PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Takashi Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rogers Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rogers Nelson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Yamamoto
vs
Nelson

170 cm
32
140 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

171 cm
26
146 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Takashi Yamamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rogers Nelson!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Arvi Lind and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yamamoto changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Nelson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Who's going to make the next move?
Yamamoto is looking to take a break and control but Nelson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Yamamoto has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Nelson holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
You can see the frustration on Nelson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Nelson manages to work his way to half guard, despite Yamamoto's best efforts.
Nelson is trying to get back to full guard.
Nelson missing with punches from the bottom.
Nelson desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Nelson tries to get to full guard but Yamamoto has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Yamamoto.
Nelson is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Yamamoto gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Yamamoto tries to clinch there but Nelson circles away.
Nelson lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Nelson lands with a shot to the body.
Rogers Nelson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nelson misses with a series of wild punches.
Nelson has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Nice shot lands for Nelson.

Nelson moves into range and clinches up with Yamamoto.

Nelson breaks the clinch.
Nelson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Yamamoto moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nelson closes the distance and clinches.
Nelson is trying to break the clinch but Yamamoto is controlling him.

Nelson breaks the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A right-left combo lands from Nelson.

Nelson forces Yamamoto back against the cage and clinches.

Nelson breaks from the clinch.
Nelson misses with a series of wild punches.

Nelson moves into the clinch.
Yamamoto is trying to push Nelson away but Nelson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Yamamoto wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Nelson tries to break the clinch but Yamamoto is controlling the position.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Yamamoto tries to break the clinch but Nelson is controlling the position.

Nelson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Yamamoto takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto is looking to clinch.
Nelson misses with a series of wild punches.
A head kick misses from Yamamoto.
Rogers Nelson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yamamoto throws a series of punches but Nelson avoids them all with ease.
A lazy left from Nelson finds it's target.
Nelson moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Yamamoto takes one to the side of the head.

Nelson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Nelson is trying to break free.

Nelson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nelson lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Nelson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Nelson throws a series of punches but Yamamoto avoids them all with ease.
Nelson scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Yamamoto doesn't seem bothered though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yamamoto shoots in and bounces Nelson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nelson can do anything to dispel that myth.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Nelson pushes Yamamoto off and gets back to his feet.
Nelson catches Yamamoto with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Nelson gets caught napping as Yamamoto dives in and scores a takedown. Nelson manages to retain guard.
Nelson seems keen to control Yamamoto's posture.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nelson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yamamoto is one step ahead there.
Nelson is still trying to improve position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogers Nelson dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nelson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Yamamoto takes a swing at Nelson's ribcage but misses.
Nelson with a jab.
Yamamoto wants to clinch up but Nelson keeps it at a distance.

Nelson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Nelson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nelson jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

Nelson rushes Yamamoto and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Nelson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yamamoto is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Nelson moves into range and clinches up with Yamamoto.

Nelson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nelson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Nelson.

Nelson closes the distance and clinches.

Nelson breaks from the clinch.
Nelson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Yamamoto shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Nelson keeping hold of Yamamoto's head, controlling as best he can.
Nelson is trying to get back to full guard.
Nelson is staying active underneath Yamamoto, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Nelson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nelson controlling the position well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Yamamoto tries to clinch there but Nelson circles away.
Decent striking displayed by Nelson there.

Nelson moves into the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Nelson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rogers Nelson seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Yamamoto tries to keep at a distance but Nelson has taken the fight into the clinch.

Nelson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto moves in looking to clinch but Nelson pushes him off.
Yamamoto fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A head kick misses from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto is looking to clinch but Nelson is avoiding it.
Nelson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Yamamoto bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Yamamoto trying to control the position but Nelson is working away.
Nelson regains half guard.
Nelson keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Nelson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rogers Nelson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Yamamoto preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nelson trying to control the position here.
Nelson looking for a sweep. Not yet Nelson, not yet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nelson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Yamamoto!
Nelson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Yamamoto looks a forlorn figure.
The referee warns Yamamoto that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Nelson with shots to the head and body - Yamamoto looks very uncomfortable down there.
Nelson punishing his opponent with strikes.
Yamamoto is bucking up trying to escape but Nelson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Yamamoto is rocked!
Nelson lands a big elbow - Yamamoto is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Yamamoto is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Rogers Nelson!
Our winner, Rogers Nelson, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.