PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tommy Gavin (ranked 1399 p4p, 914 weight class) and Yamaoka Yukinobu (ranked 125 p4p, 85 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gavin
vs
Yukinobu

168 cm
37
145
25 - 16 - 2

170 cm
35
148
19 - 17 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Bondi MMA 🏝️

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 25 - 16 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Tommy Gavin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 17 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yamaoka Yukinobu!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gavin connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Yukinobu lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Gavin has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Gavin and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Nice defenses there by Yukinobu.
Yukinobu throws out a counter right but Gavin avoids it with no problem.
Gavin throws a hook but Yukinobu blocks it.
Yukinobu looks to throw a body kick
and Gavin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A big left from Gavin misses.
Yukinobu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gavin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Yukinobu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gavin.
Gavin was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Yukinobu darts in and clinches Gavin up against the cage.
Yukinobu is trying to break free.
Gavin lands a body punch.

Yukinobu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Yukinobu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yukinobu throws a push kick but Gavin slaps the foot to one side.
Gavin was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Gavin throws a right hand that misses

and Yukinobu counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gavin won't be happy with that.

Gavin throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gavin throws a hook but Yukinobu avoids it easily.
Yukinobu is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gavin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Yukinobu throws an overhand right that lands on Gavin's shoulder, as Gavin tries to avoid the shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Gavin misses the target.
Gavin tries to work over Yukinobu's front leg with a kick but Yukinobu checks it.
Yukinobu throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Yukinobu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gavin looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A good leg kick by Yukinobu.
Gavin defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Yukinobu.
Yukinobu has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Yukinobu throws out a loose jab but Gavin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gavin is looking to counter punch.
Gavin misses with a leg kick

and Yukinobu counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Gavin has one foot on Yukinobu's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yukinobu misses with a hook
and Yukinobu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tommy Gavin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gavin dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Yukinobu. That did some damage!
Yukinobu lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Yukinobu misses with a body kick.
Yukinobu chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Gavin can pounce on him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gavin moves out of range as Yukinobu throws a body kick.

Yukinobu shoots in and bounces Gavin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gavin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gavin has Yukinobu pulled in close to control his posture.
Yukinobu trying to control but Gavin is working from the bottom.
Gavin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yukinobu is one step ahead there.
Gavin wants to control the position but Yukinobu says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yukinobu trying to control from half guard but Gavin is working away.
Gavin wants to improve his position but Yukinobu is controlling well.
Yukinobu throws a strike but Gavin avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gavin holds on and takes a little breather.
Yukinobu keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gavin's head.

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.
Gavin has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yukinobu throwing strikes from guard but Gavin blocks nicely.
Gavin is wriggling around but Yukinobu manages to pass to half guard.
Yukinobu throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Yukinobu prevents Gavin from improving his position.
Yukinobu wants to take a breather but Gavin is having none of it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tommy Gavin will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Gavin rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Yukinobu counters with a left to the body.
Yukinobu throws a hook but Gavin blocks it.
Yukinobu looks to throw a body kick
and Gavin counters with an outside leg kick.
Gavin lands with a hook. Yukinobu tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Yukinobu shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gavin as he avoids it easily.
Yukinobu shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Yukinobu misses with a takedown attempt - Gavin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Yukinobu throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Gavin was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Gavin lands a jab to the nose.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yukinobu stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Yukinobu pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Yukinobu misses with a kick to the body
and Gavin counters with a nice uppercut.
Yukinobu works Gavin's body with a nice hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A jab from Gavin does it's job there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gavin lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Yukinobu cracks Gavin with an open hand slap.
Gavin waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Yukinobu.
Tommy Gavin is winning the standup battle so far.
Yukinobu throws a lazy head kick
and Gavin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Gavin, as that shot connected.
Gavin on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Gavin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yukinobu.
Yukinobu closes the distance but Gavin moves to the side
and Gavin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Yukinobu connects with a right hand. Gavin shakes it off.
Yukinobu finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Yukinobu works Gavin's body with a nice hook.
Yukinobu scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yukinobu shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gavin as he avoids it easily.
Tommy Gavin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yamaoka Yukinobu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yukinobu moves away from the strike by Gavin.
Yukinobu looking to land some kicks to the body here.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Gavin crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Yukinobu - the referee stops the clock and Gavin gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Yukinobu. Gavin manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Yukinobu just misses with a punch to the body.
Yukinobu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gavin takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Yukinobu misses with a lunging right hand
and Yukinobu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Yukinobu misses with a body punch
and Gavin makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Yukinobu misses with a right hand
and Gavin counters with a stiff right hand.
Yukinobu throws a left and a right that both miss
and Gavin counters with a good low kick that Yukinobu was not able to check.
Yukinobu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gavin throws out the jab.
Gavin scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Yukinobu shoots in and gets a takedown into Gavin's guard.
Yukinobu being controlled here momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gavin is trying to keep Yukinobu in close.
Gavin controlling Yukinobu's posture.
Yamaoka Yukinobu has got the better of the ground game so far.
Yukinobu trying to control the position from guard on top but Gavin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gavin holds on and takes a little breather.
Yukinobu wants to control from the top but Gavin keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Gavin keeps the fight on the outside.
Gavin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Yukinobu moves away.
Gavin paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Yukinobu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gavin.
Yukinobu throws a wild body kick that Gavin sees coming a mile off.
Gavin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A quick step to the side and Gavin tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Gavin dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Yukinobu tries to clinch but Gavin moves away
and Gavin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Yukinobu shoots in for a takedown but Gavin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Yukinobu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Yukinobu slips under a jab.
Yukinobu staying out of range there.
Gavin avoids the body shot from Yukinobu.
Gavin fires out a quick counter leg kick but Yukinobu just manages to avoid it.
Yukinobu throws a lazy right hand but Gavin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Yukinobu looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Gavin takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Yukinobu shoots in for a double leg but Gavin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yukinobu wants to clinch up but Gavin keeps it at a distance.
Yukinobu misses with an uppercut.
No joy there for Gavin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yukinobu tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Yukinobu misses with a kick to the body
and Gavin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gavin thuds a left hand into Yukinobu's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gavin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yukinobu.
Yukinobu throws an off balance right hand
and Gavin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Yamaoka Yukinobu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yukinobu walks into a straight right hand from Gavin.
Gavin scores with a hook.
Gavin on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Yukinobu moves out of range as Gavin strikes.
Gavin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yukinobu can do to turn this around?
Gavin circles away from the clinch attempt.

Yukinobu gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Yukinobu is looking to take this one to the mat.
Tommy Gavin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yamaoka Yukinobu.
A frustrated look appears on Yukinobu's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gavin has Yukinobu pushed against the cage.
Yukinobu wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gavin has him pressed against the cage.
Yukinobu is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gavin lands an uppercut.
Yamaoka Yukinobu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tommy Gavin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yukinobu takes a shot to the head.
Yukinobu is trying to break free.

Yukinobu escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gavin stuffs the takedown.
A chopping leg kick lands by Gavin.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gavin connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Gavin scores with a jab to the jaw.
Gavin lands with a hook. Yukinobu tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Yukinobu has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Yukinobu throws a half hearted mid kick.
Yukinobu closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Gavin to counter with a crisp jab.
Gavin throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Yukinobu stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Yukinobu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gavin looks to score with a jab to the body but Yukinobu is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gavin lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Yukinobu with a lazy takedown attempt
and Yukinobu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Yukinobu forces Gavin back against the cage and clinches.
Gavin lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Gavin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gavin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yukinobu is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Yukinobu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A little feinted left hand from Gavin on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Yukinobu walks into a left hand.
Gavin misses with a hook. Yukinobu ducked under it nicely.
Yukinobu with the counter takedown but Gavin avoids it easily.
Yukinobu misses with a body shot.
Yukinobu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gavin.
Gavin digs a good hook to Yukinobu's body.
Yukinobu defending well as Gavin loads up on a big left hand.
Yukinobu throws out a loose jab but Gavin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gavin is looking to counter punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Gavin.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yukinobu tries to clinch up but Gavin circles away and keeps his distance.
Yukinobu misses the jab.
Yukinobu throws a body kick that misses
and Gavin counters with a stiff right hand.
Gavin connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Yukinobu momentarily.
Yukinobu with a poor takedown
and Gavin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Yukinobu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Yukinobu misses with a hook
enabling Gavin to counter with a crisp jab.
Yukinobu misses with a straight left.
Good exchange - Gavin coming out on top.
A shot to the body from Yukinobu misses
and Gavin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Yukinobu throws a body kick that misses
and Gavin counters with a straight right hand.
Gavin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Yukinobu misses with a shot to the body
and Gavin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Yukinobu on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tommy Gavin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gavin, 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tommy Gavin!
Tommy Gavin decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.