PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Yokuzuna Rikishi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Batista (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.

Rikishi
vs
Batista

194 cm
22
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
285 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super 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, Yokuzuna Rikishi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Batista!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A left and a right from Batista both land. Nice combination.
Batista lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Batista cracks a nice hook into Rikishi's ribs.
Batista throws a nice looking combination but Rikishi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Batista stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Batista throws a nice looking combination but Rikishi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Batista throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rikishi.
Rikishi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batista throws a right and a left that both miss.
Some wild striking there from Batista.
John Batista seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Batista looks to land a combination but Rikishi avoids it well.
Batista fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rikishi shoots for a double leg takedown but Batista sprawls well. He's pushed Rikishi's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Batista defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rikishi.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yokuzuna Rikishi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Batista throws a right and a left that Rikishi avoids nicely.
Batista will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Rikishi. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Batista misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Batista.
Rikishi dodges the punch combination from Batista.
Rikishi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Batista tries to avoid it but Rikishi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Batista to the ground. Batista escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Batista misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batista looks to score with a jab to the body but Rikishi is just out of range.
Rikishi takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Rikishi fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Batista avoids it really well and circles away.
Rikishi fails to land the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Batista dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rikishi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Batista is fending him off so far but Rikishi persists. Nope, Batista circles away and we're back to standing.
Rikishi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Batista.
Batista lands a jab-cross combination.

Batista takes the fight into the clinch.
A short left from Batista.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rikishi is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Batista gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Batista is fighting off a takedown attempt but Rikishi is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Batista to the mat. Batista regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Rikishi landing with the ground and pound.
Rikishi working some strikes from top position.
Rikishi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rikishi keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Batista's head.
Batista should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Rikishi stops Batista from standing up.
Rikishi landing with the ground and pound.
Batista is breathing heavily.
Rikishi connects with a couple of short punches.

It looks like John Batista has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rikishi is in close to Batista's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rikishi scoring with punches to the head and body.
Batista is looking to stand back up but Rikishi counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Batista.
Batista on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Rikishi 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rikishi working over Batista with some ground and pound. Batista looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That has opened up John Batista's cut even more.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Rikishi connects with a nice short shot to Batista's temple.

Batista is rocked!

The cut above John Batista's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at John Batista's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Yokuzuna Rikishi!