PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kazuo Imanari (ranked 670 p4p, 2848 weight class) and Romega Vartanein (ranked 37 p4p, 140 weight class). Imanari comes to the cage accompanied by 吉田兄弟 Rising. Kazuo Imanari has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Imanari
vs
Vartanein

165 cm
28
145
7 - 0 - 0

179 cm
20
130
2 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Determined

SpeeDee BBQ

Knock Out Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kazuo Imanari!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Romega Vartanein!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vartanein throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Imanari ducks under a wild hook from Vartanein.
Vartanein throws a sloppy head kick

and Imanari counters with a single leg into guard. Vartanein didn't expect that.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vartanein can do anything to dispel that myth.
Imanari tries to free his leg and advance position but Vartanein is retaining full guard.
Vartanein not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Imanari preventing the sweep.
Imanari sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Vartanein wants to stand and escape but Imanari is having none of it.
Imanari controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vartanein is trying to keep Imanari in close.
Vartanein looking to hit a scissor sweep but Imanari is one step ahead there.
Imanari stands and throws Vartanein's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vartanein tries to buck Imanari off but Imanari is having none of it.
Imanari tries to advance to mount but Vartanein denies him.

Imanari is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Vartanein is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Vartanein prevents Imanari from improving position.
Vartanein tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Imanari wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Imanari thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Imanari has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Vartanein!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vartanein tries to hold on but Imanari pushes him away.
Imanari controlling the position easily from mount.
Imanari is looking to work his way around to Vartanein's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Vartanein trying desperately to get to his feet.
Vartanein keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Vartanein really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Imanari. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Vartanein tries to lock up and control but Imanari gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Imanari looking to control and managing it successfully.
Vartanein is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Imanari is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Vartanein can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vartanein keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Vartanein is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Vartanein is trying to escape the mount.
Imanari wants to take his opponent's back but Vartanein doesn't allow it.
Vartanein is desperately trying to improve his position but Imanari has a good base and remains in mount.
Imanari sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Vartanein sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vartanein is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Imanari is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Vartanein preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Vartanein wants to control but Imanari is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vartanein is looking for a sweep. Imanari is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Imanari works his way into full mount!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kazuo Imanari dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Imanari is defended easily by Vartanein.
Imanari loads up on a big right hand but Vartanein slips the punch.
Vartanein throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Imanari counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Imanari.
Vartanein is looking to control Imanari's arms but Imanari gets an underhook and turns him. Now Vartanein has his back to the cage.
Vartanein pressing his opponent against the cage.
Imanari is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vartanein can do to turn this around?
Imanari keeps control of Vartanein as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Imanari decides to pull guard.
Imanari not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vartanein content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vartanein trying to stand up but can't free himself from Imanari's guard.
Vartanein showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Imanari working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Vartanein.
Imanari keeping moving, preventing Vartanein from controlling successfully.

Imanari is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Vartanein rolls with it to try and escape but Imanari cranks on the arm and Vartanein is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Kazuo Imanari!
Kazuo Imanari retains his bantamweight title!
Kazuo Imanari decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.