PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Untuva Lapanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Nguyen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Alex Nguyen was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Lapanen
vs
Nguyen

192 cm
25
230 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

173 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 1 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Untuva Lapanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Alex Nguyen!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lapanen ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Lapanen staying out of range there.
A good leg kick by Lapanen.
Nguyen on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Lapanen. Lapanen obviously looking to wear him down.
Lapanen thumps Nguyen with a low kick.

Nguyen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Lapanen actively working from the bottom here.
Lapanen works his way to full guard. Good work.
Lapanen managing to control the position.
Lapanen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lapanen keeping moving, preventing Nguyen from controlling successfully.

Lapanen pushes Nguyen off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nguyen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Nguyen lands in his opponent's guard.
Nguyen postures up.
Nguyen won't allow Lapanen to sweep him here.
Nguyen trying to control but Lapanen is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nguyen looking to pass the guard.
Lapanen wants to stand up but Nguyen is controlling him.
Lapanen keeping full guard, as Nguyen tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Nguyen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nguyen content to stall in guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Alex Nguyen.
Nguyen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nguyen is defended easily by Lapanen.
Nguyen tries to clinch up but Lapanen circles away and keeps his distance.
Lapanen throws a head kick that half lands.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nguyen wants to clinch.
Lapanen chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nguyen doesn't manage to clinch there - Lapanen circles away.
Lapanen lands with a thumping leg kick.

Nguyen closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Lapanen quickly recovers to half guard.
Lapanen is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Nguyen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Nguyen's back!
A lull in the action here.
Lapanen will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Lapanen keeps control of the position as Nguyen tries to break free.
Lapanen tries to get the hooks in deep but Nguyen pushed the leg off.
Lapanen has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Nguyen's body.
Nguyen is in bad spot here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Despite being in a bad position, Nguyen is controlling the hands, preventing any submission attempts.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A lull in the action here.
Nguyen just trying to survive but Lapanen is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Lapanen struggling to keep hold of the position.
Lapanen biding his time, looking for the opening.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Nguyen wants to escape the position.
Good control from Lapanen.
Nguyen is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Lapanen wants to control but Nguyen is keeping busy.
Lapanen controlling the position well here. Nguyen rolled but Lapanen kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Nguyen trying to control the hands but Lapanen breaks the grip.
Nguyen wants to escape the position but for the time being he's just trying to control the pace.
Nguyen rolls, trying to escape but Lapanen keeps control of the position.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Lapanen just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Lapanen keeps control of the position as Nguyen tries to break free.
Nguyen rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Nguyen looks like he's trying to stand up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Untuva Lapanen just wasn't active enough.
Nguyen on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Nguyen cracks Lapanen with a right hand to the side of the head.
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!
Lapanen lands a nice looking body kick.
Lapanen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Nguyen has time to react.
Lapanen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Lapanen is breathing heavily.
Nguyen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lapanen defends it nicely.
Untuva Lapanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Nguyen.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Lapanen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Lapanen lands with a kick to the ribs.
The fighters circle momentarily. Lapanen darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Lapanen gets caught flat footed, as Nguyen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Lapanen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Nguyen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Lapanen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nguyen.
Nguyen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Nguyen looking to sit in guard and control but Lapanen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Nguyen is trying to control the position but Lapanen postures up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nguyen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Nguyen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lapanen postures up in Nguyen's guard and throws a big left but Nguyen blocks it.
Lapanen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Lapanen wants to control from the top but Nguyen keeps moving.
Nguyen working a defensive guard here.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Untuva Lapanen.
Lapanen throws a low kick but it's checked well by Nguyen.
Nguyen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lapanen avoids it really well and circles away.
Nguyen tries to clinch but Lapanen is having none of it.
Lapanen checks a leg kick nicely.
Lapanen throws an off balance right hand

and Nguyen decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lapanen's guard.
Nguyen trying to control the position from guard on top but Lapanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nguyen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nguyen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lapanen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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 Untuva Lapanen.
I think Lapanen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Untuva Lapanen!
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for Untuva Lapanen!

Untuva Lapanen wins by majority decision!