PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Yoshi Takahoshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrew Clarke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Andrew Clarke will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Takahoshi
vs
Clarke

165 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 8 - 0

182 cm
21
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 0 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshi Takahoshi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Andrew Clarke!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shirou Masuda and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Clarke shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Takahoshi looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Clarke works over Takahoshi with some ground and pound from guard.
Takahoshi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Clarke.
Clarke postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Clarke is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Clarke trying to control the position from guard on top but Takahoshi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Clarke throws and elbow that misses. Takahoshi uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Clarke's guard. Nice move by Takahoshi!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Clarke can do anything to dispel that myth.
Clarke wants to sweep here but Takahoshi controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarke is looking to stand up but Takahoshi isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Clarke shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Takahoshi napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Clarke scores with a couple of short elbows.
Clarke working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takahoshi taking a bit of punishment here - Clarke scoring with strikes.
A lull in the action here as Clarke stalls from top position.
An elbow from Clarke crashes against the mat.
You can see the frustration on Takahoshi's face as Clarke controls the position.
Clarke sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Takahoshi is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Takahoshi managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Clarke.
Takahoshi might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Takahoshi is not content to let Clarke control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clarke in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Clarke in side control, throwing shots but Takahoshi defends.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Clarke scores a takedown into full mount!
Takahoshi takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Clarke tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Clarke with a couple of short strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke with shots to the head and body - Takahoshi looks very uncomfortable down there.
BOOM! Clarke connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Takahoshi is in a horrible position here. Clarke smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Clarke wants to control the pace but Takahoshi is squirming around nicely.
Clarke postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Takahoshi looks a forlorn figure.
Clarke working Takahoshi over with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Clarke dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Clarke drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Clarke scoring with punches to the head and body.
Clarke with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Clarke with a flurry of punches that miss.
Takahoshi keeping full guard, as Clarke tries to pass.
Clarke working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Takahoshi's head.
Clarke stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Takahoshi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarke trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Takahoshi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Clarke.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Clarke looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Clarke takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Clarke is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clarke throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Clarke trying to control the pace.
Clarke lands strikes from half guard.
Clarke stalling.
Clarke takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahoshi wants to get back to his feet.
Takahoshi regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Clarke.
Takahoshi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Clarke.
Clarke working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Takahoshi's head.
Clarke slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Clarke is working Takahoshi over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Clarke accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Clarke looking to pass the guard.
Takahoshi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Clarke stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Takahoshi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Clarke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Clarke drives through with a takedown into guard.
Clarke throwing strikes but missing.
Clarke is looking to work some ground and pound but Takahoshi has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Clarke thows a big elbow that misses.
Clarke is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Clarke is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Clarke wants to pass the guard but Takahoshi is keeping the position.
Clarke throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarke postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Clarke scoring with punches to the head and body.
Clarke scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Clarke thows a big elbow that misses.
Andrew Clarke has got the better of the ground game so far.
Clarke loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Clarke throws and elbow that misses. Takahoshi uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Clarke's guard. Nice move by Takahoshi!
Clarke bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Takahoshi's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clarke loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Takahoshi keeping full guard, as Clarke tries to pass.
Clarke throwing strikes from guard but Takahoshi blocks nicely.
Clarke throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clarke distracts Takahoshi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Clarke pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Takahoshi is keeping the position for now.
Clarke in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Takahoshi tries to clinch up.

Clarke shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Clarke was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Clarke lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Takahoshi squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Clarke controlling his opponent.
Clarke working the ground and pound effectively.
Yoshi Takahoshi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Andrew Clarke is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A nice elbow there by Clarke.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrew Clarke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Clarke 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 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andrew Clarke!