PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Willy Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daisuke Kai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Daisuke Kai will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Nelson
vs
Kai

160 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

177 cm
23
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Willy Nelson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Daisuke Kai!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yuuki Gou and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kai fails with the takedown.
Kai swinging wildly here.

Nelson darts in and clinches Kai up against the cage.

Nelson breaks the clinch.
Kai tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kai lands a jab-cross combination.

Kai gets caught napping as Nelson dives in and scores a takedown. Kai manages to retain guard.

Nelson stands and steps away. Kai gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Kai has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Nelson is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Kai throws a head kick but Nelson moves out of range.
Kai's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Kai duly obliges.

It looks like Willy Nelson has been cut.
Daisuke Kai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kai moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Nelson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kai blocks a head kick by Nelson.
Kai lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Nelson swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kai stuffs the takedown attempt from Nelson. Nelson gets slowly back to his feet.
Nelson really is a fat lump.
Nelson shoots in for a double leg but Kai sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kai will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kai looks winded!
Kai throws a shot to the body.
Kai works over Nelson's head and body with a nice combination.
Kai throws a head kick that misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kai looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Nelson rushes Kai and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nelson tries to pull guard but Kai forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Willy Nelson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kai lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Kai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Nelson dives in and scores a takedown into Kai's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Nelson drops back looking for a leg! Kai is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kai manages to kick Nelson off! Nelson jumps back into Kai's guard.

Nelson is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nelson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Nelson stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Nelson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kai throws a hook but Nelson blocks it.
Nelson shoots in but Kai avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nelson fails to land the takedown.
Nelson blocks a head kick by Kai.

Kai tries to sprawl but Nelson drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kai trying to control here.

Nelson is trying to work for a kimura but Kai is defending well.
Kai is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nelson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Kai is trying to control but can't.

Nelson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Kai pushes Nelson off looking to stand but Nelson dives back in and keeps control.
Kai is pressing down on Nelson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Nelson stands up over Kai, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Nelson stands up and waves to Kai to follow him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daisuke Kai dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Willy Nelson's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kai wants to clinch up but Nelson keeps it at a distance.
Nelson shoots for a takedown but Kai saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kai is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Nelson doesn't manage to clinch there - Kai circles away.
Kai cracks the inside of Nelson's front leg.
Kai throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Kai scores with a kick to the body.
Nelson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kai swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nelson tries to clinch up but Kai circles away and keeps his distance.
Kai lands a head kick!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kai swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Nelson counters with a single leg into guard. Kai didn't expect that.
Kai utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kai throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.

Kai has his feet on Nelson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kai throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Nelson.
Nelson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Left hook, right uppercut from Kai.

Nelson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Kai to the ground. Nelson is now in Kai's guard.

Kai manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Nelson.

Nelson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Daisuke Kai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kai tries a head kick but it misses.
Kai tries to close the distance and clinch but Nelson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kai misses with a head kick.
Willy Nelson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nelson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Kai!

Nelson tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Nelson tries for a kimura but Kai is defending well.

Nelson decides to stand back up. Nelson steps back and let's Kai get back to his feet.
Nelson tries to clinch but Kai is having none of it.
No joy there for Kai, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nelson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nelson closes the distance and clinches up with Kai, looking for a takedown. Nelson pushes Kai against the cage but Kai circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Kai explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Nelson blocks a head kick by Kai.
As Kai looks to move away, Nelson throws a big counter combo bu Kai just gets out of the way.

Nelson moves into the clinch.

Nelson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kai tries to bum rush Nelson with a series of wild strikes but Nelson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nelson throws a head kick that misses.
Nelson blocks a head kick by Kai.

Nelson instigates a clinch.
Nelson tries to pull guard but Kai won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Willy Nelson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Nelson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kai misses with a head kick.
Nelson throws a big counter combination but Kai scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kai swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kai keeps the fight on the outside.
Kai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nelson looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Kai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nelson has a takedown stuffed.
Kai misses with a head kick.
Kai misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nelson seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Kai swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Nelson counters with a single leg into guard. Kai didn't expect that.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Nelson stands up from Kai's guard - Nelson perhaps looking for a knockout.

Nelson clinches up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daisuke Kai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Willy Nelson's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Nelson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kai is trying to defend but Nelson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Ground and pound from Nelson.

Nelson looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Nelson gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nelson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kai defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kai tries to clinch but Nelson is having none of it.
Kai misses with a two punch combination.
Nelson seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Kai takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kai throws a head kick but Nelson moves out of range.
Kai fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kai avoids the head kick by Nelson.
Kai throws a head kick that misses.
Nelson tries a head kick but it misses.
Kai moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Kai lands a head kick!
Kai misses with the combination.

Nelson has closed the distance and engaged Kai in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nelson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nelson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kai defends it nicely.
Kai checks the leg kick.

Nelson looking to score a takedown here. Kai is defending well but Nelson drives through and ends up in Kai's guard.
Kai is looking to stand back up but Nelson counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Kai.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Nelson is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nelson lands with a punch from half guard.
Kai is looking to escape.

Nelson is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Kai has managed to free his arm - good work.
Nelson prevents Kai from standing back up.

Nelson is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Kai has managed to free his arm - good work.
Nelson blocks the strikes from Kai.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Nelson controlling the action here.

Nelson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Willy Nelson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Nelson is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kai doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nelson.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nelson throwing shots but Kai is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Willy Nelson.
I think Kai 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daisuke Kai!
Daisuke Kai decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.