PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tuh Japa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Darnell Jefferson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Japa
vs
Jefferson

186 cm
18
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tuh Japa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Darnell Jefferson!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Hirohito Nitta and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jefferson throws a sloppy head kick and Japa moves out of range easily.

Japa scores with a takedown into Jefferson's guard.

Jefferson looking for a guillotine here but Japa defends easily.
Jefferson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Japa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Japa trying to control the position from guard on top but Jefferson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Jefferson had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Japa is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Jefferson Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Japa's back instead.
Japa staying busy and making it hard for Jefferson to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Japa trying to control the position but Jefferson manages to sink in the hooks.
Jefferson lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Japa is trying to break free.
Jefferson missing with strikes from the back.

Jefferson looking for the choke but no joy.
Japa trying to control the action but Jefferson just sinks the hooks in.

Jefferson looking for the choke but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Japa trying to control but not successfully.
Japa is taking damage to the body and head.
Even with his hooks in, Jefferson manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Japa trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jefferson tries to get the hooks in deep but Japa pushed the leg off.
Jefferson lands punches and elbows.
Jefferson lands a shot to the body.
Japa is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Jefferson has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Jefferson looks gassed!
Jefferson loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Japa hold on?
Jefferson keeps control of the position as Japa tries to break free.
Japa is covering up but some of the strikes from Jefferson are getting through and doing damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jefferson is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Jefferson is landing with strikes from the back.
Jefferson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Jefferson lands a shot to the head.
Jefferson keeps control of the position as Japa tries to break free.
Jefferson is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Japa up.

Jefferson is looking for the choke from the back position but Japa is controlling his hands well.

Japa fending off the submission attempt from Jefferson.

Jefferson working for a choke but Japa is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darnell Jefferson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Japa throws a nice head kick!
Jefferson stuffs the takedown attempt from Japa. Japa gets slowly back to his feet.

Jefferson has taken the fight to the clinch.

Jefferson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jefferson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Japa pinned against the cage. Japa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Jefferson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jefferson is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jefferson misses with a straight left.
Japa looks to land a combination but Jefferson avoids it well.
Japa has his takedown stuffed
and Jefferson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Japa has his takedown stuffed

and Jefferson counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tuh Japa. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Jefferson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Japa knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Japa is trying to escape the position but Jefferson is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jefferson scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Japa to see if he's OK.
Japa is not content to let Jefferson control the position.
Japa sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Jefferson wants to control but Japa is keeping him busy.
Jefferson 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.
Japa wants to control but Jefferson is keeping busy.
Japa is refusing to be controlled, as Jefferson sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jefferson looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Japa trying to hold on to Jefferson's head to control him but Jefferson postures up.

Jefferson looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Japa is looking to get back to full guard here but Jefferson has managed to pass to side control instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Jefferson looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Jefferson with good strikes from the mount here!
Jefferson lands a big elbow.
Japa tries to hold on but Jefferson pushes him away.
Japa in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Jefferson prevents Japa from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darnell Jefferson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Japa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Jefferson counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Jefferson is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Jefferson wants to control from the top but Japa keeps moving.
Japa knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Jefferson on the ground.
Japa wants to stand up but Jefferson is controlling him.
Jefferson wants to control from the top but Japa keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Japa has momentary wrist control but Jefferson slips an elbow through the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jefferson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Jefferson trying to control the position from guard on top but Japa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Japa is trying to keep Jefferson in close.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Japa.

Jefferson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Jefferson showed some decent athleticism there.
Jefferson is nestled in close to Japa, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Japa manages to get to full guard.
Japa looking for a sweep. Not yet Japa, not yet.
Japa is trying to control the position but Jefferson postures up.
Japa trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Jefferson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Jefferson is stalling in the full guard.
Jefferson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Japa looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Jefferson has picked Japa up and slammed him! Japa can't keep hold of the triangle and Jefferson manages to pass to side control!
Japa struggling a bit here.
Jefferson staying calm.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Japa is looking for a sweep.

That's four 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.
Jefferson scores with punches from side control.
Jefferson content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Jefferson wants to control but Japa is keeping him busy.
Darnell Jefferson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Japa is letting Jefferson control him for a moment.
Japa is trying to control Jefferson's posture but Jefferson avoids it.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darnell Jefferson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Jefferson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darnell Jefferson!