PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Baki Hanma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tuck Happiness (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Happiness's choice of entrance music: Bullet With a Name on It. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hanma
vs
Happiness

165 cm
24
150 lbs
4 - 3 - 1

162 cm
23
147 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

ENDLESS 152

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 4 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Baki Hanma!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tuck Happiness!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Taro Takaoka and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Happiness looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hanma throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Happiness.
A punch lands to the side of Happiness 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Happiness misses with a double jab
and Hanma connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Happiness decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Happiness trying to pass the guard but Hanma defending well.
Hanma is refusing to be controlled, as Happiness sits in half guard.
Hanma makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hanma.
Hanma wants to sweep here but Happiness controlling him for the moment.
Happiness wants to pass the guard but Hanma is keeping the position.
Hanma is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanma keeping moving, preventing Happiness from controlling successfully.

Happiness drops back looking for a leg! Hanma is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hanma manages to kick Happiness off! Happiness jumps back into Hanma's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Happiness chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hanma can pounce on him.
Happiness tries to clinch up but Hanma circles away and keeps his distance.
Happiness uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hanma.
Hanma walks into a stiff left hand from Happiness.
Hanma throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Hanma motions for Happiness to come forward. Hanma throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Baki Hanma is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hanma throws out a loose jab but Happiness uses good head movement to avoid it.
Happiness displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Baki Hanma seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hanma throws a head kick that misses.
Happiness darts in trying to clinch
and Hanma counters with a nice low kick that buckles Happiness's knee momentarily.
Happiness tries to clinch but Hanma moves out of range.
Hanma swats away the attempt to clinch by Happiness.
A head kick misses from Hanma.
Hanma connects with a crisp jab.
Hanma throws a lazy right hand but Happiness sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hanma fails to land with a series of punches.
Hanma motions for Happiness to come forward. Hanma throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Hanma throws a big shot that misses.
Hanma is looking to land body kicks.
Hanma throws a good cross that connects.
Hanma fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Happiness doesn't manage to clinch there - Hanma circles away.
Hanma connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Happiness momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Happiness fails with a takedown attempt.
A bone on bone clash there as Hanma blocks the leg kick.

Happiness closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Hanma tries to break free but Happiness pushes him back against the ropes.
Happiness misses with a knee strike.
Happiness tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Happiness lands with a left to the head.
Happiness avoiding damage as Hanma throws knees to the body.
Happiness tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hanma avoids it.
Hanma doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hanma scores with a shoulder strike.
Happiness working Hanma over with knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Happiness.
Hanma is breathing heavily.
Hanma fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Happiness looking to throw knees to the head but Hanma is blocking nicely.
Hanma looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hanma tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hanma wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Happiness has him pressed against the ropes.
Happiness keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hanma's efforts to push away.
A frustrated look appears on Hanma's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Happiness crunches a lovely knee into Hanma's ribcage.
Hanma is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Hanma lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hanma escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Happiness darts in trying to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Happiness takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Happiness tries to clinch but Hanma moves out of range.
Happiness waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Hanma.
Happiness lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Happiness takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A low kick from Hanma misses
and Happiness counters with a nice body shot.
Hanma throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Happiness counters by clinching up.
Happiness working Hanma over with knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Happiness connects with a nasty looking knee right to Hanma's face.
Happiness is trying to drag Hanma to the mat but Hanma just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
Baki Hanma has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tuck Happiness.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Hanma wants to break the clinch but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Happiness connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Baki Hanma has been cut.
Happiness drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hanma pulls his leg out and moves away.
A big right from Hanma misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tuck Happiness dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Baki Hanma's cut.
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.

Happiness scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Hanma misses with a low kick.
Happiness fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hanma manages to avoid it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Happiness misses with a knee to the head.

Hanma breaks from the clinch.
Hanma tries a head kick but it misses.
Happiness rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hanma moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Happiness drives through with a takedown into guard.
Happiness trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hanma is controlling Happiness's posture.
Happiness throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Happiness accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hanma keeping full guard, as Happiness tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanma is trying to keep Happiness in close.

Hanma manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Baki Hanma is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Happiness closes the distance and clinches.

Hanma escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hanma throws a leg kick that is checked

and Happiness decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hanma's guard.
Hanma keeping moving, preventing Happiness from controlling successfully.
Happiness wants to pass the guard but Hanma is keeping the position.
Hanma is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Happiness trying to control the position from guard on top but Hanma is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hanma is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Happiness is controlling him.
Happiness advances position into side control!
Happiness has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Hanma!
Happiness trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Happiness looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Happiness lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanma is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

Happiness has hold of Hanma's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Hanma manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Happiness landing punches.
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.
Hanma working to try and regain half guard.

Happiness jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Hanma manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Hanma is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Happiness looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Hanma is avoiding damage well.
Hanma is trying to control Happiness's posture but Happiness avoids it.
Happiness throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Happiness trying to control the position but Hanma is working away.

Happiness tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Happiness has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Happiness working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tuck Happiness showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Baki Hanma's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hanma throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Hanma feints and then cracks Happiness's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Happiness down.
Hanma keeps the fight on the outside.
Hanma misses with a low kick.
Happiness checks the leg kick nicely there.

Happiness closes the distance and clinches.
Hanma dodges an elbow strike from Happiness.
Happiness has Hanma pressed against the ropes, preventing Hanma from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Happiness has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Hanma is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Happiness trying to land knees to the body.
Happiness utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Hanma pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Happiness fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hanma avoids it really well and circles away.
Happiness closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Happiness takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Happiness has a takedown stuffed.
Baki Hanma has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tuck Happiness.

Happiness has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanma is trying to break free.
Hanma wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hanma prevents the takedown attempt.
Hanma blocks an uppercut.
Hanma wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hanma looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Happiness wants to break the clinch but can't.
Happiness keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hanma's efforts to push away.
Happiness tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Happiness is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hanma is defending well for now.

Hanma breaks the clinch.
Happiness closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hanma counters with a stiff right hand.
Hanma throws a hook but Happiness blocks it.
Hanma throws a hook but Happiness blocks it.
Happiness connects with a high kick.
Happiness tries to close the distance and clinch but Hanma swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Happiness tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Happiness misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hanma misses with a straight right.
Hanma throws a nice looking combination but Happiness bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hanma plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Hanma misses with a head kick.
Hanma throws a low kick but Happiness avoids it.
Happiness doesn't manage to clinch there - Hanma circles away.
Hanma looks to land a left hand but Happiness moved out of range nicely.
Happiness displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hanma throws out the jab.
A head kick misses from Hanma.
Hanma stuns Happiness with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Hanma throws a nice head kick!
Hanma scoring well with a low kick there.
Happiness slips under a jab.
Happiness ducks under a wild hook from Hanma.
Hanma goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Hanma looks to land a left hand but Happiness moved out of range nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanma throws out a powerful jab.
Happiness throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Some wild striking there from Happiness.
Hanma throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hanma tries a head kick but it misses.
Happiness fails with the takedown.

Happiness scores a takedown into full mount!
Tuck Happiness is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Happiness tries to control but Hanma wriggling away.
Happiness lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Happiness takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Happiness unloads with some shots from mount but Hanma bucks and avoids them well.

Happiness is going olschool here, as he tries to force Hanma to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Hanma shrugs it off.
Hanma tries to hold on but Happiness postures up.
Baki Hanma has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Happiness controlling his opponent.

Happiness goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Hanma turns into him and now he's in Happiness's guard.

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 Baki Hanma.
I think Happiness 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tuck Happiness!