PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Yasegawa Masaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chicharito Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Masaki
vs
Velasquez

174 cm
19
167 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Yasegawa Masaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Chicharito Velasquez!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, John Mangel and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Velasquez feints and as Masaki raises his hands in defense, Velasquez changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Masaki thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Velasquez trying to control but Masaki is working from the bottom.
Velasquez is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Velasquez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Masaki keeping moving, preventing Velasquez from controlling successfully.
Masaki tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Masaki with a poor takedown

and Velasquez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Velasquez won't allow Masaki to sweep him here.
Masaki keeping moving, preventing Velasquez from controlling successfully.
Velasquez throwing strikes but missing.
Velasquez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Masaki controls Velasquez momentarily but Velasquez frees himself.
Velasquez trying to control but Masaki is working from the bottom.

Masaki is looking for a triangle but Velasquez pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez trying to control the position from guard on top but Masaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Velasquez shoots and misses

and Masaki counters with a nice double leg into side control. Velasquez won't be happy with that.
Velasquez looks gassed!

Masaki tries for a kimura but Velasquez is defending well.
Masaki tries to advance to mount but Velasquez denies him.
Velasquez is looking to reverse the position.
Masaki tries to move to mount but Velasquez blocks the move with his legs.
Velasquez sneaks back into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Masaki is looking for a kimura here.
Masaki prevents Velasquez from standing back up.
Velasquez missing with punches from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Masaki will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Velasquez with a poor takedown

and Masaki counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Velasquez looking for a sweep. Not yet Velasquez, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masaki not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Masaki stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Masaki slips a jab from Velasquez.

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

Velasquez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Masaki controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Masaki has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yasegawa Masaki dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Masaki drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Masaki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Masaki's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Masaki trying to control but Velasquez is working from the bottom.

Masaki gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Velasquez shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Masaki regains full guard. Nicely done.
Velasquez won't allow Masaki to sweep him here.

Masaki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Velasquez defends it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez trying to control but Masaki is working from the bottom.
Masaki seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Masaki looking for a sweep. Not yet Masaki, not yet.
Velasquez advances position into side control!
Masaki is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Velasquez off and has taken his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Masaki lands strikes to the head.
Velasquez is keeping busy.
Velasquez has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Masaki has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Velasquez's body.
Yasegawa Masaki overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Masaki is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Velasquez has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Masaki trying to control momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Masaki trying to control.
Velasquez tries to escape the position.
Masaki controlling from the back.
Velasquez is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Masaki is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Velasquez up.
Masaki has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Velasquez.
Velasquez rolls, trying to escape but Masaki keeps control of the position.
Velasquez turns into Masaki and is now in his guard.
Velasquez stopping the sweep attempt from Masaki.
Masaki is controlling Velasquez's posture.

Velasquez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yasegawa Masaki dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Velasquez has his takedown stuffed

and Masaki counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Velasquez's guard now.
Velasquez is controlling Masaki's posture.

Velasquez has an active guard here but Masaki has managed to pass into half guard.
Masaki is keen to just control but Velasquez is a slippery customer.
Masaki stops Velasquez from getting back to his feet.
Masaki looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Velasquez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Velasquez is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez wants to get back to his feet.
Masaki wants to stand up but Velasquez has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Masaki drops an elbow to the side of Velasquez's head.
Still in half guard, Masaki seems content to control.

Masaki seems to be looking for submissions.
Masaki is trying to control. Velasquez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Masaki knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Velasquez on the ground.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Yasegawa Masaki.

Masaki shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Masaki was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Yasegawa Masaki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez wants to control but Masaki is having none of it.
Velasquez is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Masaki controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez is trying desperately to improve position.
Masaki controlling from the full mount.
Masaki seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Velasquez for as long as he can get away with.

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.
Velasquez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Masaki controlling his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yasegawa Masaki showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Masaki has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yasegawa Masaki!