PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Benson Hamaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lion Takanori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takanori is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Scary. 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.

Hamaka
vs
Takanori

177 cm
20
157 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

166 cm
21
151 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

New Era Nutrition (156Q REC/STA $50)
New Era Nutrition (156Q REC/STA $50)

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Benson Hamaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Lion Takanori!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, William Gold and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hamaka tries to clinch but Takanori moves out of range.
Lion Takanori seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takanori wants to land a leg kick but Hamaka is out of range.
Takanori throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hamaka tries to work over Takanori's front leg with a kick but Takanori checks it.
Hamaka stalks Takanori and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Takanori's face. Takanori staggers backwards, shaken.
A slow jab from Hamaka misses its intended target.
Hamaka throws a push kick but Takanori slaps the foot to one side.
Takanori clobbers Hamaka with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Takanori misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hamaka.
Hamaka takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Hamaka fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hamaka is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hamaka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Takanori paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Takanori throws a hook to the side of Hamaka's head but Hamaka sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Takanori keeps the fight on the outside.
Takanori throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Takanori darts in trying to clinch
and Hamaka counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanori swats away the attempt to clinch by Hamaka.
Nice shot by Hamaka.
Takanori misses with a kick to the body
and Hamaka counters with a two punch combo.
A head kick misses from Takanori.
No joy there for Hamaka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Hamaka clinches with his opponent.

Hamaka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hamaka throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Takanori stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Hamaka takes the fight into the clinch.
Hamaka slows down the pace here.
Takanori tries to work over Hamaka's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hamaka lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hamaka misses with a knee strike.
Hamaka has Takanori pressed against the ropes, preventing Takanori from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Hamaka lands a left hand.
Takanori is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Nice elbow from Hamaka.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Hamaka just misses with a elbow thrown towards Takanori's brow.

Hamaka breaks from the clinch.
Takanori falls off balance throwing a combination

and Hamaka counters by moving into the clinch.
Takanori swings wildly with an uppercut but Hamaka uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hamaka comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Lion Takanori has been cut.
The referee is keeping an eye on Hamaka - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Hamaka looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Takanori wants to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
Hamaka gets through Takanori's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Hamaka throws an elbow but it misses.
Hamaka tries to land a knee to the head but Takanori blocks with his arms.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hamaka as Takanori tries to tie him up.

Hamaka breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Takanori throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Hamaka counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Takanori darts in trying to clinch
letting Hamaka counter with a right hand.
Takanori misses with a shot to the body
and Hamaka counters with a two punch combo.
Takanori blocks a head kick by Hamaka.
Takanori avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hamaka rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Takanori moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takanori keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Hamaka swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Takanori counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Takanori fails to land with a series of punches.
Takanori misses with an uppercut. Hamaka saw that one coming.
Takanori moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

It looks like Benson Hamaka has been cut.
Takanori looks to land a combination. Hamaka sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Hamaka is rocked!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Takanori falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hamaka counters with a head kick.
Oh Hamaka is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hamaka is breathing heavily.
Hamaka walks straight into a right hand from Takanori - that's dropped him! Takanori jumps into mount and starts pounding away - can he finish?! More strikes go undefended and the referee has to dive in to save Hamaka from any more punishment! Hamaka complains about the stoppage but falls over as he tries to stand back up, so it was clearly a good stoppage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:40 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Lion Takanori!