PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nate Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuki Nakai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz comes to the cage accompanied by Headstrong-Trapt. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Cruz
vs
Nakai

170 cm
30
152 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

170 cm
29
154 lbs
17 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Good gas tank

Syndicate Nutrition (DUS)

Brute

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nate Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuki Nakai!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shigeki Fujiwara and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz just misses with a punch to the body.
Nakai throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Cruz shoots in but no luck this time.
Nakai throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
A big left from Cruz misses.
Nakai throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Nakai shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Nakai showed some decent athleticism there.
Cruz is controlling Nakai's trapped leg to prevent Nakai from advancing to side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakai is trying to control the action in half guard but Cruz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cruz is trying to control but can't.

Nakai is working for a kimura but Cruz is defending it quite comfortably.
Cruz tries to roll over but Nakai keeps him under control.
Cruz moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Cruz pulls Nakai in close to his closed guard and prevents Nakai from doing any damage or advancing position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nakai stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakai preventing the sweep.
Nakai looking to sit in guard and control but Cruz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Nakai has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Cruz has passed into side control.
Cruz working away.
Nakai is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Cruz off and has taken his back!

Nakai looking for the choke from the back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Nakai is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Cruz fending off the submission attempt from Nakai.
Nakai is trying to stick to Cruz's back but Cruz is turning into Nakai. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Nakai's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Cruz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cruz postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Nakai preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cruz trying to control but Nakai is working from the bottom.
Nakai looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruz scoring with punches to the head and body.
Cruz passes Nakai's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Nakai taking some punishment here, with Cruz in his half guard.

Nakai looking for submissions off his back.

Cruz is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Nakai has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakai is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cruz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The fighters are battling for position here. Nakai manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Nakai has momentary wrist control but Cruz slips an elbow through the middle.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nakai is on top in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nakai looking to sit in guard and control but Cruz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Cruz working some strikes from top position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz with a nice head shot there.
Nakai looking to control.
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 corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Cruz feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Cruz trying to control but Nakai is working from the bottom.
Nakai preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nakai wants to sweep here but Cruz controlling him for the moment.
Nakai not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Cruz preventing the sweep.
Cruz landing some decent shots from guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nakai is on top in guard.
Cruz has Nakai pulled in close to control his posture.
Nakai stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control the position here.
Nakai is pushing down on Cruz's leg trying to pass to half guard. Cruz is fighting to maintain full guard but Nakai has managed to sneak the leg through.
Cruz controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Nakai wants to take a breather but Cruz is having none of it.
Nakai is looking to stall here but Cruz recovers full guard.
Nakai loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nakai trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz working a defensive guard here.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Nakai from controlling successfully.
Cruz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nakai manages to get himself to full guard.
Nakai controlling the position.
Nakai wants to improve his position but instead Cruz has moved into half guard.
Nakai avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cruz.
Nakai gets full 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!
Nakai throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Cruz chips away with some ground and pound.
Nakai manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nakai jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Cruz is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Cruz and Nakai has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Cruz is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Nakai off and has taken his back!
Nakai tries to escape but Cruz has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Cruz loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Nakai hold on?
Nakai rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Nakai is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nakai has hold of Cruz's hands but Cruz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Nakai is trying to get back to full guard.
Cruz wants to control but Nakai is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakai tries to roll over but Cruz keeps him under control.
Nakai is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Cruz is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Cruz is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nakai slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nakai 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.
Cruz cracks Nakai with a solid left hand.
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 Nate Cruz will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Cruz tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Cruz loads up on a big right hand but Nakai slips the punch.
Nakai misses with a head kick.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

Cruz shoots in and gets a takedown into Nakai's guard.

Nakai is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Cruz rolls with it to try and escape but Nakai cranks on the arm and Cruz is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Yuki Nakai!
Yuki Nakai looked relieved post fight as he said the following; '"I came here tonight and I didn't know what to expect. I seen a lot of people hating me and I didn't know what to feel about that so I guess I didn't like you much none either. During this fight I seen a lot of changing, the way yous felt about me, and the way I felt about you. In here there wer'.