PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Justin Yanagida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenta Sazuki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Yanagida
vs
Sazuki

176 cm
23
153 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

178 cm
19
152 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Justin Yanagida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenta Sazuki!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shigeki Fujiwara and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yanagida tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sazuki sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Yanagida somewhat.
Yanagida shoots for a double leg takedown but Sazuki sprawls well. He's pushed Yanagida's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Yanagida fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Justin Yanagida. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sazuki slaps away a takedown attempt from Yanagida, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Yanagida shoots in looking for a takedown. Sazuki tries to sprawl out of it but Yanagida keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sazuki manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Sazuki clinches up with Yanagida and pushes him back against the cage.
Sazuki utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Yanagida tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sazuki smiles and moves away.
Sazuki misses with a two punch combination.
Yanagida takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Sazuki gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sazuki with a knee to the head.
Sazuki with a knee to the head.
Yanagida tries for a takedown but Sazuki manages to get underhooks.
With the fighters up against the cage, Sazuki throws an elbow but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sazuki with a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Sazuki.
Yanagida is breathing heavily.
Sazuki scores with a knee to the head.

Sazuki has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Yanagida is trying to keep an underhook but Sazuki manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Sazuki is looking to take a break and control but Yanagida is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
It looks like Sazuki is going to stand back up.
Sazuki drops an elbow to the side of Yanagida's head.

Sazuki is working for a submission of some sort.

Yanagida looking for submissions off his back.
Sazuki sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Yanagida defending well though.
Sazuki thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yanagida actively working from the bottom here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Yanagida looks for a takedown but Sazuki sprawls well.

Sazuki rushes Yanagida and presses him up against the cage.
Yanagida takes a knee right on the jaw!
Yanagida goes for a takedown attempt but Sazuki pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Sazuki throws a leg kick which misses Yanagida's front leg but catches the back leg as Yanagida tries to avoid it.
Yanagida throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sazuki's waist but Sazuki gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Yanagida off to one side.
Yanagida avoids the head kick by Sazuki.
Yanagida fails with a takedown attempt.
Yanagida dives in and grabs Sazuki's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sazuki pushes down on Yanagida's head and hops out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yanagida shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sazuki defends it nicely.

Sazuki closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Sazuki is looking for a kimura here.
Sazuki is pressing down on Yanagida's thigh, looking to free his foot. Yanagida is holding on for now.

Yanagida looking for submissions off his back.
Sazuki is looking to advance position but Yanagida won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yanagida is pressing down on Sazuki's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yanagida is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Sazuki has his hands clasped together but Yanagida extends an breaks Sazuki's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Yanagida.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:23 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Justin Yanagida!