PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hideki Nakamura (ranked 501 p4p, 1309 weight class) and Vasily Khrapov Jr (ranked 65 p4p, 177 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Nakamura
vs
Khrapov Jr

178 cm
27
170
13 - 4 - 0

178 cm
29
175
10 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Northern Zombie
Shadow Realm Apparel

Nevermore Clothing Co

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hideki Nakamura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasily Khrapov Jr!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Nakamura.
Khrapov Jr uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nakamura.
Khrapov Jr tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nakamura paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A big right from Khrapov Jr misses.
Khrapov Jr scores with a body shot.
Nakamura throws a low kick, looking for Khrapov Jr's leg but Khrapov Jr calmly moves out of range.
Khrapov Jr looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Khrapov Jr blocks the body kick.
Khrapov Jr keeps the fight on the outside.
Khrapov Jr misses with a looping right.
Khrapov Jr tries for a takedown but Nakamura sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nakamura jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Khrapov Jr clinches up against the cage.
Khrapov Jr is working Nakamura over against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nakamura tries to work over Khrapov Jr's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Khrapov Jr.
Khrapov Jr stalls.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Khrapov Jr has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
A right hand to the body from Khrapov Jr.

Khrapov Jr breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khrapov Jr wants to clinch.

Nakamura instigates a clinch.
Khrapov Jr throws a head punch that misses.
Khrapov Jr blocks an elbow strike from Nakamura.

Nakamura breaks the clinch.
Nakamura tries to close the distance and clinch but Khrapov Jr swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Khrapov Jr fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Nakamura looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Khrapov Jr clinches.
A short right from Nakamura on the inside.
Nakamura tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Khrapov Jr avoids it.
Khrapov Jr has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Nakamura after a bit of a struggle.
The referee calls for Khrapov Jr to work.
Khrapov Jr is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nakamura pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hideki Nakamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vasily Khrapov Jr.
Nakamura taking a breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khrapov Jr doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Khrapov Jr misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nakamura blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Stalling in the clinch from Khrapov Jr.
Nakamura throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
A short right from Khrapov Jr.

Nakamura breaks from the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Khrapov Jr throws a poor cross that misses
and Nakamura counters with a nice low kick that buckles Khrapov Jr's knee momentarily.
Nakamura lands a head shot.
Nakamura takes a swing at Khrapov Jr's ribcage but misses.
Khrapov Jr tries to counter by closing the distance.
Khrapov Jr tries to clinch up
and Nakamura counters with a low kick, right behind Khrapov Jr 's knee.
Nakamura fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Khrapov Jr on the side of the head.
Khrapov Jr keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Nakamura fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Khrapov Jr has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Hideki Nakamura seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Khrapov Jr lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Khrapov Jr misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Nakamura.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot by Nakamura.
Khrapov Jr tries to close the distance and clinch but Nakamura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Khrapov Jr drops his hands momentarily and Nakamura takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Good shot there by Khrapov Jr.
Nakamura looks to land a body kick but Khrapov Jr moved away.
Khrapov Jr tries to close the distance and clinch but Nakamura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
It appears Nakamura was looking to counter with a kick there.
Khrapov Jr stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Nakamura lands with a thumping leg kick.
Nakamura jabs Khrapov Jr right on the nose. Khrapov Jr blinks but takes it well.
Nakamura pivots, looking for a leg kick but Khrapov Jr is out of range and Nakamura settles back down.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nakamura. Khrapov Jr does a little dance to reset his feet.
A little jabbing left from Khrapov Jr on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Khrapov Jr tries to clinch but Nakamura is having none of it.
Nakamura misses with a left hand
and Khrapov Jr counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Khrapov Jr shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nakamura but Nakamura pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nakamura is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Khrapov Jr walks into a left hand.
Khrapov Jr scores with a three punch combo!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khrapov Jr misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Nakamura.
Hideki Nakamura is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Some wild striking there from Nakamura.
Nakamura takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Nakamura scores with a kick to the body.
Khrapov Jr checks the leg kick.
Nakamura lands a right hook to the body.
Khrapov Jr is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Nakamura.
Khrapov Jr throws a jab but it's blocked by Nakamura.
Nakamura ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Nakamura looks to score with a jab to the body but Khrapov Jr is just out of range.
Khrapov Jr checks a leg kick nicely.
A nice side step and Khrapov Jr releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Nakamura tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nakamura swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Khrapov Jr.
Khrapov Jr slips a straight right by Nakamura.
Khrapov Jr misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Hideki Nakamura will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Khrapov Jr tries to clinch up.
Nakamura tries to land a leg kick but Khrapov Jr saw it coming and moves away.
Nakamura jabs at Khrapov Jr's body.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Nakamura.
Nakamura swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nakamura throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nakamura tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Khrapov Jr checks the leg kick.
Nakamura tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Khrapov Jr was well out of range. Poor timing from Nakamura.
Nakamura sets himself, and Khrapov Jr steps forward looking for the clinch! Nakamura avoids it this time.
Khrapov Jr throws out a powerful jab.
Nakamura throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Khrapov Jr misses with a jab to the body
and Nakamura counters with a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nakamura looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Khrapov Jr throws a looping overhand right but Nakamura ducks down to avoid it.
Nakamura throwing a counter right hand but Khrapov Jr manages to avoid it.
Nakamura lands the left hand.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Khrapov Jr.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakamura throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Hideki Nakamura is winning the standup battle so far.
Khrapov Jr moves into range and connects with a jab.
Nakamura throws a big shot that misses.
Nakamura cracks Khrapov Jr with a good jab.
Nakamura walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Nakamura misses with a low kick.
A big left from Nakamura misses.
Nakamura pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Khrapov Jr throws an overhand right that lands on Nakamura's shoulder, as Nakamura tries to avoid the shot.
Nakamura throws a body punch but Khrapov Jr moves out of range.
Nakamura throws a body punch but Khrapov Jr moves out of range.
Nakamura connects with a nice looking jab.
Khrapov Jr throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Nakamura sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Nakamura sizes up Khrapov Jr with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Nakamura attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Khrapov Jr avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Nakamura walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Khrapov Jr with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Khrapov Jr tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nakamura paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nakamura throws a low kick, looking for Khrapov Jr's leg but Khrapov Jr calmly moves out of range.
Khrapov Jr listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Khrapov Jr is looking to clinch.
Nakamura lands a nice leg kick that just misses Khrapov Jr's sensitive parts.
Nakamura is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Khrapov Jr.
Nakamura moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Khrapov Jr tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Nakamura defends well and Khrapov Jr ends up having to push Nakamura into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
As Khrapov Jr backs away, Nakamura returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Khrapov Jr throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A little feinted left hand from Nakamura on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Khrapov Jr connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Khrapov Jr gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nakamura blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nakamura lands a hook to the side of the head.
Nakamura throws an elbow that misses.
Nakamura letting Khrapov Jr take a breather here.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Nakamura.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakamura looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Khrapov Jr blocks a body shot from Nakamura.

Nakamura pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nakamura throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Khrapov Jr uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nakamura.
Both fighters circling a little - Nakamura finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Khrapov Jr on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Khrapov Jr misses with a hook.
Nakamura fires out a quick counter leg kick but Khrapov Jr just manages to avoid it.
Khrapov Jr tries to clinch there but Nakamura circles away.
Nakamura appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Nakamura lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Khrapov Jr has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Khrapov Jr and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Nakamura throws a hook but Khrapov Jr avoids it easily.

Khrapov Jr has closed the distance and engaged Nakamura in a clinch.
Nakamura blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Khrapov Jr looking to stall.
Nakamura lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Khrapov Jr backwards.

Nakamura pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khrapov Jr circles away from the clinch attempt.
Khrapov Jr now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Nakamura keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A big right from Nakamura misses.
Nakamura misses with an attempted mid kick.
Nakamura slaps away a takedown attempt from Khrapov Jr, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hideki Nakamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vasily Khrapov Jr.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nakamura throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Khrapov Jr sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A head kick misses from Nakamura.
Good leg kick by Nakamura.
Nakamura connects with a body shot that sends Khrapov Jr's belly button to the back.
Khrapov Jr takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Khrapov Jr closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Khrapov Jr throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Khrapov Jr avoids the body shot from Nakamura.
Khrapov Jr checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Khrapov Jr lands a nice looking body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hideki Nakamura dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nakamura tries to close the distance and clinch but Khrapov Jr swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nakamura swats away the attempt to clinch by Khrapov Jr.
An inside leg kick lands from Nakamura.
Nakamura ducks under a wild hook from Khrapov Jr.
Nakamura slips under a jab from Khrapov Jr.
Nakamura throws a front kick aimed at Khrapov Jr's knee but Khrapov Jr avoids it well.
Khrapov Jr's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Khrapov Jr scores with a jab.
Nakamura takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Khrapov Jr tries to close the distance and clinch but Nakamura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A low kick from Nakamura is predictable there
and Khrapov Jr counters with a lovely straight right hand!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nakamura connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Nakamura throws a leg kick but Khrapov Jr moved away.
Nakamura attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Khrapov Jr uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Nakamura.

Nakamura has Khrapov Jr up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nakamura pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nakamura moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Nakamura attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Khrapov Jr has a takedown stuffed.
Khrapov Jr throws a jab when Nakamura was well out of range.
Nakamura throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Khrapov Jr throws a body shot but no joy.
Nakamura appears to be looking for a big counter.
Khrapov Jr misses with a body shot.
Nakamura fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nakamura looks to land a right hand but Khrapov Jr moved out of range.
Khrapov Jr takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Nakamura tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Khrapov Jr paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Khrapov Jr swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A bone on bone clash there as Khrapov Jr blocks the leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Nakamura. That's going to slow Khrapov Jr down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khrapov Jr tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Nakamura defends well and Khrapov Jr ends up having to push Nakamura into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Nakamura appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Nakamura ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nakamura tests Khrapov Jr's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Khrapov Jr has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Nakamura.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nakamura throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Khrapov Jr has taken the fight to the clinch.
Khrapov Jr looking to slow down the pace here.

Khrapov Jr pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nakamura lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Nakamura throws a hook but Khrapov Jr blocks it.
Nice uppercut there from Nakamura.
Khrapov Jr has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Nakamura.

Khrapov Jr drives through and clinches with Nakamura against the cage.
Nakamura tries to circle away but Khrapov Jr has him pinned against the cage.

Nakamura breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khrapov Jr tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Nakamura manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Khrapov Jr throws a hook but Nakamura avoids it easily.
Khrapov Jr swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Nakamura counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Nakamura slips a jab from Khrapov Jr.
Khrapov Jr fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nakamura takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Nakamura throws an overhand right that lands on Khrapov Jr's shoulder, as Khrapov Jr tries to avoid the shot.
Khrapov Jr tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Khrapov Jr is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Nakamura throws a combination. Khrapov Jr tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Nakamura throws a leg kick but Khrapov Jr sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Nakamura is looking to slow Khrapov Jr down with leg kicks.
Khrapov Jr checks a leg kick.
Nakamura bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Khrapov Jr's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Khrapov Jr tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nakamura throws a leg kick but Khrapov Jr sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Vasily Khrapov Jr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khrapov Jr tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nakamura swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nakamura misses with a jab, cross combination.
Khrapov Jr shoots in for a takedown but Nakamura shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hideki Nakamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vasily Khrapov Jr.
Khrapov Jr moves out of range of the strikes.
Khrapov Jr tries to close the distance and clinch but Nakamura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
As Khrapov Jr backs away, Nakamura returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Nakamura feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Khrapov Jrs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Hideki Nakamura is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Khrapov Jr moves to clinch but Nakamura breaks away
letting Nakamura counter with a right hand.
Khrapov Jr has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Nakamura scores with a head kick. Khrapov Jr tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Nakamura throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Khrapov Jr just misses with a punch to the body.
Nakamura misses with a low kick.
Khrapov Jr misses the jab.
Khrapov Jr looks to score with a jab to the body but Nakamura is just out of range.
Khrapov Jr throws a body punch but Nakamura moves out of range.
Khrapov Jr swings for the body but Nakamura moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hideki Nakamura showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nakamura, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hideki Nakamura!
Hideki Nakamura very nearly forgot to thank Furnace Performance 🔥 amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.