PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Makai Yakuza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and TJ Williams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Williams has chosen Kings and Queesn - Aerosmith as his entrance music. 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.

Yakuza
vs
Williams

200 cm
19
265 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

190 cm
19
270 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Makai Yakuza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, TJ Williams!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Williams shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Yakuza sprawls well. Yakuza wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Williams gets slowly back to his feet.
Williams throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Williams showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Yakuza.
Yakuza keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Yakuza misses with the combination.
Williams looks for a takedown but Yakuza sprawls well.
Makai Yakuza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of TJ Williams.
Yakuza rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Williams moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Williams shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Yakuza defends it nicely.
Williams doesn't manage to clinch there - Yakuza circles away.
TJ Williams seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yakuza throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Williams.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Williams moves into range and clinches up with Yakuza.
Yakuza is trying to break the clinch but Williams is controlling him.
Yakuza is trying to force a seperation but Williams has the dominant position.

Williams breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Williams misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yakuza looks to land a combination but Williams avoids it well.
Williams misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yakuza throws a right hand that Williams ducks under and follows up with a left that Williams also avoids with ease.
Williams showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Yakuza.
Williams tries to close the distance and clinch but Yakuza swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A combination from Yakuza does no damage.
Yakuza moves out of range of the body kick from Williams.

Williams bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Yakuza is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Williams is looking to take a break and control but Yakuza is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yakuza is pushing Williams's head away, looking to escape. Williams manages to hold on to the position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Williams looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Yakuza is avoiding damage well.

Williams decides to stand back up.
Yakuza throws a series of punches but Williams moves out of range.
Yakuza misses with a wild combination.
Williams tries to clinch but Yakuza is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yakuza throws a series of punches but Williams avoids them all with ease.
Horrible takedown by Williams or perhaps it was just good defense by Yakuza which made him look bad.
Williams shoots in for a double leg but Yakuza sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Williams looks gassed!

Yakuza tries to keep at a distance but Williams has taken the fight into the clinch.
Williams prevents Yakuza from breaking the clinch.
Yakuza tries to break free but Williams pushes him back against the cage.

Williams breaks the clinch.
Yakuza lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Yakuza misses with a jab, cross combination.
Williams tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Yakuza swivels and escapes.
Yakuza throws a nice looking combination but Williams bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Williams shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Yakuza but Yakuza pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Yakuza rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Williams moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Williams closes the distance and clinches.

Williams breaks from the clinch.
Williams shoots in for a takedown but Yakuza shows good takedown defense.
Yakuza throws a nice looking combination but Williams bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Williams slips a jab and a cross from Yakuza.
Yakuza throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Yakuza looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Williams throws a body kick that misses.
Yakuza misses with the combination.
Yakuza throws a right hand that Williams ducks under and follows up with a left that Williams also avoids with ease.
Yakuza scores with a one two! Williams had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yakuza lands a jab-cross combination.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yakuza misses with the combination.
Yakuza throws a right hand that Williams ducks under and follows up with a left that Williams also avoids with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Makai Yakuza dominated that round.
That's time! Yakuza's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Yakuza looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Williams drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Williams tries to free his leg and advance position but Yakuza is retaining full guard.
Williams in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Williams pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yakuza is keeping the position for now.
Yakuza wants to stand and escape but Williams is having none of it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Williams tries to stand but Yakuza is controlling from the bottom.
Williams really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Yakuza. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Williams throws a strike but Yakuza rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Yakuza gets to his feet - Williams follows without any prompting.
Williams is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yakuza throws a combination. Williams tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Yakuza throws a right and a left that Williams avoids nicely.
Yakuza misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yakuza throws a right and a left that both miss.
Williams falls off balance throwing a combination
and Yakuza counters with a two punch combo.
Yakuza misses with a combination

and Williams counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Yakuza!
The referee warns Yakuza that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Yakuza wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams looking to finish Yakuza with some ground and pound. This is bad for Yakuza!
Yakuza is bucking up trying to escape but Williams cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yakuza wants to try and get back to his feet.
Yakuza is in a horrible position here. Williams smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
You get the feeling that Yakuza really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Williams working for a guillotine from mount but Yakuza is in no mood to give up.
Yakuza avoids a strike by Williams and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in Williams's guard! Fantastic escape!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yakuza would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Yakuza stands and steps away. Williams gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Williams looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Yakuza throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Williams misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Yakuza misses with a combination
and Williams counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Yakuza displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Yakuza looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
No joy there for Yakuza, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Williams tries to close the distance and clinch up but Yakuza swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Makai Yakuza is winning the standup battle so far.
Yakuza blocks a head kick by Williams.
Yakuza throws a left and a right that both miss

and Williams counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Yakuza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Williams has him pressed against the cage.

Yakuza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yakuza misses with a double jab.
No joy there for Yakuza, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yakuza checks a leg kick.
Williams swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Yakuza counters with a three punch combo that has Williams backing up. Williams nods at Yakuza to acknowledge the strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Williams avoids a punch combination nicely.
Yakuza falls off balance throwing a combination
and Williams cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
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 Makai Yakuza 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. This is the final round!

Yakuza throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Yakuza checks a leg kick nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Williams looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Williams misses with a double jab
and Yakuza counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Williams showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Yakuza.
Yakuza throws a right hand that Williams ducks under and follows up with a left that Williams also avoids with ease.

Williams has taken the fight to the clinch.
Yakuza wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Yakuza is looking to break free of the clinch but Williams has double underhooks.

Williams pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Williams avoids a punch combination nicely.
Yakuza avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Williams takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Williams drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Williams lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Williams throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Williams tries for a kimura but Yakuza is defending well.
Williams tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

Williams tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Yakuza explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yakuza throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Williams counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Yakuza is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Yakuza misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Makai Yakuza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Yakuza throws a combination. Williams tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Yakuza lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Yakuza will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Williams slips a jab and a cross from Yakuza.
Yakuza throws a right and a left that Williams avoids nicely.
Williams shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Yakuza misses with a double jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Yakuza rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Williams moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Yakuza swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A left and a right from Yakuza both land. Nice combination.
Yakuza throws a series of punches but Williams avoids them all with ease.
Yakuza stuffs the takedown attempt from Williams. Williams gets slowly back to his feet.
Makai Yakuza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of TJ Williams.
Williams avoids a punch combination nicely.
Williams has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Yakuza looks to land a combination. Williams sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Williams showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Yakuza.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yakuza throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Williams misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Yakuza throws a right and a left that both miss.
Yakuza throws a right and a left that both miss.
Williams throws a left and a right that both miss
and Yakuza counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Makai Yakuza is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A right-left combo lands from Yakuza.
Yakuza falls off balance throwing a combination

and Williams counters with a nice double leg into side control. Yakuza won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yakuza is working to avoid the ground and pound but Williams connects with a decent elbow.
TJ Williams has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Makai Yakuza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Yakuza throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Makai Yakuza.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Yakuza, 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Makai Yakuza!