PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Yoshi Yamaguchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ran Sakamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakamoto has chosen Wu tang tiger style as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Ran Sakamoto will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Yamaguchi
vs
Sakamoto

176 cm
27
186 lbs
16 - 1 - 0

173 cm
24
170 lbs
10 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Spartan Fight Gear - Tokyo Defiance

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshi Yamaguchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ran Sakamoto!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yukihiro Shimada and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yamaguchi shoots in but Sakamoto avoids the takedown attempt easily.

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

Sakamoto working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Yamaguchi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Yamaguchi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Yamaguchi looking to pass the guard.
Yamaguchi with a flurry of punches that miss.

Sakamoto is looking for a triangle but Yamaguchi pushes his legs off easily.
Yamaguchi working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Sakamoto is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Yamaguchi defends well.

Sakamoto is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Yamaguchi defends well.
Yamaguchi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sakamoto swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sakamoto looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Yamaguchi passes into half guard.
Yamaguchi working the head and body with strikes.
Yamaguchi has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Sakamoto looking for a kimura from the bottom but Yamaguchi passes into side control!
Sakamoto looks gassed!

Yamaguchi tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Yamaguchi has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Yamaguchi landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Sakamoto tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Yamaguchi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Yamaguchi has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Sakamoto!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yamaguchi unloading with bombs!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamaguchi with good strikes from the mount here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yamaguchi cracks Sakamoto with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Sakamoto working to try and regain half guard.
Yamaguchi with the ground and pound from mount.
Yamaguchi lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Yamaguchi with good strikes from the mount here!
Sakamoto is looking to get to half guard.
Yamaguchi raining down shots from the mount!
Yamaguchi wants to control the pace but Sakamoto is squirming around nicely.

Yamaguchi with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Yamaguchi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Sakamoto hang on?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakamoto tries to reverse the position but Yamaguchi maintains control.
Yamaguchi lands a heavy elbow.
Sakamoto is working to get back to half guard.
BOOM! Yamaguchi connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Sakamoto defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi looking to control but Sakamoto is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sakamoto is trying to escape the mount.
Sakamoto is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Yamaguchi looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Yamaguchi is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Sakamoto to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Sakamoto shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakamoto manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Sakamoto looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yamaguchi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Sakamoto with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Yamaguchi lands strikes from half guard.
Yamaguchi trying to pass the guard but Sakamoto defending well.

Sakamoto actively working from the bottom here.
Yamaguchi is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Sakamoto!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sakamoto takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakamoto has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
Sakamoto turns into Yamaguchi and is now in his guard.

Yamaguchi is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sakamoto is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Yamaguchi shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Sakamoto is trying to defend but Yamaguchi finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Yamaguchi uses his free foot to push down on Sakamoto's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Sakamoto.
Yamaguchi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yamaguchi breaks from Sakamoto's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Yamaguchi lands with some strikes.
Sakamoto is looking to improve his position but Yamaguchi isn't that keen on the idea.
Sakamoto is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Yamaguchi has taken his back.

Yamaguchi looking to break Sakamoto's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Sakamoto remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Yamaguchi will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakamoto breaks Yamaguchi's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Sakamoto drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sakamoto jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Yamaguchi looking for a sweep. Not yet Yamaguchi, not yet.

Yamaguchi is looking for a triangle but Sakamoto pushes his legs off easily.
Yamaguchi looking for a sweep. Not yet Yamaguchi, not yet.

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

Sakamoto is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Yamaguchi is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Yamaguchi has escaped and now he's on top!

Yamaguchi got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sakamoto has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Yamaguchi has managed to get both his arms back between Sakamoto's legs - danger averted.
Sakamoto wants to sweep but no luck.
Yamaguchi passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yamaguchi is working to tighten is grip on Sakamoto's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Sakamoto has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Yamaguchi is really squeezing tight and eventually Sakamoto passes out! Yamaguchi breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Yoshi Yamaguchi!