PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between methos lage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nishio Hiotaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). methos lage has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

lage
vs
Hiotaki

180 cm
23
138 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

165 cm
23
135 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, methos lage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nishio Hiotaki!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Valeri Chadov and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hiotaki misses with the combination.

lage shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

lage gets to his feet - Hiotaki follows without any prompting.
lage misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
lage shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hiotaki as he jumps to the side.
Hiotaki shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts lage as he jumps to the side.
Hiotaki is looking to clinch.
Hiotaki tries a head kick but it misses.
Hiotaki throws a head kick that misses.
lage doesn't manage to clinch there - Hiotaki circles away.
Hiotaki throws a head kick but lage moves out of range.
lage showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hiotaki.
Hiotaki throws a series of punches but lage avoids them all with ease.

lage drives through and clinches with Hiotaki against the cage.

lage has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Hiotaki uses from the top position.
lage throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Hiotaki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.

lage is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hiotaki is aware though and is defending well.
Hiotaki trying to stand up but can't free himself from lage's guard.

lage looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
lage looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hiotaki is one step ahead there.

lage throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
lage is breathing heavily.
Hiotaki throwing strikes from guard but lage blocks nicely.
Hiotaki trying to control the position from guard on top but lage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hiotaki with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Hiotaki got a little sloppy there for a moment and lage has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hiotaki has managed to get both his arms back between lage's legs - danger averted.
Hiotaki lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hiotaki trying to control the position from guard on top but lage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hiotaki thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

lage is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hiotaki is aware though and is defending well.
Hiotaki wants to control from the top but lage keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

lage has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Hiotaki can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Hiotaki trying to control the position from guard on top but lage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hiotaki is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! lage is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! lage has escaped and now he's on top!
lage working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
lage trying to control the position from guard on top but Hiotaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Hiotaki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hiotaki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
lage won't allow Hiotaki to get back to his feet.

lage gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
lage throws a body punch but Hiotaki moves out of range.
Hiotaki tries to land a front kick but lage steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

lage darts in and clinches Hiotaki up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

methos lage dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Hiotaki throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hiotaki throws a right and a left that lage avoids nicely.
Hiotaki closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
lage fails with an attempt to clinch.

lage has managed to clinch.

lage tightens his grip and picks Hiotaki up, before dumping him to the ground. Hiotaki manages to land in guard.
Hiotaki trying to control the position.

lage gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

lage has taken the fight to the clinch.

lage pulls guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

lage has an active guard here but Hiotaki has managed to pass into half guard.
Hiotaki lands strikes from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
lage is staying active underneath Hiotaki, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
lage wants to get back to full guard.
lage really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
lage wants to get back to his feet.
Hiotaki is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
lage landing small, sideways elbows.
Hiotaki tries to pass to full mount but lage defends it.
lage is pressing down on Hiotaki's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Hiotaki tries to stand but lage is controlling from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

lage looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

lage avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hiotaki manages to escape and get back to his feet.
lage shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hiotaki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hiotaki pulls out of a head kick attempt.

lage gets caught flat footed, as Hiotaki shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
lage wants to sweep but no luck.
Hiotaki with a flurry of punches that miss.

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

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

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hiotaki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. lage defends it easily.
lage prevents Hiotaki from getting back to his feet.

lage got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hiotaki has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, lage has managed to get both his arms back between Hiotaki's legs - danger averted.
lage keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Hiotaki's head.

Hiotaki working for a triangle but lage defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
lage trying to control the position from guard on top but Hiotaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

lage is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
lage will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Hiotaki looking for subs off his back but lage has passed one foot through into half guard.
Hiotaki misses with some strikes from the bottom.
lage stops Hiotaki from getting back to his feet.
lage trying to control from half guard but Hiotaki is working away.
Hiotaki is on the bottom, trying to hold on to half guard. He's throwing a few small shots here, to keep his opponent honest.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

methos lage dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hiotaki rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but lage moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hiotaki tries to clinch but fails miserably

and lage holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

lage turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and lage manages to end up in side control.
The referee asks lage politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. lage prefers to stall for the moment though.

lage stands up and beckons Hiotaki to his feet.
lage tries to clinch but Hiotaki moves out of range.
Hiotaki misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hiotaki throws a lazy head kick
and lage counters with a good low kick that Hiotaki was not able to check.
Hiotaki tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

lage closes the distance and clinches.
A short uppercut from lage.
lage lands a knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
lage lands an elbow inside.
lage is pressed up against the cage. Hiotaki has hold of a leg and is looking to drag lage down to the mat. lage avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hiotaki misses with a wild combination.
lage wants to clinch up but Hiotaki keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

lage closes the distance and pushes Hiotaki back into the cage.
A knee to the head by lage.

lage gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Hiotaki works his way to full guard. Good work.
lage works over Hiotaki with some ground and pound from guard.

Hiotaki is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and lage defends well.
Hiotaki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Hiotaki is looking for a triangle but lage pushes his legs off easily.

Hiotaki pushes lage off and scrambles back to his feet.
Hiotaki with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

lage drives through and clinches with Hiotaki against the cage.
Hiotaki wants to break free but lage has control.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

lage decides to pull guard.
Hiotaki trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but lage manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
lage throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hiotaki works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Hiotaki working for a triangle but lage defends it easily.

Hiotaki looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hiotaki is looking for a triangle but lage pushes his legs off easily.

Hiotaki looking for subs off his back but lage has passed one foot through into half guard.

lage gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Hiotaki scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
lage blocks a head kick by Hiotaki.

lage moves into the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. lage obliges.
Hiotaki tries to pull guard but lage holds him up against the cage and eventually Hiotaki drops back down to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

lage gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Hiotaki regains guard.

lage thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
lage working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hiotaki's head.

Hiotaki is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
lage stays in close to Hiotaki's body and controls the position.

lage got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hiotaki has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, lage has managed to get both his arms back between Hiotaki's legs - danger averted.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

lage stands up and waves to Hiotaki to follow him.

And that's the end of the fight!
methos lage showed his dominance in that final round.
Well lage has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... methos lage!