PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Super Phoenix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hoda Tawashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hoda Tawashi will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Phoenix
vs
Tawashi

185 cm
20
190 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

220 cm
23
199 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Super Phoenix!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hoda Tawashi!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Hirohito Nitta and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tawashi throws a shot from downtown. Phoenix moves away and avoids it.

Phoenix feints and as Tawashi raises his hands in defense, Phoenix changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Phoenix wants to control from the top but Tawashi keeps moving.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Phoenix makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Phoenix slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Tawashi is trying to buck Phoenix off.
Phoenix cracks Tawashi with a big elbow.
Tawashi is pushing Phoenix's head away, looking to escape. Phoenix manages to hold on to the position though.
Phoenix wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tawashi keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Phoenix throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tawashi thows a left - swing and a miss!

Phoenix decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Phoenix is pressing down on Tawashi's thigh, looking to free his foot. Tawashi is holding on for now.

Phoenix looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Tawashi is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Phoenix is breathing heavily.
Tawashi looks like he's trying to stand up.
Phoenix trying to control the action but Tawashi is working from the bottom.

Phoenix is working for a kimura but Tawashi is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tawashi is trying to stand up here but Phoenix is controlling him well.
Tawashi is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tawashi looks to throw the jab but Phoenix is out of range.
Tawashi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Phoenix swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Phoenix darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Phoenix frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Phoenix trying to control but he's not successful this time.
A nice elbow there by Phoenix.
A nice elbow there by Phoenix.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix is in the full mount, landing strikes.
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.
Tawashi is trying to stand up.
Phoenix lands a nice shot to the head.
Phoenix pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Phoenix looking to control but Tawashi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Phoenix fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Tawashi wants to try and get back to his feet.
Phoenix lands a heavy elbow.
Tawashi is squirming around, avoiding Phoenix's attempts to control the action.
You get the feeling that Tawashi really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Phoenix with a couple of short strikes.

That's four 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.

Phoenix is going olschool here, as he tries to force Tawashi to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Tawashi shrugs it off.

Phoenix is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Tawashi has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Phoenix trying to control but Tawashi is having none of it.

Tawashi bucks Phoenix off and manages to get back to his feet!
Phoenix looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Tawashi wants to clinch.
A slow jab from Tawashi misses its intended target.

Phoenix scores with a takedown into Tawashi's guard.
Tawashi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Phoenix. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Tawashi wants to stand and escape but Phoenix is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Super Phoenix dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Phoenix misses with a few strikes there.
Phoenix uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tawashi.
Tawashi is looking to clinch.
A lazy left from Tawashi finds it's target.
Tawashi getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Phoenix steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tawashi.
Tawashi throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Phoenix sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Tawashi gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Phoenix distracts Tawashi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Phoenix is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Phoenix trying to control the position from guard on top but Tawashi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tawashi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Phoenix advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phoenix passes to side control.
Phoenix controlling the position from side mount.
Tawashi tries to escape but Phoenix is in control.
Tawashi taking punishment in the form of punches.
Tawashi wants to get back to his feet but Phoenix drags him back down.
Phoenix has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Tawashi takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Phoenix lands a few punches from side control.
Phoenix is looking to take a break and control but Tawashi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Phoenix working the head with strikes.
Phoenix controlling the position.

That's two 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.
Tawashi is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the ropes but Phoenix has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Tawashi is pushing Phoenix's head away, looking to escape. Phoenix manages to hold on to the position though.
Phoenix lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Phoenix looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Phoenix wants to control but Tawashi is keeping him busy.

Phoenix is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tawashi knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Tawashi throws Phoenix to one side and escapes!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tawashi is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

Phoenix shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Tawashi is trying to defend but Phoenix finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Super Phoenix overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tawashi is staying active underneath Phoenix, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Tawashi is trying to stand up here but Phoenix is controlling him well.
Phoenix is trying to control the action in half guard but Tawashi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tawashi looks like he's trying to stand up.
Phoenix slips a nice elbow through Tawashi's hands, connecting with Tawashi's forehead.
Phoenix trying to control from half guard but Tawashi is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Tawashi throws a looping overhand right but Phoenix ducks down to avoid it.
Tawashi connects with a right hand. Phoenix shakes it off.

Phoenix shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Phoenix prevents Tawashi from standing back up.

Phoenix has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Tawashi defend it? Phoenix steps over the head and cranks it - Tawashi is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Phoenix!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:34 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Super Phoenix!