PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kirby Navarro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and JB Nnep (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Navarro
vs
Nnep

195 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Dangerous knees
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kirby Navarro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, JB Nnep!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Navarro wants to clinch up but Nnep keeps it at a distance.
Navarro stuffs the takedown attempt from Nnep. Nnep gets slowly back to his feet.
Navarro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nnep swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Nnep closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Nnep is looking to take a break and control but Navarro is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Nnep might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Navarro kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nnep decides to stand back up.
Nnep avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Navarro wants to clinch up but Nnep keeps it at a distance.
Navarro tries to close the distance and clinch but Nnep swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kirby Navarro is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Navarro clinches with his opponent.
Nnep drops down looking for an ankle pick but Navarro pulls his leg out and moves away.
Navarro tries to close the distance and clinch but Nnep swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nnep looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kirby Navarro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of JB Nnep.
Nnep swats away the attempt to clinch by Navarro.
Navarro wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nnep is defended easily by Navarro.
Navarro tries to clinch but Nnep moves out of range.

Navarro gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Nnep to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Nnep won't allow Navarro to get back to his feet.
Nnep trying to control but Navarro is working from the bottom.

Navarro kicks Nnep off and gets to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Navarro tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nnep paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Navarro tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nnep paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kirby Navarro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nnep shoots for a double leg takedown but Navarro sprawls well. He's pushed Nnep's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Navarro wants to clinch up but Nnep keeps it at a distance.
Navarro is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Navarro is looking to clinch.
Nnep shoots for a double leg takedown but Navarro sprawls well. He's pushed Nnep's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nnep looks gassed!

Nnep gets tackled into the cage by Navarro. Navarro maintains the clinch.
Navarro tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Nnep jumps into guard, dragging Navarro to the mat.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Navarro wants to get up but he can't break Nnep's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nnep is trying to control the position but Navarro postures up.
Navarro being controlled here momentarily.

JB Nnep has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Navarro is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Navarro tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nnep paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Horrible takedown by Nnep or perhaps it was just good defense by Navarro which made him look bad.

Navarro rushes Nnep and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but JB Nnep will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Navarro is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nnep keeps the fight on the outside.
The fight stays on the outside here - Navarro looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nnep scoring well with a low kick there.
Navarro really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Navarro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nnep swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nnep.
Nnep tries to clinch but Navarro moves out of range.
Nnep throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nnep is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Navarro tries to close the distance and clinch but Nnep swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nnep tries to close the distance and clinch but Navarro swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nnep connects with a high kick.

Navarro pushes Nnep up against the cage in a clinch.
Nnep has had enough of the clinch but Navarro keeps him there for the moment.

Navarro breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nnep throws a big shot that misses.

Navarro gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nnep is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Navarro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kirby Navarro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nnep is looking to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nnep.
Navarro wants to clinch
enabling Nnep to counter with a crisp jab.
Navarro is looking to clinch but Nnep is avoiding it.
Navarro tries to clinch up but Nnep circles away and keeps his distance.
Navarro is looking to clinch but Nnep is avoiding it.
Nnep circles away from the clinch attempt.

Navarro closes the distance and clinches.

Navarro manages to break the clinch.
Navarro moves in looking to clinch but Nnep pushes him off.
Nice takedown defense from Navarro. No joy for Nnep on that attempt.
Kirby Navarro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of JB Nnep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Navarro wants to clinch.
Navarro tries to close the distance and clinch but Nnep swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nnep circles away from the clinch attempt.

Navarro moves into range and clinches up with Nnep.
Nnep throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Nnep fails to pull guard.
Nnep fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Navarro with an attempt at a knee that misses.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Navarro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nnep tries for a takedown but Navarro sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Navarro closes the distance and pushes Nnep back into the cage.

Navarro breaks from the clinch.

Navarro closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Navarro scores with a knee to the head.

Nnep jumps into guard, dragging Navarro to the mat.
Navarro wants to stand but Nnep is controlling his posture from full guard.
Nnep wants to sweep here but Navarro controlling him for the moment.
Nnep has a closed guard, preventing Navarro from standing up.
Navarro wants to stand and escape but instead Nnep has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Nnep gets to his feet. Navarro looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nnep keeps the fight on the outside.
The fight stays on the outside here - Navarro looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
No luck for Nnep with that takedown attempt.
Navarro tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nnep circles away from the clinch attempt

and Nnep counters with a nice double leg into side control. Navarro won't be happy with that.

Nnep stands up and beckons Navarro to his feet.
Nnep tries to clinch but Navarro is having none of it.
Navarro tries to clinch but Nnep moves away
and Nnep counters with a body kick that stops Navarro in his tracks momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but JB Nnep will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Navarro pushes Nnep up against the cage in a clinch.

Navarro breaks the clinch.
Navarro closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Nnep to counter with a crisp jab.
Horrible takedown by Nnep or perhaps it was just good defense by Navarro which made him look bad.

Navarro closes the distance and pushes Nnep back into the cage.
Nnep tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Navarro just stands there and leans against the cage.
Navarro misses with a knee to the head.

Navarro breaks the clinch.
Nnep shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Navarro pinned against the cage. Navarro gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kirby Navarro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of JB Nnep.
Navarro tries to clinch but Nnep is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Navarro clinches up with Nnep and pushes him back against the cage.

Nnep has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Navarro uses from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Navarro trying to stand up but can't free himself from Nnep's guard.

Navarro stands up and waves to Nnep to follow him.
Navarro wants to clinch

and Nnep holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Navarro misses with an elbow strike.
Navarro working Nnep over with knees to the body.

Nnep manages to pull guard.
Nnep is trying to keep Navarro in close.
Navarro knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nnep on the ground.
Navarro wants to stand but Nnep is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nnep is trying to keep Navarro in close.
Navarro has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. JB Nnep wasn't active enough on the ground.
Nnep shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Navarro as he avoids it easily.
Navarro moves to clinch but Nnep breaks away
and Nnep counters with a left and a right that stings Navarro.
Nnep keeps the fight on the outside.
Nnep closes this distance looking for a takedown but Navarro circles away.
A clash of legs there as Navarro blocks the low kick.
Navarro moves to clinch but Nnep breaks away
and Nnep counters with a head kick. That will keep Navarro thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Navarro doesn't manage to clinch there - Nnep circles away.
Navarro avoids the head kick by Nnep.
Navarro wants to clinch.
Nnep rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Navarro moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Navarro fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nnep avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Navarro fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nnep tries to clinch but Navarro moves away

and Navarro moves into the clinch.

Navarro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Navarro looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Navarro tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Nnep counters with a head kick. That will keep Navarro thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Navarro wants to clinch but Nnep slips to the side
and Nnep counters with a slapping leg kick.
Nnep circles away from the clinch attempt
and Nnep counters with a solid body kick.
Nnep shoots and misses

and Navarro counters by moving into the clinch.
Nnep tries for a takedown. No joy.
Navarro lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Navarro manages to break the clinch.
Nnep has his takedown stuffed

and Navarro counters by moving into the clinch.
Navarro landing knees to the head.
Navarro can't break the clinch.
Navarro pushes off an throws an elbow but Nnep leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Nnep jumps into guard, dragging Navarro to the mat.
Nnep not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Navarro tries to stand but Nnep is controlling from the bottom.
Kirby Navarro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
JB Nnep is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Navarro is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Nnep is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Nnep has escaped and now he's on top!

And that's the end of the fight!
Kirby Navarro showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Nnep has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... JB Nnep!