PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Boom Pow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yu Kanta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Pow
vs
Kanta

183 cm
24
210 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

186 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Boom Pow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yu Kanta!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kanta tries a head kick but it misses.
Pow shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kanta sprawls well. Kanta wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Pow gets slowly back to his feet.
Kanta scores with a nice body kick.
Kanta shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Pow counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Pow looking to pass the guard.
Pow pushes down on Kanta's leg and manages to get into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Pow is working for a kimura but Kanta is defending it quite comfortably.
Kanta pushes Pow off looking to stand but Pow dives back in and keeps control.
Kanta wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanta tries to kick Pow off but Pow keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pow passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kanta!

Pow looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Pow is breathing heavily.
Kanta wants to control but Pow is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Pow working for a guillotine from mount but Kanta is in no mood to give up.

Pow wants to finish this one by submission but Kanta is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Pow.

Pow with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanta is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

Pow has hold of Kanta's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Kanta manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Kanta really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pow. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kanta wants to hold on but Pow pushes him away.

Pow goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Kanta turns into him and now he's in Pow's guard.
Kanta trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanta wants to control from the top but Pow keeps moving.
Kanta has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Pow is proving hard to escape from.
Kanta trying to control but Pow is working from the bottom.

Kanta avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Kanta wants to control from the top but Pow keeps moving.
Kanta pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pow is keeping the position for now.

Pow has his foot on Kanta's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kanta works his way back into a safe position though.
Kanta throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pow works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kanta wants to get up but he can't break Pow's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Pow utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pow avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kanta must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Pow keeping moving, preventing Kanta from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kanta displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Pow.
Kanta looks for a takedown but Pow sprawls well.
Kanta throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Pow's waist but Pow gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kanta off to one side.
Boom Pow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yu Kanta.
Nice takedown defense from Pow. No joy for Kanta on that attempt.
Kanta throws a series of punches but Pow avoids them all with ease.
Kanta wants to clinch but Pow slips to the side

and Pow counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pow is working for a submission of some sort.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Boom Pow dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kanta tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Pow counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Pow is working for a kimura but Kanta is defending it quite comfortably.

Pow seems to be looking for submissions.
Pow wants to pass to mount but Kanta is defending the position.

Pow is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Pow is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kanta doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Pow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanta slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Kanta looking for a sweep. Not yet Kanta, not yet.
Kanta wants to stand and escape but Pow is having none of it.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kanta chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Kanta lets loose with a powerful body kick. Pow will feel that in the morning.
Pow has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Kanta.
Kanta tries for a takedown but Pow circles away easily

and Pow decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kanta's guard.
Kanta throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Pow tries to free his leg and advance position but Kanta is retaining full guard.
Kanta is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kanta is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanta looking for a sweep. Not yet Kanta, not yet.

Pow 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.
Pow looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kanta looks for a takedown but Pow sprawls well.
Pow shoots in but Kanta avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Pow with a poor takedown
and Kanta counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Kanta lands a head kick!
Kanta fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanta throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Boom Pow has been cut.
Kanta fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kanta throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Kanta shoots in but Pow avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Boom Pow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yu Kanta.

Pow feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Kanta looking to control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Pow thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Yu Kanta will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Boom Pow's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Pow takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Pow gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Pow works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Pow drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Kanta manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Pow has Kanta in his guard.
Pow wants to sweep here but Kanta controlling him for the moment.

Pow working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kanta doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kanta manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kanta loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kanta pushes down on Pow's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pow keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Pow is trying to get back to full guard.
Kanta tries to stand but can't do so whilst Pow controls his leg.
Pow is trying to get back to full guard.
Boom Pow overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kanta wants to clinch but Pow slips to the side

and Pow counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kanta won't be happy with that.

Pow thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Pow is trying to get an arm triangle but Kanta is defending well.

Pow tries for a kimura but Kanta is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pow tries to move to mount but Kanta blocks the move with his legs.

Pow tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Pow is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kanta knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Kanta is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanta is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kanta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pow paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Pow feints and as Kanta raises his hands in defense, Pow changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Pow won't allow Kanta to get back to his feet.
Pow pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kanta is keeping the position for now.

Pow drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Pow jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Kanta 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanta is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Pow has gone for a leg lock! Kanta slips out almost immediately though and dives into Pow's guard.
Kanta trying to control but Pow is working from the bottom.

Pow has his foot on Kanta's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kanta works his way back into a safe position though.
Kanta trying to control the position from guard on top but Pow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pow utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Boom Pow showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Pow has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Boom Pow!