PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mahiko Mahitato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Ricardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mahitato comes to the cage accompanied by tokyo drift - teriyaki boys. Jose Ricardo struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 137.3lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Mahiko Mahitato has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mahitato
vs
Ricardo

188 cm
23
135 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

170 cm
20
142 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mahiko Mahitato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jose Ricardo!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shirou Masuda and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mahitato moves out of range of the body kick from Ricardo.
Mahitato closes the distance and clinches up with Ricardo, looking for a takedown. Mahitato pushes Ricardo against the cage but Ricardo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mahitato tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mahitato fails with the takedown.
Ricardo shoots in for a double leg but Mahitato sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ricardo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mahitato showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ricardo.
Ricardo throws a wild body kick that Mahitato sees coming a mile off.
Ricardo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ricardo looks gassed!

Ricardo gets a takedown into half guard.
Mahitato is trying to stand.
Ricardo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Mahitato keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Ricardo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mahitato keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahitato is trying to stand up here but Ricardo is controlling him well.
Mahitato is staying active underneath Ricardo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ricardo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Mahitato keeping control of the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mahitato doesn't manage to clinch there - Ricardo circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Mahitato tries to pull guard but Ricardo won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mahiko Mahitato. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mahitato scores with a shoulder strike.

Mahitato breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ricardo connects with a solid leg kick.

Mahitato closes the distance and clinches.
Mahitato wants to get back to striking at distance but Ricardo won't allow it.
Mahitato wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mahitato has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

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

Mahitato moves into the clinch successfully.
Mahitato blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Mahitato trying to land knees to the body.
Ricardo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mahitato avoids it.
Mahitato is trying to break the clinch but Ricardo is controlling him.
Mahitato tries to pull guard but Ricardo won't allow it.
Mahitato is trying to break free.
Mahitato is struggling to control the position.
Ricardo missing with knees to the body.
Ricardo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mahitato can't get the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahitato keeps control of Ricardo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ricardo prevents a takedown attempt there.
Ricardo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ricardo is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mahitato is defending well for now.
Mahitato really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mahitato tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Mahitato managing to block the knees to the body from Ricardo.
Ricardo putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Mahitato in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Ricardo wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Mahitato turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Mahitato working away.

Mahitato decides to stand up, so the ref orders Ricardo to his feet.
Mahitato avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mahitato takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Mahitato shoots in looking for a takedown. Ricardo tries to sprawl out of it but Mahitato keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ricardo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mahiko Mahitato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mahitato misses with a wild combination.
Mahitato circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mahitato throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Ricardo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ricardo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mahitato paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ricardo.
Ricardo tries to clinch but Mahitato moves out of range.
A punch combination from Ricardo misses.
Ricardo is looking to clinch but Mahitato is avoiding it.
Mahitato is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ricardo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mahitato throws a sloppy head kick
and Ricardo counters with a nice leg kick.

Ricardo takes the fight into the clinch.

Ricardo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mahitato throws a sloppy head kick and Ricardo moves out of range easily.
Mahitato shoots in for a double leg but Ricardo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mahiko Mahitato will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

A nice inside leg kick there by Ricardo. That's going to slow Mahitato down.
Ricardo tries to land a front kick but Mahitato steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Ricardo throws a series of punches but Mahitato moves out of range.
Mahitato throws a sloppy head kick

and Ricardo counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Mahitato's guard now.
Ricardo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mahitato is proving hard to escape from.
Ricardo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mahitato controlling Ricardo's posture.
Mahitato keeping full guard, as Ricardo tries to pass.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ricardo stopping the sweep attempt from Mahitato.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ricardo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Mahitato pushes Ricardo off and scrambles back to his feet.
Mahitato uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Ricardo.
Nice shot lands for Mahitato.
Ricardo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mahitato manages to avoid it.
Jose Ricardo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ricardo keeps the fight on the outside.
Mahitato tries to clinch but Ricardo is having none of it.
Mahitato pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Mahitato moves into the clinch.
Ricardo looking to throw knees to the head but Mahitato is blocking nicely.
Ricardo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mahitato has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ricardo is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mahitato goes for a takedown attempt but Ricardo pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mahitato shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ricardo but Ricardo pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Ricardo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mahitato, pushing him back against the cage.
Mahitato wants to break the clinch but can't.

Ricardo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mahitato tries a head kick but it misses.
Mahitato wants to clinch up but Ricardo keeps it at a distance.

Ricardo scores a takedown into full mount!
Mahitato tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ricardo thowing shots but they're missing.
Ricardo lands a nice shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ricardo trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Mahitato tries to hold on but Ricardo pushes him away.
Ricardo postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Mahitato looks a forlorn figure.

Ricardo has control of Mahitato's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Mahitato regains control of the situation pretty easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee warns Mahitato that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Mahitato tries to hold on but Ricardo pushes him away.

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.
Mahitato tries to reverse the position but Ricardo maintains control.
Ricardo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Mahitato tries to reverse the position but Ricardo maintains control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ricardo lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Mahitato is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Mahitato tries to hold on but Ricardo postures up.
Ricardo looking to land elbow strikes but Mahitato uses the position to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Ricardo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ricardo throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Ricardo tries to clinch there but Mahitato circles away.
Mahitato ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Mahitato throws a head kick that misses.
Mahitato tries to clinch but Ricardo moves out of range.
Ricardo swats away the attempt to clinch by Mahitato.

Mahitato has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mahitato's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Ricardo is trying to break the clinch but Mahitato is controlling him.
Mahitato tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ricardo smiles and moves away.
Mahitato looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ricardo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Ricardo looking to control but Mahitato is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Mahitato is trying desperately to improve position.
Ricardo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ricardo controlling from the full mount.
Ricardo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mahitato is looking to escape.
Ricardo controlling his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ricardo landing punches.
Ricardo putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Ricardo moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Mahitato has worked his arm free - good work by Mahitato!
Jose Ricardo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ricardo trying to control the action but Mahitato is working from the bottom.
Mahitato regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ricardo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Ricardo lands with a punch from half guard.
Ricardo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mahitato does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Mahitato regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ricardo trying to control but Mahitato is working from the bottom.

Ricardo gets to his feet - Mahitato follows without any prompting.
Horrible takedown by Ricardo or perhaps it was just good defense by Mahitato which made him look bad.
Mahitato tries to clinch but Ricardo is having none of it.
Mahitato takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ricardo shoots in for a double leg but Mahitato sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Ricardo shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Ricardo was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Ricardo looking to finish Mahitato with some ground and pound. This is bad for Mahitato!

Ricardo looking for a guillotine from mount but Mahitato is having none of it.
Ricardo looking to control but Mahitato is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ricardo working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Ricardo throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Mahitato because Ricardo loaded up on that one.
Mahitato manages to regain half guard. Good work.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jose Ricardo.
I think Ricardo 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Ricardo!