PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Go Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bill Pharoni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Yamamoto
vs
Pharoni

171 cm
22
156 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

190 cm
20
157 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Win Nutritional - proof of quality
Knock Out Artistry

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Go Yamamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bill Pharoni!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Bruno Hogan and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Pharoni misses.
Pharoni will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Yamamoto moves away from the strike by Pharoni.
Pharoni with a nice cross.
Yamamoto takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Pharoni lands with a nice body punch.

Yamamoto lands a big head kick that sends Pharoni tumbling to the mat! Yamamoto takes a step backwards and waves Pharoni back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Pharoni is rocked!

Pharoni tries to keep at a distance but Yamamoto has taken the fight into the clinch.
Pharoni is still on wobbly legs! Can Yamamoto finish him?
Yamamoto throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Pharoni seems to have recovered his senses.
Pharoni is looking to break free of the clinch but Yamamoto has double underhooks.
Yamamoto is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Yamamoto keeps control of Pharoni as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Pharoni breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pharoni cracks Yamamoto with a good jab.
Pharoni just misses with a punch to the body.
Yamamoto takes a jab right on the kisser.
A big left from Pharoni misses.
Yamamoto shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pharoni pinned against the cage. Pharoni gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Yamamoto tries to clinch but Pharoni moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A cross from Pharoni lands.
Pharoni misses with an uppercut. Yamamoto saw that one coming.
Pharoni punishes Yamamoto's body with a nice straight punch.
Yamamoto takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Pharoni misses with a body shot.
Pharoni keeps the fight on the outside.
Yamamoto slips a jab from Pharoni.
Bill Pharoni seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pharoni displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Yamamoto.
Pharoni keeps the fight on the outside.
Yamamoto takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Pharoni keeps the fight on the outside.
Yamamoto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pharoni.
Yamamoto tries to clinch but Pharoni is having none of it.
Pharoni is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
A decent looking cross lands there for Pharoni.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pharoni lands a nice hook to Yamamoto's body. Yamamoto takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Yamamoto ducks right into an uppercut from Pharoni.

Yamamoto darts in and clinches Pharoni up against the cage.

Pharoni breaks from the clinch.
Pharoni jabs at Yamamoto's body.

Yamamoto clinches with his opponent.
Pharoni can't break the clinch.

Pharoni breaks the clinch.
Pharoni lands a body shot.
Pharoni cracks a nice hook into Yamamoto's ribs.
Pharoni lands a nice shot to the body.
Pharoni throws a right hand that Yamamoto ducks under and follows up with a left that Yamamoto also avoids with ease.
Pharoni tries to bum rush Yamamoto with a series of wild strikes but Yamamoto uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Pharoni connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Yamamoto's hands.
Yamamoto defending well as Pharoni loads up on a big left hand.
Pharoni circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pharoni lands a nice hook to Yamamoto's body. Yamamoto takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Pharoni smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pharoni comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Yamamoto takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Bill Pharoni is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yamamoto ducks under a wild hook from Pharoni.
Yamamoto cracks the inside of Pharoni's front leg.
Pharoni on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Pharoni lands a lovely overhand right.
Pharoni looks to score with a jab to the body but Yamamoto is just out of range.
Pharoni scores with a hook to the body. Yamamoto takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Pharoni throws a right and a left that both miss.
Yamamoto is looking to clinch but Pharoni is avoiding it.
Yamamoto changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pharoni tries to avoid it but Yamamoto manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pharoni to the ground. Pharoni escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Go Yamamoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yamamoto tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Yamamoto takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Pharoni throws a looping overhand right but Yamamoto ducks down to avoid it.
Pharoni fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Pharoni dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Pharoni misses.
Pharoni changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Pharoni looks to score with a jab to the body but Yamamoto is just out of range.
Yamamoto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pharoni thuds a left hand into Yamamoto's body.
Yamamoto shoots in for a double leg but Pharoni sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Yamamoto is breathing heavily.
Pharoni cracks Yamamoto with a right hand to the side of the head.
Pharoni is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Yamamoto rather than just go for the knockout.
Pharoni lands a nice looking body shot.
Yamamoto fails with the takedown.
Pharoni lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Yamamoto at a distance.
Pharoni lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nice cross by Pharoni.
Yamamoto is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yamamoto moves forwards but Pharoni connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Yamamoto takes a body punch but keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bill Pharoni dominated that round.
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.

Pharoni throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Yamamoto stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Pharoni cracks Yamamoto with a good jab.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Pharoni!
A slow jab from Pharoni misses its intended target.
Yamamoto closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pharoni circles away.
Pharoni scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Pharoni scores with a hook to the body. Yamamoto takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Pharoni thows a left - swing and a miss!

Yamamoto moves into the clinch.
Pharoni is trying to break free.
Pharoni has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Yamamoto gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Pharoni wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Yamamoto has him pressed against the cage.
Pharoni throws a head punch that misses.
Yamamoto has Pharoni pressed against the cage, preventing Pharoni from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Yamamoto blocks an elbow strike from Pharoni.
Pharoni wants to break the clinch but can't.
Pharoni is trying to break the clinch but Yamamoto is controlling him.
Pharoni takes a shot to the head.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Yamamoto. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Yamamoto connects with a knee to the head.
Yamamoto creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Pharoni's defenses.
Pharoni is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Yamamoto tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Yamamoto seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Pharoni wants to break the clinch but can't.
Pharoni has had enough of the clinch but Yamamoto keeps him there for the moment.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the head but Pharoni blocks with his arms.
Yamamoto misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yamamoto blocks an uppercut.
Pharoni is trying to force a seperation but Yamamoto has the dominant position.
Yamamoto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pharoni has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Pharoni blocks an elbow strike from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto scores with a shot to the side of Pharoni's head.
Yamamoto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pharoni has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Yamamoto working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Yamamoto working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Pharoni is trying to break free.
Pharoni blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Pharoni can't break the clinch.
Yamamoto misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pharoni.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Yamamoto is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Yamamoto gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

That's two 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.
Yamamoto misses with some punches.
Pharoni wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Pharoni misses with some punches.
Nice elbow from Yamamoto.
Pharoni tries to break the clinch but Yamamoto is controlling the position.
Yamamoto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pharoni has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Yamamoto misses with a knee strike.
Pharoni wants to break the clinch but can't.
Pharoni is trying to break the clinch but Yamamoto is controlling him.
Pharoni is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Yamamoto throws a head punch that misses.
Pharoni wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Yamamoto lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Pharoni avoids it.
Pharoni working hard to break the clinch.
Pharoni is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Yamamoto dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Yamamoto pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Pharoni looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pharoni pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Yamamoto has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Yamamoto there as he acknowledges the shot.
Yamamoto doesn't manage to clinch there - Pharoni circles away.
The crowd cheers as Pharoni lands an impressive looking overhand right. Yamamoto doesn't seem phased though.
Pharoni scores with a hook to the body. Yamamoto takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Go Yamamoto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pharoni digs a good hook to Yamamoto's body.
Pharoni tests Yamamoto's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Yamamoto throws a right hand that Pharoni ducks under and follows up with a left that Pharoni also avoids with ease.
Pharoni ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Yamamoto moves away.
Pharoni avoids the head kick by Yamamoto.
Pharoni getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Yamamoto misses with a combination
enabling Pharoni to counter with a crisp jab.
Pharoni connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Yamamoto takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Pharoni keeps the fight on the outside.
Yamamoto throws a sloppy head kick and Pharoni moves out of range easily.
Pharoni keeps the fight on the outside.
Pharoni misses with a wild combination.
Pharoni swings for the body but Yamamoto moves out of range.
Pharoni getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Bill Pharoni seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pharoni misses with a straight right.
Pharoni lands with a straight right. Yamamoto didn't see that one coming.
Pharoni displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Yamamoto.
Pharoni swings for the body but Yamamoto moves out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yamamoto avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Pharoni keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yamamoto takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bill Pharoni showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Yamamoto fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pharoni avoids it really well and circles away.
Pharoni tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Yamamoto was well out of range. Poor timing from Pharoni.
Pharoni throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yamamoto moves forwards but Pharoni connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Yamamoto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yamamoto blocks the body kick.
Yamamoto takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Yamamoto slips a jab and a cross from Pharoni.
Yamamoto tries to clinch but Pharoni moves away
and Pharoni connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pharoni swats away the attempt to clinch by Yamamoto.
Yamamoto tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pharoni paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pharoni scores with the left hand. Yamamoto knows he should have avoided that one.
Pharoni stuffs the takedown.
Yamamoto goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pharoni misses with a hook.
Nice takedown defense from Pharoni. No joy for Yamamoto on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Go Yamamoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pharoni fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Pharoni fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Yamamoto looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Yamamoto on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Pharoni gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Pharoni has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Yamamoto off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Pharoni sizes up Yamamoto with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Pharoni lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Pharoni lands with a shot to the body.
Yamamoto shoots in for a double leg but Pharoni sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto throws a sloppy head kick and Pharoni moves out of range easily.
Pharoni with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Pharoni with a nice cross.
Pharoni displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Pharoni lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Yamamoto backs up against the cage.
Pharoni clobbers Yamamoto with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Pharoni circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pharoni connects with a right hand. Yamamoto shakes it off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pharoni lands a glancing blow to the side of Yamamoto's head.
Pharoni throws a series of strikes that have Yamamoto backpedaling.
Pharoni's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Pharoni duly obliges.
Pharoni digs a good body shot into Yamamoto's ribs.
Yamamoto looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Pharoni scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Jab, jab by Pharoni - just one landing.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Yamamoto.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pharoni digs a good body shot into Yamamoto's ribs.
Pharoni scores with a punch to the head.
Pharoni lands an overhand right.
Yamamoto takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Pharoni lands with an overhand left.
Pharoni throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Yamamoto stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Yamamoto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Pharoni misses with a wild combination.
Pharoni scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Yamamoto takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Yamamoto takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Pharoni slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Pharoni fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Yamamoto looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Pharoni lands a with a good body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Pharoni, as that shot connected.
Yamamoto takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Pharoni circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pharoni throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Yamamoto stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A shot to de liver by Pharoni. Beautiful body shot.
Pharoni lands with a shot to the body.
Yamamoto ducks right into an uppercut from Pharoni.
Yamamoto wants to clinch up but Pharoni keeps it at a distance.
Go Yamamoto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yamamoto takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Pharoni scores with a decent looking hook.
Yamamoto displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pharoni throws out the jab.
Pharoni lands a slapping body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yamamoto avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Yamamoto avoids the body shot from Pharoni.
Bill Pharoni is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pharoni looks to score with a jab to the body but Yamamoto is just out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bill Pharoni comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pharoni winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bill Pharoni!