PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between LaVern Shirley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Makosa Michinoku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michinoku is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Primavera by Ludovico Einaudi. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Shirley
vs
Michinoku

170 cm
21
160 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

180 cm
24
163 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, LaVern Shirley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Makosa Michinoku!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Sano and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shirley lets loose with a powerful body kick. Michinoku will feel that in the morning.
Michinoku takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Michinoku looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Michinoku throws a big shot that misses.

Michinoku closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Shirley to the mat! Shirley manages to get full guard.
Shirley working a defensive guard here.
Shirley is really struggling to control Michinoku but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Michinoku slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Shirley is trying to keep Michinoku in close.
Shirley wants to get back to his feet but Michinoku is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michinoku wants to pass the guard but Shirley is keeping the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Shirley is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
LaVern Shirley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Michinoku shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Shirley sprawls well. Shirley wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Michinoku gets slowly back to his feet.
Michinoku checks a leg kick.
Nice sprawl there from Shirley as Michinoku shoots in.
LaVern Shirley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Makosa Michinoku.
Shirley with a lazy takedown attempt

and Michinoku counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Michinoku.
Shirley can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Michinoku controls the pace.
Michinoku keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Shirley's head.
Michinoku is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Michinoku works over Shirley with some ground and pound from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michinoku scoring with punches to the head and body.
Michinoku is looking to work some ground and pound but Shirley has wrist control.
Michinoku in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Michinoku postures up and lands a big shot to Shirley's brow.
Michinoku throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shirley works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Shirley is on top in guard.
Shirley trying to control but Michinoku is working from the bottom.
Michinoku utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Michinoku looking to hit a scissor sweep but Shirley is one step ahead there.
Michinoku trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shirley wants to control from the top but Michinoku keeps moving.
Shirley won't allow Michinoku to sweep him here.
Michinoku keeping moving, preventing Shirley from controlling successfully.
Shirley won't allow Michinoku to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Shirley tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Michinoku was well out of range. Poor timing from Shirley.

Shirley gets a clinch.
Shirley lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Shirley prevents the takedown attempt.
Shirley looking to slow down the pace here.
Shirley can't get the takedown.
Shirley doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Shirley.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shirley tries for a takedown. No joy.

Shirley lands a takedown into guard.
Michinoku thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Michinoku is adopting a defensive guard.
Michinoku is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Michinoku is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Michinoku throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Shirley working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Michinoku looking to hit a scissor sweep but Shirley is one step ahead there.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Michinoku throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Makosa Michinoku will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Shirley scores with a one two! Michinoku had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Michinoku moves away from the strike by Shirley.
Michinoku fails with the takedown

and Shirley counters with a shoot takedown. Michinoku fights it but they end up in guard.
Shirley cracks Michinoku with a solid left hand.
Shirley wants to control from the top but Michinoku keeps moving.
Shirley throws a big right hand that misses.
Shirley won't allow Michinoku to sweep him here.
Shirley being controlled here momentarily.
Shirley throws a strike but Michinoku rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Shirley striking off his back but it's not causing Michinoku any problems.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michinoku stands up over Shirley, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Shirley controls Michinoku momentarily but Michinoku frees himself.
Michinoku throws a big right hand that misses.
Michinoku scoring with some ground and pound.
Michinoku connects with a couple of short punches.
Michinoku trying to control the position from guard on top but Shirley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shirley managing to control the position.
Shirley looking to control.

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.

Michinoku got a little sloppy there for a moment and Shirley has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Michinoku has managed to get both his arms back between Shirley's legs - danger averted.
Michinoku postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Shirley avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Michinoku postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Shirley trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Michinoku with a nice head shot there.
Michinoku is in close to Shirley's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Shirley looking for a sweep. Not yet Shirley, not yet.
Shirley is trying to hold Michinoku in close to prevent damage but Michinoku has managed to pass into half guard.
Michinoku is keen to just control but Shirley is a slippery customer.
Shirley is looking to control Michinoku's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Shirley avoid being mounted?
Shirley is looking to improve his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michinoku working over Shirley with some ground and pound. Shirley looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Shirley works his way to full guard. Good work.
Michinoku works over Shirley with some ground and pound from guard.
Shirley trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Michinoku lands a couple of digs.
Shirley is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Shirley manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Michinoku manages to get himself to full guard.
Michinoku controls Shirley momentarily but Shirley frees himself.
Michinoku thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Michinoku doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michinoku striking off his back but it's not causing Shirley any problems.
Michinoku will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Michinoku bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Shirley's guard.
Michinoku sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Shirley throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Makosa Michinoku has got the better of the ground game so far.
Michinoku keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Shirley's head.
Michinoku landing some decent shots from guard.
Michinoku with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Michinoku postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Michinoku is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that LaVern Shirley will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A head kick misses from Shirley.
Shirley catches Michinoku with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Michinoku dodges the punch combination from Shirley.
Shirley is looking to clinch.
Michinoku looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shirley is fending him off so far but Michinoku persists. Nope, Shirley circles away and we're back to standing.
Shirley misses with a low kick as Michinoku jumps back.
Shirley keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Michinoku doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Shirley holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
LaVern Shirley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Makosa Michinoku.
Shirley tries for a takedown. No joy.

Shirley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
LaVern Shirley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Shirley gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Michinoku postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Shirley is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shirley manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Michinoku manages to get himself to full guard.
Michinoku is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Michinoku trying to keep a closed guard but Shirley is proving a slippery customer.
Shirley chips away with some ground and pound.
Shirley stopping the sweep attempt from Michinoku.
Michinoku throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Shirley stopping the sweep attempt from Michinoku.
Shirley working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Michinoku's head.
Michinoku keeping moving, preventing Shirley from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Michinoku drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Shirley looks to move to half guard but instead Michinoku has passed into mount! Damn!
Michinoku has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Shirley's face.
Michinoku avoids the attempt from Shirley to control.
Michinoku content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shirley is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Michinoku lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Shirley tries to lock up and control but Michinoku gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Michinoku cracks Shirley with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Michinoku landing shots from mount.
Michinoku lands a heavy elbow.
Shirley can't escape the position.
Michinoku lands a big elbow.
Michinoku fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Michinoku has hold of Shirley's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Shirley manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michinoku putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Shirley tries to hold on but Michinoku postures up.
Shirley is trying desperately to improve position.
Michinoku putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Shirley throwing hammer fists to the chest of Michinoku. What's that going to do exactly?
Shirley is trying desperately to improve position.
Shirley throwing hammer fists to the chest of Michinoku. What's that going to do exactly?
Michinoku looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Makosa Michinoku comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Michinoku has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Makosa Michinoku!