PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Koya Urabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sub Norris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sub Norris has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Urabe
vs
Norris

178 cm
26
150 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

180 cm
36
154 lbs
29 - 28 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Koya Urabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 28 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sub Norris!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Urabe tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Norris counters with a shoot takedown. Urabe fights it but they end up in guard.
Urabe wants to get back to his feet but Norris passes into half guard.

Urabe trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Norris manages to pass to mount!
Urabe is trying to reverse the position but instead Norris has taken his back - oops!
Urabe trying to control the hands but Norris breaks the grip.

Norris decides to stand up.
Norris circles away from the clinch attempt

and Norris counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Urabe is trying to escape back to his feet but Norris uses the scramble to pass into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urabe tries to control but Norris manages to take his back.
Urabe is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Norris is not going to allow Urabe to sit and survive in this position.

Norris gets back to his feet - a bit of a stange decision given the position he was in.
Urabe tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Norris counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Norris.
Urabe wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Norris manages to pass to side control.

Norris decides to return to a standing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urabe closes the distance but Norris moves to the side

and Norris counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Urabe tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Norris manages to move to mount!
My spies in Team Migraine inform me that Norris has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Norris stands up from mount. Strange move.
Urabe closes the distance but Norris moves to the side

and Norris counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Urabe is looking to get back to is feet but Norris passes into side control.

Norris decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Urabe wants to clinch

and Norris counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Urabe!
Urabe is looking to get back to his feet here but Norris is keeping cool and he's managed to take Urabe's back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Norris gets back to his feet from a dominant position... quite strange.
Urabe tries to clinch

and Norris counters with a single leg into guard. Urabe didn't expect that.
Urabe is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Norris dives into side control.

Norris decides to stand back up. Norris steps back and let's Urabe get back to his feet.
Urabe tries to clinch but Norris moves away

and Norris counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Urabe wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Norris manages to pass to side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Norris stands up out of the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Urabe closes the distance looking to clinch

and Norris counters with a single leg into guard. Urabe didn't expect that.
Urabe wants to get back to his feet but Norris passes into half guard.

Norris gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Urabe tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Norris counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Urabe!
Urabe tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sub Norris dominated that round.
That's time! Urabe's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Urabe wants to clinch but Norris slips to the side

and Norris counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Urabe tries to kick Norris off in order to stand up. Norris Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Sub Norris has got the better of the ground game so far.
Urabe is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Norris is one step ahead and moves to full mount!

Norris is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Urabe darts in trying to clinch

and Norris decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Urabe's guard.
Urabe wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Norris manages to pass to side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Norris decides to return to a standing position.
Urabe closes the distance but Norris moves to the side

and Norris counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Urabe wants to get back to his feet but Norris passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Urabe is trying to control but Norris manages to pass to mount!

Norris get's back to his feet.
Urabe tries to clinch up

and Norris counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Urabe is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Norris dives into side control.

Norris decides to stand back up.
Koya Urabe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

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

and Norris counters with a single leg into guard. Urabe didn't expect that.
Urabe is looking to stand back up but Norris counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Urabe.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Norris stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Urabe looks to clinch

and Norris counters with a shoot takedown. Urabe fights it but they end up in guard.
Urabe is wriggling around but Norris manages to pass to half guard.

Norris postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Urabe to stand up.
Urabe moves to clinch but Norris breaks away

and Norris counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Urabe!
Urabe tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norris controls the action.
Norris is continuing to stall.

Norris gets back to his feet - a bit of a stange decision given the position he was in.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Urabe closes the distance looking to clinch

and Norris counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Urabe is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Norris dives into side control.

Norris stands up.
Urabe closes the distance looking to clinch

and Norris counters with a nice double leg into side control. Urabe won't be happy with that.
Urabe is looking to get back to his feet here but Norris is keeping cool and he's managed to take Urabe's back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Urabe tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sub Norris showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Urabe looks to clinch

and Norris counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Urabe!
Urabe tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

Norris is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Urabe tries to clinch but Norris moves away

and Norris counters with a single leg into guard. Urabe didn't expect that.
Urabe wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Norris manages to pass to side control.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Norris passes into side control, despite Urabe's attempt to control the position.

Norris decides to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urabe closes the distance but Norris moves to the side

and Norris counters with a nice double leg into side control. Urabe won't be happy with that.
Urabe bucks up and tries to throw Norris off but instead Norris has got his back!
Norris trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Urabe doesn't escape.

Norris stands up from back control! Strange decision that!
Urabe darts in trying to clinch

and Norris counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Urabe is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Norris dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Norris decides to stand back up.
Urabe darts in trying to clinch

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Norris stands up.
Urabe tries to clinch up

and Norris counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Urabe wants to get back to his feet but Norris passes into half guard.

Norris stands up out of the half guard.
Urabe wants to clinch

and Norris counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Urabe is looking to stand back up but Norris counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Urabe.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Urabe has a hand on Norris's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Norris takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

Norris stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Urabe tries to clinch up

and Norris counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Urabe pushes Norris off but Norris dives into side control.

Norris stands up.
Urabe closes the distance looking to clinch

and Norris counters with a takedown into side control.
Urabe wants to get back to his feet but Norris is dominant here and he's now got Urabe's back!

And that's the end of the fight!
Koya Urabe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Norris has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!