PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Yoshi Chiba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bane Baphomet (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Baphomet is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: 2 Pac - Hail Mary. Bane Baphomet struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 136.1lbs 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. Yoshi Chiba has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Chiba
vs
Baphomet

172 cm
22
145 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

181 cm
26
145 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Yoshi Chiba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bane Baphomet!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Bruno Hogan and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baphomet looks to land a left hand but Chiba moved out of range nicely.
Baphomet is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Baphomet scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Chiba doesn't seem bothered though.
Chiba avoids the body shot from Baphomet.
Chiba takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Baphomet swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Chiba keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Baphomet.

Baphomet has Chiba up against the cage in a clinch.
Baphomet wants to break free but Chiba has control.
Baphomet stalling.
Chiba keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Baphomet's efforts to push away.
Baphomet working hard to break the clinch.
Baphomet is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Baphomet is trying to force a seperation but Chiba has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chiba wants a takedown but no success here.
Chiba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Baphomet scores with a shot to the side of Chiba's head.
Baphomet pushes Chiba back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Chiba changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Baphomet fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Baphomet drops Chiba with a beautiful combination! Chiba stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Baphomet is looking for the KO!

Chiba is rocked!

It looks like Yoshi Chiba has been cut.
Chiba avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bane Baphomet seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baphomet fails with a takedown attempt.
Chiba misses with a takedown attempt
and Baphomet counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yoshi Chiba. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baphomet is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Chiba.
Baphomet throws an overhand right that lands on Chiba's shoulder, as Chiba tries to avoid the shot.
Chiba has his takedown stuffed
and Baphomet counters with a straight right hand.
Baphomet throws a hook but Chiba blocks it.

Baphomet has taken the fight to the clinch.
Chiba is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Baphomet pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Baphomet lands a hook to the side of the head.
Baphomet wants to get back to striking at distance but Chiba won't allow it.
Baphomet'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.
Baphomet stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baphomet wants to break the clinch but can't.
Baphomet lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Baphomet lands a shoulder strike.
Chiba blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Baphomet escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Chiba takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Baphomet misses with a double jab.
Baphomet looks gassed!
Baphomet fails in his attempt to clinch.
Baphomet thows a left - swing and a miss!
Baphomet throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Chiba.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nice cross by Baphomet.
Chiba misses with a takedown attempt

and Baphomet counters with a single leg into guard. Chiba didn't expect that.
Baphomet looking to sit in guard and control but Chiba gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

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

Baphomet escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Chiba gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Chiba 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.

Baphomet escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Chiba gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bane Baphomet dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Yoshi Chiba's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A slow jab from Baphomet misses its intended target.
Chiba has his takedown stuffed

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

Baphomet decides to stand back up. Baphomet steps back and let's Chiba get back to his feet.

Baphomet feints and as Chiba raises his hands in defense, Baphomet changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Baphomet drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Baphomet jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Baphomet trying to control the position from guard on top but Chiba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baphomet looking to pass the guard.
Baphomet has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Chiba is proving hard to escape from.
Chiba looking to hit a scissor sweep but Baphomet is one step ahead there.
Baphomet trying to move into half guard but instead Chiba has managed to sweep!

That's two 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.

Baphomet working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Chiba doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Chiba manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Baphomet misses with a wild combination.
Chiba has his takedown stuffed
letting Baphomet counter with a right hand.
Baphomet swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baphomet slaps away a takedown attempt from Chiba, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yoshi Chiba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baphomet throws an overhand right that lands on Chiba's shoulder, as Chiba tries to avoid the shot.
Baphomet misses with a two punch combination.
Baphomet throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Chiba shoots in but Baphomet avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Chiba slips a jab and a cross from Baphomet.
Baphomet cracks Chiba with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Chiba shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Baphomet sprawls well. Baphomet wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Chiba gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four 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.
Baphomet fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bane Baphomet is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Baphomet looks to land a right hand but Chiba moved out of range.
Baphomet with a lazy takedown attempt

and Chiba counters with a single leg into guard. Baphomet didn't expect that.
Baphomet trying to control the position.
Chiba has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Baphomet striking off his back but it's not causing Chiba any problems.
Chiba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Chiba postures up.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Baphomet wants to stand and escape but Chiba is having none of it.

Chiba drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Chiba jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bane Baphomet showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Yoshi Chiba's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Good standup being displayed there by Baphomet as he connects with a hook.
A swing and a miss from Baphomet.
Baphomet misses with a hook. Chiba ducked under it nicely.
A big left from Baphomet misses.

Baphomet rushes Chiba and presses him up against the cage.

Baphomet pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baphomet looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Baphomet throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Chiba slips under a jab from Baphomet.
Baphomet takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Baphomet takes the fight into the clinch.
Chiba wants a takedown.
Chiba tries to score a body lock takedown but Baphomet shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Baphomet working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Chiba tries for a takedown but Baphomet manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yoshi Chiba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baphomet'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.
Chiba has Baphomet pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Baphomet manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Baphomet stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Baphomet's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The fighters circling - Baphomet throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Chiba shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Chiba showed some decent athleticism there.
Chiba knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Baphomet on the ground.
Baphomet trying to control from the bottom.
Baphomet is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Chiba is looking for a kimura but Baphomet is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Chiba to get the leverage.
Baphomet is trying to stand back up but Chiba is controlling him

Baphomet kicks off Chiba and gets to his feet.
Baphomet connects with a crisp jab.
Baphomet throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Chiba sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Baphomet throws a left and a right that both miss

and Chiba counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baphomet trying to control from the bottom.

Chiba is trying to work for a kimura but Baphomet is defending well.
Baphomet gets back to full guard.
Bane Baphomet is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Baphomet looking to hit a scissor sweep but Chiba is one step ahead there.

Chiba thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Baphomet is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Chiba 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.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Baphomet throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Baphomet stuffs the takedown.
Baphomet with a jab.
Baphomet ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Baphomet darts in trying to clinch

and Chiba counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoshi Chiba showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Baphomet 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bane Baphomet!