PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kwame Nti (ranked 1158 p4p, 1445 weight class) and Juan Carlos (ranked 181 p4p, 222 weight class). Kwame Nti has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nti
vs
Carlos

172 cm
34
220
24 - 17 - 0

175 cm
30
165
21 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

NARCOS
Bondi MMA ðŸï¸

Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kwame Nti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Juan Carlos!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carlos tests Nti's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nti on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Nti dodges the punch combination from Carlos.
Carlos gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Nti counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Carlos trying to control here.
Nti is taking a breather. Carlos says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Carlos wants to improve his position but Nti is controlling well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nti trying to pass the guard but Carlos defending well.
Carlos is looking to control Nti's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Carlos avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.

Carlos actively working from the bottom here.
Nti controlling the pace.
Carlos is looking for a sweep. Nti is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Carlos is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Nti is taking a breather. Carlos says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Carlos missing with punches from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Nti perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Carlos misses with a jab, cross combination.
Juan Carlos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nti shoots in for a takedown but Carlos shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Nti moves forwards but Carlos connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Some wild striking there from Carlos.
Carlos throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Nti.

Carlos scores with a takedown into Nti's guard.
Carlos distracts Nti with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carlos stopping the sweep attempt from Nti.
Carlos working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nti preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nti wants to improve his position but instead Carlos has moved into half guard.
Carlos performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Carlos trying to control from half guard but Nti is working away.
Nti controlling the position for now.
Carlos has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nti is looking for a sweep. Carlos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Carlos scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Well, if Carlos is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Carlos sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nti defending well though.
Nti is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Carlos's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Carlos's back!
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Nti.
Good control from Nti.
Carlos looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Carlos tries to roll but Nti sticks to his back.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nti ducks right into an uppercut from Carlos.
Nti uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Carlos.
Carlos misses with a few strikes there.
Carlos throws a head kick that misses.
Nti looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Nti fails to land the takedown.
It seemed like Carlos was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

Carlos tries to keep at a distance but Nti has taken the fight into the clinch.
Carlos misses with a knee strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carlos leaning against his opponent.
Carlos has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Carlos tries for a takedown but Nti manages to get underhooks.
Carlos misses with an elbow strike.
Carlos blocks a body shot from Nti.
Nti lands a left hand.
Carlos is working for takedown but Nti is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nti tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Carlos blocks an uppercut.
Nti doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Carlos has Nti pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Carlos pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Nti tumbling to the mat - Carlos dives into Nti's guard.
Nti is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nti keeping moving, preventing Carlos from controlling successfully.
Nti bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Carlos's guard.

Carlos pulls Nti in close to his closed guard and prevents Nti from doing any damage or advancing position.
Nti stays in close to Carlos's body and controls the position.
Nti trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nti showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Carlos looking for a sweep. Not yet Carlos, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carlos trying to control the position.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Carlos. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Nti stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Carlos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nti controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Nti has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Nti there as he acknowledges the shot.
Nti defending well as Carlos loads up on a big left hand.
Nti walks into a left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carlos lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Carlos fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Kwame Nti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juan Carlos.

Carlos shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Carlos missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kwame Nti has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Carlos sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nti defending well though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Carlos wants to control but Nti is keeping him busy.
Nti trying to control from the bottom.
Carlos not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juan Carlos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Carlos fails with the takedown.
Carlos's corner calls for a 1-2. Carlos obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Carlos takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Carlos uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Nti throws a looping overhand right but Carlos ducks down to avoid it.
Carlos lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Carlos connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Nti's hands.
Carlos has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Nti avoids the head kick by Carlos.
Nti feinted with a counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carlos throws the kick towards the body but Nti avoids it.
Nti uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Carlos.
Carlos throws a right and a left that both miss.
Carlos swats away the attempt to clinch by Nti.
It seemed like Carlos was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carlos with a jab.

Nti has closed the distance and engaged Carlos in a clinch.
Carlos's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

It looks like Juan Carlos has been cut.
Carlos is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nti pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Carlos misses with the head strike.
Carlos scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A short uppercut from Nti.
Nti tries to work over Carlos's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Carlos stalling in the clinch but Nti improves position.
Carlos's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Carlos jumps guard but Nti stands there with Carlos around his waist. Carlos gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kwame Nti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juan Carlos.

Carlos pulls guard successfully.
Nti is stalling in the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carlos is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nti preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Carlos missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nti wants to get back to full guard.
Carlos is looking to advance position but Nti won't allow it.
Carlos with the ground and pound but Nti uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Nti looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nti working a defensive guard here.
Nti has his hands on Carlos's head, controlling the position.
Carlos won't allow Nti to sweep him here.
Nti trying to control the position here.
Nti keeping moving, preventing Carlos from controlling successfully.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
No joy there for Carlos, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The fighters circling - Carlos throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nti tries to clinch up.
The fighters circle momentarily. Carlos darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Nti walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nti on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Juan Carlos seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nti uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Carlos.
Juan Carlos is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Carlos with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juan Carlos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Carlos winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juan Carlos!
An out of breath Juan Carlos thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.