PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Karl Istaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuki Nakai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Istaz
vs
Nakai

175 cm
27
153 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

170 cm
26
154 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Good gas tank

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Karl Istaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuki Nakai!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Sano and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakai takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Istaz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Istaz stuns Nakai with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Istaz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Nakai circles away quickly and effectively.
Nakai tries to close the distance and clinch but Istaz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Istaz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nakai.
Istaz fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Nakai checks it well.
Istaz lands with a kick to the temple. Nakai shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Nakai fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Istaz is out of range.
Nakai shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Istaz as he avoids it easily.
Istaz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Nakai gets the takedown into side control.
Istaz manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Nakai is looking to take a break and control but Istaz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakai wants to pass to mount but Istaz is defending the position.
Istaz is looking to improve his position.
Nakai stalling.

Nakai seems to be working for a kimura but Istaz defends the submission attempt.
Nakai looks to land a strike but Istaz avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Nakai trying to control the position from guard on top but Istaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Istaz keeping full guard, as Nakai tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakai slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Istaz keeping full guard, as Nakai tries to pass.
Istaz keeping moving, preventing Nakai from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Yuki Nakai.
Nakai blocks the body kick.
Nakai tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Istaz is able to avoid easily.
Istaz keeps the fight on the outside.
Nakai tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakai throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Istaz's waist but Istaz gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Nakai off to one side.
Karl Istaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yuki Nakai.
Istaz lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Nakai throws a head kick that Istaz semi-blocks.
Nakai doesn't manage to clinch there - Istaz circles away.
Istaz throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Istaz has managed to clinch.
Nakai is trying to stall.
Nakai leaning his opponent against the cage.
Nakai wants a takedown but no success here.
Nakai holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Nakai avoiding damage as Istaz throws knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Istaz blocks an elbow strike.
Istaz tries to land knees in the clinch but Nakai avoids the damage to the body.
Istaz comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Istaz tries to land a knee to the head but Nakai blocks with his arms.
Istaz missing with knees to the body.
Istaz misses with a short punch on the inside.

Istaz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice sprawl there from Istaz as Nakai shoots in.
Nakai is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Istaz lands a head kick!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Nakai is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Istaz's half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nakai prevents Istaz from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Yuki Nakai will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nakai throws a head kick but Istaz moves out of range.
Nakai tries to close the distance and clinch but Istaz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nakai throws a body punch but Istaz moves out of range.
Istaz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nakai takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Istaz is looking to clinch but Nakai is avoiding it.
Istaz tries to clinch but Nakai is having none of it.
Istaz takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A nice inside leg kick there by Istaz. That's going to slow Nakai down.
Nakai throws a head kick but Istaz moves out of range.
Nakai scores with a three punch combo!
Yuki Nakai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nakai is looking to clinch.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Istaz.
Istaz lands a nice looking body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Istaz avoids a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakai fails with the takedown.

Nakai gets a clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Istaz obliges.
Istaz works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Istaz creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Nakai's defenses.
Istaz is pushing Nakai up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Nakai is working for takedown but Istaz is calmly controlling the position for now.

Nakai breaks from the clinch.
Nakai shoots in but no luck this time.
Karl Istaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yuki Nakai.
Istaz with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Istaz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Istaz moves into the clinch.
Nakai tries for a takedown. No joy.
Istaz with a knee to the head.
Istaz using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nakai effectively controlling the action here.
Istaz tries to land a knee to the head but Nakai blocks with his arms.
A knee to the head by Istaz.
Nakai can't get the takedown.
Nakai goes for a takedown in the clinch but Istaz prevents it.

Istaz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Istaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nakai throws a nice looking combination but Istaz bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Istaz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nakai is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Istaz.
Nakai takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Istaz tries to clinch up but Nakai circles away and keeps his distance.
Nakai swats away the attempt to clinch by Istaz.
Istaz is looking to clinch but Nakai is avoiding it.
Nakai dives in and grabs Istaz's left leg, looking for a takedown. Istaz pushes down on Nakai's head and hops out.
Karl Istaz is winning the standup battle so far.
Nice takedown defense from Istaz. No joy for Nakai on that attempt.
Nakai walks forward, straight into a front kick from Istaz.
Karl Istaz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nakai showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Istaz.
Istaz tries a head kick but it misses.
Nakai is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakai is looking to clinch.
Istaz throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Nakai's head.
No luck for Nakai with that takedown attempt.
Istaz misses with a two punch combination.

Istaz drives through and clinches with Nakai against the cage.
Nakai throws a punch but it's blocked by Istaz.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nakai struggles to land a body shot inside as Istaz controls his hands.
Istaz tries to land a knee to the head but Nakai blocks with his arms.
Nakai looking to stall.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Istaz looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Nakai wants a takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Istaz dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nakai tries to keep at a distance but Istaz has taken the fight into the clinch.
Istaz pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Nakai holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Nakai takes an elbow to the forehead.
Istaz throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Nakai tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Istaz's elbow.
Nakai tries to throw a body punch but Istaz avoids it by throwing Nakai back against the cage.
Istaz lands a knee to the head.

Nakai has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Istaz is trying to keep an underhook but Nakai manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Nakai is looking to advance position but Istaz won't allow it.

Nakai seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Istaz is looking for a sweep. Nakai is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Istaz is defending against the submission attempts here by Nakai.
Nakai is keen to just control but Istaz is a slippery customer.
Istaz works his way to full guard. Good work.
Nakai postures up.
Istaz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nakai.
Nakai content to stall in guard here.
Nakai trying to control the position from guard on top but Istaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Istaz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nakai defends well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nakai trying to control the position from guard on top but Istaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Istaz can't keep his opponent in guard - Nakai advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Nakai sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Istaz defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakai is trying to control. Istaz wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Istaz is looking for a sweep. Nakai is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nakai passes to full mount!

Nakai is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Istaz is surviving well by controlling Nakai's body position as best he can.
Nakai can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Istaz is looking to escape.
Istaz tries to buck Nakai off but he can't manage it.
Yuki Nakai has got the better of the ground game so far.

Nakai wants to finish this one by submission but Istaz is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Nakai.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Istaz is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Nakai working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Istaz looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Nakai! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Yuki Nakai!
Yuki Nakai gave a mention to Valhalla Clothing in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).