PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Robbie Hall (ranked 131 p4p, 736 weight class) and Sam Hiro Iwaga Genochin (ranked 19 p4p, 91 weight class). Hall kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Andy Shauf: The Magician. Iwaga Genochin has chosen Majinahanashi as his entrance music. Sam Hiro Iwaga Genochin will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Hall
vs
Iwaga Genochin

165 cm
27
135
14 - 2 - 0

175 cm
27
150
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Powerful

BE Younick
Highland Clothing

BE Younick

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Robbie Hall!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sam Hiro Iwaga Genochin!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Paul Tew and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
We've got one fighter who appears to only be looking to counter and the other not looking particularly aggressive either, so we could be in for a dull fight.
Hall misses with a hook
and Iwaga Genochin counters with a straight right hand.

Hall closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hall lands in his opponent's guard.
Hall stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Iwaga Genochin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hall engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hall stopping the sweep attempt from Iwaga Genochin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall looking to pass the guard.
Hall controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Iwaga Genochin looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Iwaga Genochin keeping moving, preventing Hall from controlling successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Hall works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Hall is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Iwaga Genochin is just riding it out for now. Hall eventually gives up the hold.
Iwaga Genochin trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hall trying to control the action but Iwaga Genochin is working from the bottom.
Iwaga Genochin pushes Hall off looking to stand but Hall dives back in and keeps control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Hall gets the takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Iwaga Genochin manages to get back to half guard.
Iwaga Genochin won't allow Hall to pass to mount.
Iwaga Genochin wants to control but Hall is keeping busy.
Hall trying to pass the guard but Iwaga Genochin defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hall trying to control the action but Iwaga Genochin is working from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Hall is working for a kimura here but Iwaga Genochin manages to reverse the position and he's now in Hall's guard.
Iwaga Genochin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Robbie Hall!
Robbie Hall retains his featherweight title!
Robbie Hall 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.