PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lance Uppercut (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shigenori Iwasaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Iwasaki is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Roll & Tumble. 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.

Uppercut
vs
Iwasaki

177 cm
27
178 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

182 cm
22
170 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Battalion Athletics

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 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lance Uppercut!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shigenori Iwasaki!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yukihiro Shimada and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Iwasaki walks into a stiff left hand from Uppercut.
Shigenori Iwasaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Uppercut throws a big shot that misses.
Some wild striking there from Uppercut.

Uppercut decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Uppercut working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The fighters are battling for position here. Iwasaki manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Uppercut accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Uppercut looking to pass the guard.
Uppercut looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Uppercut trying to control but Iwasaki is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Uppercut looking to pass the guard.
Uppercutis looking to pass into half guard but Iwasaki pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Iwasaki is in guard.
Iwasaki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Uppercut swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Uppercut connects with a high kick.
Uppercut jabs at Iwasaki's body.
Uppercut slaps away a takedown attempt from Iwasaki, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Iwasaki avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Uppercut thuds his right hand into Iwasaki's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Uppercut slips a straight right by Iwasaki.
Uppercut swings for the body but Iwasaki moves out of range.
Iwasaki feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Uppercut's calf.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Uppercut takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Iwasaki falls off balance throwing a combination
and Uppercut counters with a stiff right hand.
Iwasaki connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Iwasaki misses with a double jab
and Uppercut counters with a slapping leg kick.
Iwasaki loads up on a big right hand but Uppercut slips the punch.
Uppercut throws a shot from downtown. Iwasaki moves away and avoids it.
Uppercut keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Uppercut lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Uppercut closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Uppercut is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Uppercut 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.
Iwasaki wants to control but Uppercut is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Iwasaki is refusing to be controlled, as Uppercut sits in half guard.
Iwasaki is trying to stand.
Iwasaki is not content to let Uppercut control the position.
Iwasaki is trying to stand back up but Uppercut is controlling him
Uppercut is thwarting Iwasaki's attempts to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Uppercut.
Iwasaki uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Uppercut.
Uppercut scores with a leg kick.
Uppercut misses with a looping left.

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.
Iwasaki pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Iwasaki falls off balance throwing a combination
and Uppercut counters with a straight right hand.
Uppercut chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Iwasaki can pounce on him.
Iwasaki throws a front kick aimed at Uppercut's knee but Uppercut avoids it well.
Uppercut jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Iwasaki blocks a jab.
Iwasaki throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Uppercut displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Iwasaki throws out the jab.
Uppercut changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Iwasaki tries to avoid it but Uppercut manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Iwasaki to the ground. Iwasaki escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Iwasaki misses with a body shot.
Uppercut fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Iwasaki manages to avoid it.
Iwasaki doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Iwasaki fails with a takedown attempt.

Uppercut shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lance Uppercut dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Iwasaki with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Uppercut loads up on a big right hand but Iwasaki slips the punch.

Uppercut scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Iwasaki tries to get to full guard but Uppercut has control of the leg.

Iwasaki is defending against the submission attempts here by Uppercut.
Uppercut is pressing down on Iwasaki's thigh, looking to free his foot. Iwasaki is holding on for now.
Uppercut throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Iwasaki trying to hold on to Uppercut's head to control him but Uppercut postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Iwasaki makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Uppercut takes one to the chin there.
Uppercut just misses with a punch to the body.

Uppercut fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Iwasaki sprawls well initially but Uppercut persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Uppercut passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Iwasaki!
Iwasaki is squirming around, avoiding Uppercut's attempts to control the action.
The referee warns Iwasaki that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Iwasaki working to try and regain half guard.
Uppercut can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Iwasaki is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Uppercut is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Iwasaki to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Iwasaki shrugs it off.
Uppercut is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Iwasaki can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Uppercut trying to control but Iwasaki is having none of it.
Uppercut avoids the attempt from Iwasaki to control.
Iwasaki is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Iwasaki is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Uppercut can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Iwasaki is looking to escape.

Uppercut swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Iwasaki is now in Uppercut's guard. A big mistake from Uppercut there, giving up the dominant position!
Iwasaki is looking to stand up but Uppercut won't let him.
Uppercut pulls Iwasaki in to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Uppercut looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Uppercut looking for a guillotine here but Iwasaki defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Iwasaki works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Iwasaki looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Iwasaki throwing shots but Uppercut is blocking nicely.
Iwasaki lands with a punch from half guard.
Iwasaki is looking to take a break and control but Uppercut is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Lance Uppercut will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Iwasaki displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Uppercut throws out the jab.
Uppercut misses with a straight left.
Uppercut checks the leg kick.
Uppercut looks to score with a jab to the body but Iwasaki is just out of range.
Iwasaki lands with a nice combination. Uppercut backs away looking to recover.
Iwasaki works the jab nicely.
Iwasaki misses the jab.
A big left from Iwasaki misses.
Iwasaki slips a straight right by Uppercut.
Iwasaki pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Uppercut swinging wildly here.
Iwasaki misses with a low kick.
Uppercut scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A jab from Uppercut misses.

Uppercut gets the takedown into side control.
Lance Uppercut overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Uppercut cracks Iwasaki with a big right hand but Iwasaki just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Iwasaki is trying to improve his position.
Iwasaki manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Uppercut is trying is best to control the position here.

Iwasaki is trying to work for a kimura but Uppercut is defending well.
Iwasaki looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Uppercut with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's two 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.
Iwasaki stalling away here and it's allowed Uppercut to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Iwasaki throws and elbow that misses. Uppercut uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Iwasaki's guard. Nice move by Uppercut!
Uppercut looking to sit in guard and control but Iwasaki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Iwasaki preventing the sweep.
Iwasaki sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Uppercut's guard.
Iwasaki is nestled in close to Uppercut, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Iwasaki frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Iwasaki thowing shots but they're missing.
Uppercut is in all sorts of trouble here.
Iwasaki punching from mount but Uppercut doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Iwasaki working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Iwasaki throwing strikes here but Uppercut is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Iwasaki landing strikes from the mount and Uppercut is in trouble!
Uppercut working to try and regain half guard.
Uppercut tries to hold on but Iwasaki pushes him away.
Lance Uppercut is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Uppercut is squirming around, avoiding Iwasaki's attempts to control the action.
Shigenori Iwasaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Iwasaki thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Iwasaki throwing strikes here but Uppercut is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Iwasaki avoids the attempt from Uppercut to control.
Uppercut avoids a series of strikes thrown by Iwasaki.
Uppercut wants to control but Iwasaki is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shigenori Iwasaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Uppercut 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Lance Uppercut!