PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Yates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hayato Kawajiri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Yates
vs
Kawajiri

190 cm
22
142 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

172 cm
18
147 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

S.W.A.T.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Johnny Yates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hayato Kawajiri!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yates drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Yates trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Yates postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kawajiri is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Yates, into his guard.
Kawajiri wanted to stand there but Yates had control of the position.

Yates has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kawajiri can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Yates doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Kawajiri trying to stand up but can't free himself from Yates's guard.

Yates looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Yates thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Yates is striking from the bottom but Kawajiri uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yates moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Yates looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Yates escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kawajiri gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Yates is breathing heavily.
Yates trying to strike off his back.
Kawajiri is looking to stand up but Yates won't let him.
Yates manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kawajiri manages to get himself to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kawajiri wants to get back to his feet but Yates is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Yates really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Yates wants to pass the guard but Kawajiri is keeping the position.
Yates pushing down on Kawajiri's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Yates 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.
Yates throwing shots but Kawajiri is blocking nicely.
Kawajiri won't allow Yates to pass to mount.

Kawajiri pushes Yates off and gets back to his feet.
Kawajiri tries to clinch there but Yates circles away.

Yates scores with a takedown into Kawajiri's guard.
Yates distracts Kawajiri with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Yates working some strikes from top position.
Yates is working Kawajiri over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Yates prevents Kawajiri from getting back to his feet.
Yates stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kawajiri swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Yates has gone for a leg lock! Kawajiri slips out almost immediately though and dives into Yates's guard.
Yates manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kawajiri manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yates is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Yates throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kawajiri works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Yates is in close to Kawajiri's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Yates throwing strikes from guard but Kawajiri blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kawajiri preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Yates stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kawajiri swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kawajiri avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Yates postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Yates drops back, looking for a kneebar! Kawajiri looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Kawajiri looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Kawajiri!
Yates is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yates is working hard here to advance position.

Kawajiri decides to stand back up.

Kawajiri gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Yates stops Kawajiri from standing up.
Yates looking to pass the guard.
Kawajiri wants to stand up but Yates is controlling him.
Yates throws a big right hand that misses.
Yates landing with the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yates distracts Kawajiri with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Yates dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Yates misses with a takedown attempt - Kawajiri sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kawajiri tries to close the distance and clinch but Yates swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kawajiri tries to close the distance and clinch but Yates swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Yates shoots in but no luck this time.
Kawajiri tries to clinch there but Yates circles away.
Yates shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kawajiri as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Yates. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yates shoots in looking for a takedown. Kawajiri tries to sprawl out of it but Yates keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kawajiri manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Yates shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kawajiri tries to kick Yates off but Yates keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Nice strikes from Yates there.
Yates throwing shots but Kawajiri is blocking nicely.
Yates sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kawajiri defending well though.
Kawajiri is trying to stand back up but Yates is controlling him
Kawajiri is breathing heavily.
Yates looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Yates is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kawajiri doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Yates.
Yates prevents Kawajiri from standing back up.

Yates is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yates thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kawajiri's head.
Yates prevents Kawajiri from standing back up.

Kawajiri manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Johnny Yates is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kawajiri is looking to clinch.

Yates fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kawajiri sprawls well initially but Yates persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kawajiri is trying to stand up here but Yates is controlling him well.

Yates 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.
Kawajiri won't allow Yates to pass to mount.
Yates will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yates looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Yates lands with a punch from half guard.
Yates sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kawajiri defending well though.

Yates 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.
Johnny Yates overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yates landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Yates passes the guard and advances to mount!

Yates is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Kawajiri has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Kawajiri!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yates is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Yates isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Kawajiri stacks Yates on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Kawajiri!

Kawajiri stands up and beckons Yates to his feet.
Yates shoots in but Kawajiri avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Yates fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Yates throws a good cross that connects.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Yates dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Yates checks a leg kick nicely.
Yates shoots in and drives through. Kawajiri sprawls well.

Kawajiri gets caught flat footed, as Yates shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Yates pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kawajiri is keeping the position for now.
Yates throws a strike but Kawajiri rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Kawajiri must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Yates looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Yates trying to strike off his back.

Yates has his foot on Kawajiri's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kawajiri works his way back into a safe position though.

Yates has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Kawajiri is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Yates.

Kawajiri has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Kawajiri takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yates fails to land the takedown.
Hayato Kawajiri is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kawajiri is looking to clinch.

Kawajiri gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Yates scoring with punches to the head and body.
Yates lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Yates drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kawajiri dives on top into guard.

Yates looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Kawajiri passes into half guard.

Yates looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yates regains full guard. Nicely done.

Kawajiri gets to his feet - Yates follows without any prompting.
Kawajiri pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Yates looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kawajiri is fending him off so far but Yates persists. Nope, Kawajiri circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Yates. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kawajiri moves in looking to clinch but Yates pushes him off.
Yates shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kawajiri pinned against the cage. Kawajiri gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kawajiri swings widly with a right hand

and Yates counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Kawajiri!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Yates jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Kawajiri manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Yates scoring with punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yates works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Kawajiri takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Yates cracks Kawajiri with a big right hand but Kawajiri just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Kawajiri is rocked!
Yates working the ground and pound.
Kawajiri is still in real trouble! Can Yates finish him?
Yates landing strikes.
Yates has knee on belly and moves into mount.

Yates throws some shoulder strikes here and then postures up. Oh, he's gone for an armbar! Kawajiri has his hands clasped together but Yates breaks the hold and Kawajiri is forced to tap! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over! That was lightning fast by Yates!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Johnny Yates!