PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Shafik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Inuyasha Kagome (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Shafik
vs
Kagome

185 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matt Shafik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Inuyasha Kagome!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shafik attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kagome stops a takedown attempt from Shafik.
Kagome lands a damaging elbow.
Kagome stalling the fight.

Kagome's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kagome circles away from the clinch attempt
and Kagome counters with a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shafik connects with a nice looking jab.

It looks like Inuyasha Kagome has been cut.
Shafik looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Shafik gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kagome counters with a head kick. That will keep Shafik thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Kagome closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kagome creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Shafik's defenses.

Kagome breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Shafik tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Kagome counters by moving into the clinch.
Kagome lands a nice knee to the body.
Kagome connects with a knee to the head.
Stalling in the clinch from Kagome.
Kagome lands a knee to the body.
Kagome lands a damaging elbow.

Kagome escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Kagome gets a clinch.
Shafik tries to break free but Kagome pushes him back against the cage.
Kagome lands an elbow that stopped Shafik in his tracks for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kagome comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Kagome comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Kagome gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Kagome controlling the action here for a moment.

Shafik pulls guard successfully.
Shafik is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Kagome wants to control from the top but Shafik keeps moving.
Shafik wants to get back to his feet but Kagome is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kagome trying to control but Shafik is working from the bottom.
Kagome has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Shafik is proving hard to escape from.
Kagome seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Kagome trying to control the position from guard on top but Shafik is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shafik is breathing heavily.

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.
Kagome wants to stand but Shafik is controlling his posture from full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Kagome clinches up against the cage.
Kagome prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Shafik. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shafik takes an elbow to the forehead.
Kagome lands an elbow inside.
Kagome lands an elbow just above Shafik 's eye.
Shafik changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Kagome fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Kagome takes the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Inuyasha Kagome will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Inuyasha Kagome'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.

Kagome plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Some wild striking there from Shafik.
Shafik clinches but Kagome breaks the clinch
and Kagome counters with a big head kick but Shafik shrugs it off.
Kagome throws a nice head kick!
Shafik throws a right and a left that Kagome avoids nicely.
Shafik misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kagome keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Kagome throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Shafik's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kagome clinches.
Kagome using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kagome lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Kagome working Shafik over with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shafik takes a knee to the side of the body.
Kagome lands a damaging elbow.
Kagome lands a good knee to the midsection. Shafik won't want to take too many of those.
Kagome just leaning against Shafik, taking a breather.
Kagome is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kagome comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Kagome pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Kagome moves into the clinch.
Kagome lands a nice elbow.
Kagome has Shafik pushed against the cage.
Kagome lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Kagome using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Kagome lands an elbow inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shafik takes an elbow to the forehead.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kagome obliges.
Kagome is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Kagome putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Shafik in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Kagome breaks from the clinch.
Kagome throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Shafik's head.
Shafik takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Kagome darts in and clinches Shafik up against the cage.
Kagome lands a nice elbow.
Kagome putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Shafik in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Kagome breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shafik tries to clinch
and Kagome counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kagome moves into range and clinches up with Shafik.
Kagome lands an elbow just above Shafik 's eye.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Kagome.
Kagome wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Kagome lands a nice knee to the body.
Kagome using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Kagome is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Kagome lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Kagome utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Kagome stalling against the cage.

Kagome manages to break the clinch.

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.
Kagome thumps Shafik with a low kick.
Shafik takes a kick to the side of the head.
Shafik doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Kagome moves into the clinch.
Kagome slowing the pace effectively.
Kagome with a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kagome.
Nice elbow from Kagome.
Kagome stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Kagome landing knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Inuyasha Kagome showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Inuyasha Kagome'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. This is the final round!

Kagome closes the distance and pushes Shafik back into the cage.
Kagome unloads a knee to the mid-section. Shafik lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Kagome lands an elbow inside.
Kagome crunches a lovely knee into Shafik's ribcage.
Kagome scores a nice knee to the body.
Kagome leaning his opponent against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knees to the body from Kagome.
Kagome creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Shafik's defenses.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kagome obliges.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shafik wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kagome has him pressed against the cage.
Kagome has had enough of the clinch but Shafik keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kagome lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Kagome's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kagome throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
An inside leg kick lands from Kagome.
Matt Shafik seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shafik will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kagome is looking to slow Shafik down with leg kicks.

Kagome clinches with his opponent.
Kagome lands a knee to the body.

Kagome breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kagome lands with a thumping leg kick.
Shafik shoots in for a takedown but Kagome shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Kagome has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kagome is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Kagome lands an elbow that stopped Shafik in his tracks for a moment.

Kagome breaks the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kagome stalls.
Kagome lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kagome.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kagome putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Shafik in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Shafik keeps control of Kagome as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Nice elbow from Kagome.
Kagome crunches a lovely knee into Shafik's ribcage.
Kagome lands a good knee to the midsection. Shafik won't want to take too many of those.
Kagome lands a nice elbow.

Kagome breaks from the clinch.

Kagome gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kagome landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Kagome.

Kagome breaks from the clinch.

Kagome forces Shafik back against the cage and clinches.
Kagome landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kagome lands a damaging elbow.
Kagome lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Kagome lands an elbow just above Shafik 's eye.

Kagome breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kagome clinches up against the cage.

Kagome manages to break the clinch.

Kagome has closed the distance and engaged Shafik in a clinch.
Inuyasha Kagome seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Kagome lands an elbow inside that Shafik shrugs off.
Shafik takes an elbow to the forehead.
Matt Shafik has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Inuyasha Kagome is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kagome with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kagome has Shafik pushed against the cage.
Kagome lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

And that's the end of the fight!
Inuyasha Kagome comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kagome 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Inuyasha Kagome!