PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ren Yamato (ranked 24377 p4p, 25112 weight class) and Michal Materla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michal Materla will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Yamato
vs
Materla

218 cm
22
210
0 - 8 - 0

212 cm
19
212
3 - 13 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ren Yamato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Michal Materla!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yuuki Gou and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Materla misses with a leg kick
and Yamato counters with a series of strikes. Materla will be more careful next time no doubt.
Yamato looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Materla shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Yamato pinned against the cage. Yamato gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
No luck for Materla with that takedown attempt.
Yamato avoids the head kick by Materla.
Yamato definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Materla slips a jab and a cross from Yamato.
Yamato throws a push kick but Materla slaps the foot to one side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Materla gets a clinch.
Yamato changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Materla fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Yamato takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yamato breaks the clinch.
Yamato checks a leg kick.
Materla fails to land the takedown.
Ren Yamato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michal Materla.

Materla darts in and clinches Yamato up against the cage.
Yamato tries to score a body lock takedown but Materla shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Yamato swings wildly with an uppercut but Materla uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yamato tries to break the clinch but Materla is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Yamato stops a takedown attempt from Materla.
A short right from Materla.

Materla pulls guard successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yamato wants to stand but Materla is controlling his posture from full guard.

Yamato decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Materla lands a nice looking body shot.

Yamato clinches with his opponent.

Yamato breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Yamato fails to land the takedown.
Materla is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Materla looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Yamato is fending him off so far but Materla persists. Nope, Yamato circles away and we're back to standing.
Materla shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Yamato pinned against the cage. Yamato gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Yamato throws a quick counter head kick but Materla was just out of range.
Yamato tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As Yamato backs off Materla throws a huge counter combo but Yamato manages to avoid it all.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Materla closes the distance and pushes Yamato back into the cage.
Yamato will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Materla up against the cage.
Yamato keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Materla's efforts to push away.

Yamato pulls Materla into guard.
Yamato wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Materla lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Yamato wants to stand up but Materla is controlling him.
Yamato can't keep his opponent in guard - Materla advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
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 Ren Yamato will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Materla misses with a low kick as Yamato jumps back.
Yamato gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Materla counters with a left and a right that stings Yamato.

Materla gets a clinch.
Materla stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The referee calls for Materla to work.
Materla looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Materla can't break the clinch.
Materla tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Yamato just stands there and leans against the cage.
Materla avoiding damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamato with a knee to the head.
Yamato tries to break the clinch but Materla is controlling the position.
Yamato is trying to pull guard but Materla turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Materla jumps guard but Yamato stands there with Materla around his waist. Materla gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Materla turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Materla manages to end up in side control.

Yamato explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Materla shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Yamato as he avoids it easily.
Ren Yamato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michal Materla.
Yamato is trying hard to land a takedown here. Materla sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Yamato throws a left and a right that both miss
and Materla counters with a three punch combo that has Yamato backing up. Yamato nods at Materla to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Donk. Yamato catches Materla right on the button with a cross.
Materla shoots in looking for a takedown but Yamato manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Materla's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Yamato feints and as Materla raises his hands in defense, Yamato changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yamato trying to control the position from guard on top but Materla is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yamato with a flurry of punches that miss.
Yamato sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Materla's guard.
Materla tries to roll over but Yamato keeps him under control.
Materla wants to control but Yamato is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamato is stalling here. Materla is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Yamato seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Materla has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Yamato dodges the ground and pound from Materla.
Yamato is looking to reverse the position.
Yamato really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Yamato is working hard here to advance position.
Yamato struggling a bit here.
Yamato is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Materla is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Materla tries to advance to mount but Yamato denies him.
Yamato trying his best to control but Materla has mounted him.
Yamato wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Yamato avoids the strikes from Materla.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Michal Materla will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Yamato gets tackled into the cage by Materla. Materla maintains the clinch.
Materla tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Materla tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Yamato just stands there and leans against the cage.
Materla fails to pull guard.
Materla is trying to break the clinch but Yamato is controlling him.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Yamato fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Yamato's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamato is looking to clinch but Materla is avoiding it.

Materla shoots in and bounces Yamato off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Yamato can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Materla controls the pace.
Michal Materla has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Materla drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Yamato manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Materla has Yamato in his guard.

Yamato looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Yamato trying to control the position from guard on top but Materla is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yamato lands a couple of digs.
Yamato postures up in Materla's guard and throws a big left but Materla blocks it.

Materla is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Yamato is aware though and is defending well.

Yamato gets to his feet - Materla follows without any prompting.

Yamato gets a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Materla gets underhooks to prevent Yamato's takedown attempt.
Materla trying to land knees to the body.
Materla drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ren Yamato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michal Materla.
Yamato tries to score a body lock takedown but Materla shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Materla jumps into guard, dragging Yamato to the mat.
Yamato wants to control from the top but Materla keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamato tries to free his leg and advance position but Materla is retaining full guard.
Yamato has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Materla is proving hard to escape from.
Yamato wants to control from the top but Materla keeps moving.
Yamato tries to free his leg and advance position but Materla is retaining full guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yamato with a flurry of punches that miss.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Michal Materla.
I think Materla 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 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michal Materla!