PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Takeshi Sendou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ippo Makunouchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ippo Makunouchi told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Sendou
vs
Makunouchi

170 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

165 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takeshi Sendou!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ippo Makunouchi!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Sosuke Kotani and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sendou moves into range and connects with a jab.
Makunouchi stuns Sendou with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Sendou rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Makunouchi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Makunouchi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sendou scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Makunouchi lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Makunouchi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sendou.
Makunouchi misses with a two punch combination.
Makunouchi avoids the body shot from Sendou.
Makunouchi takes a swing at Sendou's ribcage but misses.
Sendou misses with a few strikes there.
No joy there for Sendou, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Makunouchi misses with a double jab.
Sendou moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Sendou scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Makunouchi slips under a jab from Sendou.
Makunouchi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sendou on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Makunouchi lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Sendou misses with a double jab.
Sendou throws a series of punches but Makunouchi avoids them all with ease.
A lazy left from Sendou finds it's target.
Makunouchi misses with the combination.
A combination from Makunouchi does no damage.
Makunouchi lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Sendou at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sendou takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Makunouchi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sendou moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Makunouchi misses with a body shot.
Makunouchi misses with a wild body shot.
Makunouchi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Makunouchi scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Makunouchi throws a combination. Sendou tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Makunouchi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sendou doesn't seem bothered though.
Makunouchi scores with a one two! Sendou had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Sendou swinging wildly here.
A combination from Sendou does no damage.
Makunouchi walks into a left hand.
Makunouchi misses with the combination.
Makunouchi lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Makunouchi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sendou.
Makunouchi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Makunouchi is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Sendou rather than just go for the knockout.
Sendou throws a jab but it's blocked by Makunouchi.
Sendou tries to bum rush Makunouchi with a series of wild strikes but Makunouchi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sendou throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Makunouchi.
Sendou misses with a few strikes there.
Sendou is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makunouchi lands with a nice body punch.
Makunouchi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sendou moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Makunouchi misses with a double jab.
Sendou throws a shot to the body.
Left hook, right uppercut from Makunouchi.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Makunouchi misses with a few strikes there.
A combination from Sendou does no damage.
Sendou fails to land with a series of punches.
Makunouchi drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Makunouchi jabs at Sendou's body.
Sendou lands a nice looking body shot.
Makunouchi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Makunouchi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sendou manages to avoid it.
Sendou misses with the combination.
Makunouchi avoids the body shot from Sendou.
Makunouchi misses with a series of wild punches.
Sendou misses with a hook. Makunouchi ducked under it nicely.
Makunouchi is working the combinations to good effect here.
Makunouchi lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Makunouchi.
Makunouchi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sendou throws a one two combo.
Sendou misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sendou moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Sendou looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Makunouchi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Makunouchi misses with a series of wild punches.
Makunouchi throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Sendou stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Sendou swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Makunouchi.
Sendou misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Makunouchi dodges the punch combination from Sendou.
Makunouchi lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Sendou slips a jab and a cross from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi avoids the body shot from Sendou.
Makunouchi misses with a series of wild punches.
Sendou looks to land a combination but Makunouchi avoids it well.
Sendou misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Makunouchi.
A lazy left from Makunouchi finds it's target.
No joy there for Makunouchi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sendou tests Makunouchi's chin there with a solid looking shot.
No joy there for Sendou, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makunouchi lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Sendou misses with a wild combination.
Makunouchi fails to land with a series of punches.
Sendou throws a right and a left that both miss.
Makunouchi stalks Sendou and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Sendou's face. Sendou staggers backwards, shaken.
Sendou on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Sendou paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Makunouchi displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Sendou fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Makunouchi lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Makunouchi throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Makunouchi connects with a body shot.
Makunouchi moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Makunouchi lands with a nice combination. Sendou backs away looking to recover.
Makunouchi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sendou moves away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A jab from Makunouchi finds it's way through Sendou's defenses.
Makunouchi with a nice cross.
Sendou ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Makunouchi moves away.
Makunouchi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sendou moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Makunouchi swinging wildly here.
Sendou looks to land a combination. Makunouchi sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ippo Makunouchi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Makunouchi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sendou doesn't seem bothered though.
Makunouchi misses with a two punch combination.
Makunouchi stalks Sendou and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Sendou's face. Sendou staggers backwards, shaken.
Takeshi Sendou is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sendou throws a series of punches but Makunouchi moves out of range.
Makunouchi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sendou ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sendou throws a right and a left that both miss.
Makunouchi throws a body punch but Sendou moves out of range.
Sendou looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sendou looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sendou showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Makunouchi.
A nice combination there by Sendou.
Sendou looks to land a combination but Makunouchi avoids it well.
Sendou has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Makunouchi throws a series of punches but Sendou avoids them all with ease.
Sendou's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Sendou duly obliges.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sendou misses with a few strikes there.
Sendou misses with a body shot.
Makunouchi just misses with a punch to the body.
Sendou misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sendou tests Makunouchi's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sendou throws a right and a left that both miss.
Makunouchi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Makunouchi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sendou.
Makunouchi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Some wild striking there from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A combination from Makunouchi does no damage.
Sendou looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Makunouchi misses with a double jab.
Sendou throws a nice looking combination but Makunouchi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sendou throws a hook but Makunouchi blocks it.
Sendou misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sendou throws a nice looking combination but Makunouchi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sendou misses with a two punch combination.
Makunouchi looks to land a combination but Sendou avoids it well.
Makunouchi throws a right and a left that Sendou avoids nicely.
Makunouchi scores with a shot to the body.
Sendou misses with a jab, cross combination.
Makunouchi misses with a few strikes there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sendou takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Makunouchi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sendou circles away quickly and effectively.
No joy there for Sendou, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Makunouchi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nice jab there from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi throws a right hand that Sendou ducks under and follows up with a left that Sendou also avoids with ease.
A right-left combo lands from Sendou.
Sendou scores with a three punch combo!
Sendou throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sendou misses with a wild combination.
Makunouchi lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Makunouchi throws a series of punches but Sendou moves out of range.
Makunouchi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sendou fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sendou throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Makunouchi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Makunouchi thows a body shot but no joy.
Sendou swinging wildly here.
Makunouchi listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Makunouchi slips a jab from Sendou.
Sendou misses the shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sendou is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Makunouchi.
Makunouchi moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Makunouchi stalks Sendou and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Sendou's face. Sendou staggers backwards, shaken.
Sendou scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Sendou just misses with a punch to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sendou. Makunouchi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Makunouchi throws a right and a left that Sendou avoids nicely.
Sendou rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Makunouchi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Makunouchi lands a jab-cross combination.
Sendou tries to bum rush Makunouchi with a series of wild strikes but Makunouchi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Good exchange - Makunouchi coming out on top.
Makunouchi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sendou throws a shot to the body.
Makunouchi misses with a double jab.
Sendou throws a series of punches but Makunouchi moves out of range.
No joy there for Makunouchi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Makunouchi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sendou was well out of range. Poor timing from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi dodges the punch combination from Sendou.
Makunouchi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sendou walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sendou fails to land with a series of punches.
Makunouchi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sendou throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Makunouchi moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Makunouchi with a jab.
Makunouchi swinging wildly here.
Some wild striking there from Makunouchi.
Sendou throws a right and a left that Makunouchi avoids nicely.
Makunouchi defending well as Sendou loads up on a big left hand.
Makunouchi scores with a one two! Sendou had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Sendou looks to score with a jab to the body but Makunouchi is just out of range.
Sendou misses with a series of wild punches.
Sendou throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Some wild striking there from Makunouchi.
Sendou throws a right hand that Makunouchi ducks under and follows up with a left that Makunouchi also avoids with ease.
Makunouchi misses with the combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ippo Makunouchi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Makunouchi fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sendou looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Makunouchi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Makunouchi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sendou displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Sendou lands a jab.
Makunouchi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sendou misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sendou misses with a two punch combination.
Makunouchi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sendou misses with a two punch combination.
Sendou throws a series of punches but Makunouchi avoids them all with ease.
Some wild striking there from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Makunouchi scores with a hook to the body. Sendou takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Makunouchi!
Makunouchi connects with a body shot.
Sendou slips a jab and a cross from Makunouchi.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sendou swinging wildly here.
Makunouchi misses with a few strikes there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sendou throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Makunouchi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Makunouchi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Makunouchi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Makunouchi lands with a right hand.
Sendou throws a good cross that connects.
Makunouchi throws a right hand that Sendou ducks under and follows up with a left that Sendou also avoids with ease.
Sendou misses with a wild body shot.
Sendou swinging wildly here.
Makunouchi takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Sendou thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sendou throws a one two combo.
Sendou avoids a punch combination nicely.
Makunouchi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Makunouchi tries to bum rush Sendou with a series of wild strikes but Sendou uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Makunouchi takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Makunouchi takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A punch combination from Makunouchi misses.
A combination from Sendou does no damage.
Makunouchi throws a right and a left that Sendou avoids nicely.
Makunouchi slips a jab and a cross from Sendou.
Sendou throws a series of punches but Makunouchi moves out of range.
Sendou throws a series of punches but Makunouchi moves out of range.
Makunouchi connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Sendou throws a right and a left that both miss.
Makunouchi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A combination from Makunouchi does no damage.
Makunouchi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sendou swinging wildly here.
Makunouchi throws a right hand that Sendou ducks under and follows up with a left that Sendou also avoids with ease.
Sendou scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Sendou throws a nice looking combination but Makunouchi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sendou misses the shot to the body.
Makunouchi tries to bum rush Sendou with a series of wild strikes but Sendou uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sendou lands with a nice body punch.
No joy there for Makunouchi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Makunouchi takes one on the button.
Makunouchi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sendou lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Makunouchi backs up against the cage.
Sendou looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sendou misses with a wild body shot.
Ippo Makunouchi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sendou fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Makunouchi manages to avoid it.
Sendou avoids a punch combination nicely.
Makunouchi's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Makunouchi duly obliges.
Sendou scores with a nice head shot.
Sendou lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Makunouchi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sendou lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Makunouchi circles away quickly and effectively.
Sendou throws a right and a left that Makunouchi avoids nicely.
Makunouchi fails to land with a series of punches.
Sendou lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Makunouchi backs up against the cage.
Makunouchi throws a nice looking combination but Sendou bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sendou misses with a wild combination.
Makunouchi connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Sendou tries to move into range but Makunouchi moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Sendou lands with a nice body punch.

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.
Sendou lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Sendou misses the shot to the body.
Makunouchi misses with a wild combination.
Sendou swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Makunouchi swinging wildly here.
Makunouchi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sendou throws a right hand that Makunouchi ducks under and follows up with a left that Makunouchi also avoids with ease.
Sendou looks to score with a jab to the body but Makunouchi is just out of range.
Sendou showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Makunouchi.
Sendou rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Makunouchi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sendou is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Makunouchi.
Sendou uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Makunouchi.
Makunouchi fails to land with a series of punches.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Makunouchi walks into a left hand.
Sendou throws a series of punches but Makunouchi avoids them all with ease.
Makunouchi throws a body punch but Sendou moves out of range.
Makunouchi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Takeshi Sendou has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sendou throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

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 Takeshi Sendou.
Well Makunouchi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ippo Makunouchi!