PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Julle Bulle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akinori Tadano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tadano has chosen Elevator by Eminem as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bulle
vs
Tadano

199 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Julle Bulle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akinori Tadano!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yuuki Gou and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tadano shoots in for a takedown but Bulle shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Bulle scores with a takedown into Tadano's guard.
Tadano keeping full guard, as Bulle tries to pass.
Tadano really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bulle. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Bulle thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Tadano keeping moving, preventing Bulle from controlling successfully.

Bulle 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.

Bulle drops back looking for a leg! Tadano is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Tadano manages to kick Bulle off! Bulle jumps back into Tadano's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tadano wants to get back to his feet but Bulle is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Tadano throws a wild body kick that Bulle sees coming a mile off.

Bulle looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Bulle is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Bulle is breathing heavily.
Bulle is trying to control the action in half guard but Tadano is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tadano moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Bulle drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bulle jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Tadano is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bulle thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Tadano is trying to keep Bulle in close.
Tadano wants to stand and escape but Bulle is having none of it.

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

and Bulle counters with a single leg into guard. Tadano didn't expect that.
Bulle postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Bulle pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tadano is keeping the position for now.
Tadano is pulling down on Bulle's head. It's preventing any offense from Bulle, at least for the moment.
Bulle tries to free his leg and advance position but Tadano is retaining full guard.
Bulle trying to control the position from guard on top but Tadano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tadano is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Bulle is trying to control but can't.

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.
Tadano is keen to just control but Bulle is a slippery customer.
Tadano is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Bulle is refusing to be controlled, as Tadano sits in half guard.
Tadano is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Tadano decides to stand up.
Julle Bulle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Tadano darts in and clinches Bulle up against the cage.
Tadano is trying to drag Bulle to the mat but Bulle just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Julle Bulle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Akinori Tadano.
Tadano unloads a knee to the mid-section. Bulle lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Tadano connects with a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Tadano.
Tadano scores with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julle Bulle 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.

Tadano doesn't manage to clinch there - Bulle circles away.
Tadano doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Bulle counters with a single leg into guard. Tadano didn't expect that.

Bulle thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Tadano keeping moving, preventing Bulle from controlling successfully.

Bulle drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bulle jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Bulle trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bulle really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tadano is trying to control the position but Bulle postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tadano seems keen to control Bulle's posture.
Tadano looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tadano is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Tadano tries to clinch but Bulle moves away

so Bulle counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Tadano is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Tadano looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bulle is one step ahead there.

Bulle thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Tadano bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bulle's guard.
Tadano must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tadano trying to control but Bulle is working from the bottom.
Tadano trying to stand up but can't free himself from Bulle's guard.
Bulle working a defensive guard here.
Bulle wants to sweep here but Tadano controlling him for the moment.
Bulle has a closed guard, preventing Tadano from standing up.
Bulle wants to sweep here but Tadano controlling him for the moment.
Tadano tries to free his leg and advance position but Bulle is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bulle misses with a takedown

and Tadano counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Tadano looking to throw knees to the head but Bulle is blocking nicely.
Tadano is trying to maintain a safe position but Bulle gets an underhook and turns Tadano into the cage.

Bulle gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Tadano trying to hold on to Bulle's head to control him but Bulle postures up.

Bulle is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Bulle is working for a submission of some sort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tadano is defending against the submission attempts here by Bulle.
Tadano trying to control but Bulle postures up.

Bulle is looking for a kimura but Tadano is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bulle to get the leverage.
Tadano tries to kick Bulle off but Bulle keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Tadano shoots in for a takedown but Bulle shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Bulle dives in and grabs Tadano's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tadano pushes down on Bulle's head and hops out.
Bulle has his takedown stuffed
and Tadano counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
An inside leg kick lands from Tadano.
Tadano tries to clinch up

and Bulle counters with a takedown into side control.
Bulle in the domination position with Tadano hanging on.
Tadano is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bulle is looking to take a break and control but Tadano is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tadano wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tadano is trying to control Bulle's posture but Bulle avoids it.
Tadano is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Bulle thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Tadano is trying to buck Bulle off.
Julle Bulle overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bulle shoots in and drives through. Tadano sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Julle Bulle. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Tadano scores with a leg kick.
Bulle takes a kick to the side of the head.
Tadano tries to clinch up.
Tadano is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Tadano.
Bulle misses with a takedown attempt

and Tadano holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Tadano lands a left hand.
Tadano tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Bulle gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tadano.
Tadano misses with a knee strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Tadano takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Tadano landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Bulle goes for a takedown in the clinch but Tadano prevents it.
Tadano is trying to maintain a safe position but Bulle gets an underhook and turns Tadano into the cage.

Tadano escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tadano is looking to clinch.
Tadano shoots in for a double leg but Bulle sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

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

Bulle drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Tadano dives on top into guard.
Tadano wanted to stand there but Bulle had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Bulle is on top in guard.
Bulle looking to pass the guard.

Bulle drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Tadano dives on top into guard.
Akinori Tadano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bulle will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Tadano won't allow Bulle to sweep him here.
Bulle is trying to control the position but Tadano postures up.
Tadano wanted to stand there but Bulle had control of the position.
Tadano controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Julle Bulle.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bulle, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Julle Bulle!