PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Edwards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Totoy Bato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bato has chosen Man from Manila as his entrance music. Totoy Bato has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Edwards
vs
Bato

196 cm
21
255 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

185 cm
21
220 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, James Edwards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Totoy Bato!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Edwards shoots in for a takedown but Bato shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Bato shoots and misses

and Edwards counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Edwards pulls guard.
Bato trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bato has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Edwards keeping full guard, as Bato tries to pass.
Bato is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Bato is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Bato drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bato jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Edwards looking for a guillotine here but Bato defends easily.

Bato drops back looking for a leg! Edwards is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Edwards manages to kick Bato off! Bato jumps back into Edwards's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bato keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Edwards's head.

Bato is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Edwards is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Edwards has escaped and now he's on top!
Edwards not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Edwards won't allow Bato to sweep him here.

Bato is looking for a triangle but Edwards pushes his legs off easily.
Bato looks gassed!
Bato wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bato keeping full guard, as Edwards tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Edwards is pushing down on Bato's leg trying to pass to half guard. Bato is fighting to maintain full guard but Edwards has managed to sneak the leg through.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Bato is staying active underneath Edwards, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Edwards not doing much here.
Edwards seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bato does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bato avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Edwards.

Bato looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Bato tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Bato is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bato takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Bato tries for a takedown but Edwards sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

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

Edwards gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Edwards.

Bato gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Edwards to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Bato keeping moving, preventing Edwards from controlling successfully.
Edwards will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bato has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Edwards can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Edwards stands and steps away. Bato gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Edwards throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Edwards misses with a takedown attempt

and Bato counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Bato is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Edwards has one foot on Bato's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Edwards stalks Bato and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Bato's face. Bato staggers backwards, shaken.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Edwards tries for a takedown but Bato circles away easily

so Bato counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Bato postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Edwards is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Bato, into his guard.

Bato is looking for a triangle but Edwards pushes his legs off easily.
Edwards trying to control but Bato is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bato is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Edwards in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edwards trying to control the position from guard on top but Bato is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Edwards slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bato wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Edwards changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Bato looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Edwards is looking to take a break and control but Bato is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bato is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edwards is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Bato will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Bato is not content to let Edwards control the position.

Edwards stands up and beckons Bato to his feet.
Edwards lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Bato backs up against the cage.
Bato shoots and misses
and Edwards counters with a good, hard body kick but Bato shrugs it off.

Edwards scores with a takedown into Bato's guard.
James Edwards overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edwards postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Edwards's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Edwards wants to stand but Bato is controlling his posture from full guard.
Bato is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Bato looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Edwards puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Edwards takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Bato manages to get to full guard.
Edwards trying to control but Bato is working from the bottom.
Edwards passes Bato's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edwards controlling the action here.
Bato wants to get back to full guard.
Edwards is looking to take a break and control but Bato is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bato moves into full guard.
Bato looking for a sweep. Not yet Bato, not yet.
Edwards controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Edwards looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Edwards dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Edwards drives through and clinches with Bato against the cage.

Edwards escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bato takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Bato with a lazy takedown attempt
and Edwards counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Edwards.
Bato takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
No joy there for Edwards, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Bato doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Edwards misses with a takedown attempt

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

Bato is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Bato is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Edwards actively working from the bottom here.

Bato seems to be working for a kimura but Edwards defends the submission attempt.
Bato missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Edwards is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bato pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Bato looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Edwards looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Bato is working for a kimura but Edwards is defending it quite comfortably.

Bato is looking for a kimura but Edwards is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bato to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bato tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Edwards looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Bato is working for a kimura here but Edwards manages to reverse the position and he's now in Bato's guard.
Edwards would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Bato is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Edwards is aware though and is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Edwards decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Bato, up you get!

Edwards rushes Bato and presses him up against the cage.
Edwards landing knees to the body.
Bato drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Edwards gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Bato's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice takedown defense from Bato. No joy for Edwards on that attempt.
Edwards shoots and misses

and Bato counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Edwards!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Edwards. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Bato with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bato pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Totoy Bato comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Edwards 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Edwards!