PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hidetoshi Nakata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuam Laigo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hidetoshi Nakata has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nakata
vs
Laigo

178 cm
21
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
21
179 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Punishment clothing
Fight For Real MMA Nutrition

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hidetoshi Nakata!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuam Laigo!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Laigo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Laigo tries to bum rush Nakata with a series of wild strikes but Nakata uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nakata looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Laigo is fending him off so far but Nakata persists. Nope, Laigo circles away and we're back to standing.
Laigo misses with a few strikes there.
Laigo is looking to clinch but Nakata is avoiding it.
Nakata is looking to clinch but Laigo is avoiding it.
Laigo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Laigo.

Nakata decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Nakata content to control rather than advance.
Nakata trying to control the action but Laigo is working from the bottom.
Laigo tries to kick Nakata off but Nakata keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Nakata is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laigo is in trouble now - Nakata has advanced to mount!
Laigo is squirming around, avoiding Nakata's attempts to control the action.
Laigo is trying to stand up.
Nakata tries to control but Laigo wriggling away.
You get the feeling that Laigo really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Nakata trying to control but Laigo is having none of it.
Laigo wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nakata throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Nakata looking to finish Laigo with some ground and pound. This is bad for Laigo!
Poor strikes thrown by Nakata there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Laigo is trying to stand up.
Laigo looks gassed!
The referee warns Laigo that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Nakata working Laigo over with strikes here.
Nakata sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Laigo wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakata is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Laigo tries to buck Nakata off but he can't manage it.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nakata looking for a guillotine from mount but Laigo is having none of it.
Laigo trying desperately to get to his feet.
Nakata with good strikes from the mount here!
Laigo really wants to buck Nakata off and get back to his feet.
Nakata takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakata wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Nakata trying to control but Laigo is having none of it.
Nakata has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Laigo's face.
Nakata breaks from Laigo's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Nakata is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Laigo is surviving well by controlling Nakata's body position as best he can.
Nakata tries to control but Laigo wriggling away.
You get the feeling that Laigo really doesn't like being in this position too much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nakata shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Nakata has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Nakata wants to control from the top but Laigo keeps moving.
Nakata's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Nakata wants to control from the top but Laigo keeps moving.

Nakata stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Laigo wants to clinch up but Nakata keeps it at a distance.
Yuam Laigo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nakata staying out of range there.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Laigo is trying to break the clinch but Nakata has him pressed against the ropes.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Laigo just misses with a elbow thrown towards Nakata's brow.
Laigo is breathing heavily.
Laigo gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Nakata.
Nakata jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Laigo walks away with a smile on his face. Nakata gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laigo is looking to clinch but Nakata is avoiding it.
Laigo's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Laigo duly obliges.
Laigo misses with a few strikes there.
Nakata fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hidetoshi Nakata is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Laigo misses with an uppercut. Nakata saw that one coming.
Laigo stuffs the takedown attempt from Nakata. Nakata gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hidetoshi Nakata. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Laigo doesn't manage to clinch there - Nakata circles away.
Nakata moves out of range as Laigo throws a body kick.
A punch combination from Laigo misses.
Nakata looks for a takedown but Laigo sprawls well.
Nakata fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Laigo.

Nakata drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nakata won't allow Laigo to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nakata pushes down on Laigo's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Nakata is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Nakata takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Laigo is trying to stand up here but Nakata is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nakata postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Laigo to stand up.
Nakata throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Laigo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nakata misses with a head kick.
Nakata closes the distance and clinches up with Laigo, looking for a takedown. Nakata pushes Laigo against the ropes but Laigo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Laigo is looking to clinch but Nakata is avoiding it.
Nakata fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Laigo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Nakata paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Laigo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nakata avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Laigo tries to clinch but Nakata moves out of range.
No luck for Nakata with that takedown attempt.

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.
A head kick misses from Nakata.

Laigo closes the distance and pushes Nakata back into the ropes.
Nakata jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Laigo walks away with a smile on his face. Nakata gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Laigo displaying some good clinch control by pressing Nakata up against the ropes.
Nakata lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Laigo is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Nakata is keeping busy.
Nakata has had enough of the clinch but Laigo keeps him there for the moment.
Nakata is trying to break free.
Nakata wants a takedown.
Nakata goes for a takedown attempt but Laigo pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hidetoshi Nakata dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Nakata dodges the punch combination from Laigo.
Laigo is looking to clinch but Nakata is avoiding it.
Nakata tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Laigo was well out of range. Poor timing from Nakata.

Nakata clinches up against the ropes.
Nakata goes for a takedown attempt but Laigo pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Laigo stuns Nakata with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Laigo misses with a few strikes there.
Laigo misses with a double jab.
Laigo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Nakata paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Laigo tries to clinch there but Nakata circles away.
A punch combination from Laigo misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakata fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nakata misses with a body kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Nakata blocks the leg kick.

Nakata shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Nakata decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Laigo, up you get!
Laigo wants to clinch.
Nakata shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Laigo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nakata is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nakata tries to clinch but Laigo is having none of it.

Nakata gets a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nakata is working for a submission of some sort.
Laigo wants to get back to his feet.
Nakata working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Laigo is trying to stand.
Laigo is refusing to be controlled, as Nakata sits in half guard.
Nakata tries to pass to full mount but Laigo defends it.
Hidetoshi Nakata overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakata thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Laigo's head.
Laigo pushes Nakata off looking to stand but Nakata dives back in and keeps control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nakata shoots for a double leg takedown but Laigo sprawls well. He's pushed Nakata's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hidetoshi Nakata. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Laigo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Nakata fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Laigo sprawls well initially but Nakata persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Nakata stops Laigo from getting back to his feet.
Nakata trying to control from Laigo's half guard. Laigo has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Laigo wants to get back to his feet but Nakata is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakata stays in close to Laigo's body and controls the position.
Laigo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nakata. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nakata prevents Laigo from getting back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nakata tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Laigo swivels and escapes.
Yuam Laigo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nakata changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Laigo tries to avoid it but Nakata manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Laigo to the ground. Laigo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Laigo rushes Nakata and presses him up against the ropes.
Laigo trying to control the position but instead, Nakata has worked for underhooks and has pushed Laigo into the ropes.
Laigo wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hidetoshi Nakata is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nakata has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Laigo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hidetoshi Nakata showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nakata, 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hidetoshi Nakata!