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiroshi Nakamura dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rose looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nakamura avoids the body shot from Rose.
Rose leaves Nakamura with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nakamura shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rose looks for a takedown but Nakamura sprawls well.
Rose shoots in and drives through. Nakamura sprawls well.
Hiroshi Nakamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Rose.
Rose shoots in for a double leg but Nakamura sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rose is breathing heavily.
Nakamura shoots in for a takedown but Rose shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Nakamura fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose tries for a takedown but Nakamura sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hiroshi Nakamura is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rose missing with a left hand there. Nakamura was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Nakamura closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Rose quickly recovers to half guard.
Rose is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nakamura with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Rose is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rose trying to control but Nakamura postures up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Nakamura feints and as Rose raises his hands in defense, Nakamura changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nakamura preventing the sweep.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rose being controlled here, momentarily.
Nakamura might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura looking to pass the guard.
Nakamura won't allow Rose to sweep him here.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Hiroshi Nakamura just wasn't active enough.
Nakamura closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rose circles away.
Rose misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Nakamura scores a takedown into full mount!
Nakamura knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rose on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nakamura moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Rose has worked his arm free - good work by Rose!
Rose manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Nakamura is trying to stand up here but Rose is controlling him well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rose is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rose wants to free his trapped foot but Nakamura is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiroshi Nakamura dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Nakamura misses with a takedown attempt - Rose sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nakamura leaves Rose with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nakamura takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Nakamura circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nakamura slaps away a takedown attempt from Rose, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rose tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nakamura tries for a takedown but Rose sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Rose moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nakamura manages to break the clinch.
Rose looks for a takedown but Nakamura sprawls well.
Hiroshi Nakamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Rose.
Horrible takedown by Nakamura or perhaps it was just good defense by Rose which made him look bad.

Rose instigates a clinch.
Rose keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Nakamura's efforts to push away.
Nakamura just leaning against Rose, taking a breather.

Nakamura breaks from the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Nakamura. No joy for Rose on that attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rose. Nakamura does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rose tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Nakamura counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rose won't be happy with that.
You can see the frustration on Rose's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rose is not content to let Nakamura control the position.
Rose sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Rose's thigh. Rose counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Rose has an active guard here but Nakamura has managed to pass into half guard.
Rose wants to control but Nakamura is keeping busy.
Rose is controlling Nakamura's trapped leg to prevent Nakamura from advancing to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura wants to stand but Rose has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Nakamura wants to pass the guard but Rose is defending well.
Nakamura stalling away here and it's allowed Rose to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Rose can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Nakamura controls the pace.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rose keeping moving, preventing Nakamura from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Hiroshi Nakamura.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nakamura, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

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