PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Danny Rand (ranked 2782 p4p, 2170 weight class) and Theodore Nouveau (ranked 278 p4p, 131 weight class). Rand's entrance music is Wu Tang-Protect Ya Neck. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rand
vs
Nouveau

176 cm
31
144
8 - 5 - 1

168 cm
32
148
16 - 24 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

KOMBAT KLOTHING

Conviction

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 8 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Danny Rand!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Theodore Nouveau!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yuuki Gou and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rand gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Nouveau to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rand keeping moving, preventing Nouveau from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nouveau's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Nouveau wants to pass the guard but Rand is keeping the position.
Rand lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Rand has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Nouveau is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rand looking to pass the guard.
Rand is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Nouveau has his foot on Rand's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rand works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rand trying to control but Nouveau is working from the bottom.

Nouveau has his feet on Rand's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Nouveau shoots in and drives through. Rand sprawls well.
Rand tried to counter with a leg kick but Nouveau avoided it.
Rand looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rand ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Nouveau moves away.
Rand misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nouveau takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Rand lands a head kick!
Rand misses with a looping left.

Nouveau drives through and clinches with Rand against the cage.
Rand trying to land knees to the body.

Nouveau manages to break the clinch.
Rand tries to clinch
and Nouveau counters with a three punch combo that has Rand backing up. Rand nods at Nouveau to acknowledge the strikes.

Rand is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice takedown defense from Rand. No joy for Nouveau on that attempt.
Rand swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Oh Rand is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nouveau throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rand fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rand seems to have got his legs back now.
Nouveau fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rand pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nouveau dives in and grabs Rand's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rand pushes down on Nouveau's head and hops out.
Danny Rand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Theodore Nouveau.

Rand pushes Nouveau up against the cage in a clinch.
Rand tries to land knees in the clinch but Nouveau avoids the damage to the body.
Nouveau jumps guard but Rand turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Nouveau using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rand has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rand tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Nouveau avoids it.

Nouveau breaks from the clinch.
Nouveau ducks under a wild hook from Rand.

Nouveau fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rand sprawls well initially but Nouveau persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nouveau trying to control the action but Rand is working from the bottom.
Nouveau is controlling the pace.
Rand trying to control here.
Nouveau working the head and body with strikes.
Nouveau passes to full mount!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rand is squirming around, avoiding Nouveau's attempts to control the action.
Nouveau lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rand is desperately trying to improve his position but Nouveau has a good base and remains in mount.
Rand is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Nouveau is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Rand to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Rand shrugs it off.

Nouveau swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Rand is now in Nouveau's guard. A big mistake from Nouveau there, giving up the dominant position!
Rand throwing strikes from guard but Nouveau blocks nicely.

Nouveau pushes Rand off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rand is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rand lands with a nice combination. Nouveau backs away looking to recover.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Theodore Nouveau will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rand displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Nouveau throws out the jab.
Rand misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rand throws out a loose jab but Nouveau uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nouveau keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rand swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rand tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Nouveau is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rand's half guard.
Theodore Nouveau has got the better of the ground game so far.

Nouveau is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nouveau trying to control the action but Rand is working from the bottom.

Nouveau decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rand stuffs the takedown attempt from Nouveau. Nouveau gets slowly back to his feet.
Nouveau tries to clinch but Rand moves out of range.
Rand scores with a head kick. Nouveau tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Rand throws a wild body kick that Nouveau sees coming a mile off.
Nouveau displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rand throws out the jab.

Nouveau closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rand wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Nouveau as Rand tries to tie him up.
Nouveau has Rand pushed against the cage.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rand tries to clinch up.

Rand gets tackled into the cage by Nouveau. Nouveau maintains the clinch.

Nouveau breaks the clinch.

Nouveau closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rand to the mat! Rand manages to get full guard.

Rand wriggles free and stands up.
Danny Rand is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Rand closes the distance and clinches.
Rand looking to stall.
Nouveau tries to throw a body punch but Rand avoids it by throwing Nouveau back against the cage.
Rand looking to slow down the pace here.
Rand prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rand trying to control the position but instead, Nouveau has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rand into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Rand fails to land.
Rand prevents the takedown attempt.
Danny Rand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Theodore Nouveau.
Rand trying to stall but Nouveau improves his position.
Nouveau lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rand backwards.

Nouveau manages to break the clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Nouveau.
Rand struggling a bit here.

Nouveau is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rand is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Nouveau working the head and body with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nouveau tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nouveau has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Nouveau is working to tighten his grip on Rand's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Rand has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Nouveau is really squeezing tight and eventually Rand passes out! Nouveau breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Theodore Nouveau!
Theodore Nouveau took some time post fight to say the following; 'Im coming for you, girls'.
The defeated Danny Rand had this to say: 'It is what it is, ill be back. '.