PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jonny Dahman (ranked 3535 p4p, 4110 weight class) and Makoto Yuji (ranked 237 p4p, 249 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Dahman
vs
Yuji

182 cm
25
140
1 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
141
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jonny Dahman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Makoto Yuji!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Percy O'Donnell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yuji shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Yuji content to control rather than advance.
Yuji is thwarting Dahman's attempts to control the position.
Well, if Yuji is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dahman trying to control from the bottom.
Still in half guard, Yuji seems content to control.
It looks like Yuji might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dahman is trying to stand up here but Yuji is controlling him well.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
No joy there for Dahman, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Makoto Yuji seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Dahman enables Yuji to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Dahman manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Yuji is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Yuji's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Yuji is continuing to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Yuji drives through with a takedown into Dahman's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Dahman has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Yuji off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yuji shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Dahman manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Dahman manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Dahman goes for a takedown attempt but Yuji pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
No joy there for Dahman, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Dahman tries to sprawl but Yuji drives through with a takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yuji controlling the action here.
Yuji 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yuji with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Dahman moves into full guard.
Yuji sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Dahman 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.

Dahman had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yuji defends it easily.
Yuji showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
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 Jonny Dahman will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Yuji shoots in and gets a takedown into Dahman's guard.
Yuji sitting in guard here, content to control.
Yuji scoring with some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yuji slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Dahman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yuji landing some decent shots from guard.
Yuji works over Dahman with some ground and pound from guard.
Yuji not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Yuji lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Dahman doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Dahman trying to keep a closed guard but Yuji is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Dahman really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Yuji shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Dahman napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Yuji moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Dahman is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yuji taking a breather here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Yuji landing a few strikes.
Dahman being controlled for a moment.
Dahman wants to control but Yuji postures up.
Dahman wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dahman can't do much from the bottom here.

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

Dahman closes the distance and pushes Yuji back into the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Makoto Yuji showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Yuji.
A lull in the action here as Yuji stalls from top position.
Dahman sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Still in half guard, Yuji seems content to control.
Dahman is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Yuji's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Yuji's back!
Yuji rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Yuji keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Yuji has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Dahman is looking for a kimura but Yuji is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Dahman to get the leverage.
Dahman missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yuji gets full guard.
Yuji looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Dahman is fighting to break Yuji's control of his arms but Yuji is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

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.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Yuji can do anything to dispel that myth.
Dahman trying to control the position from guard on top but Yuji is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dahman has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Dahman is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Yuji is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Yuji looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Dahman trying to control but Yuji is working from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dahman clinches.

Dahman manages to break the clinch.

Yuji shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Dahman is trying to defend but Yuji finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Dahman is trying to maintain the position but Yuji is very close to passing his half guard.
Yuji is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Yuji.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Makoto Yuji.
I think Yuji 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jonny Dahman!