PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dakota Finley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ichiro Makoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Finley might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Bad Company. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Finley
vs
Makoto

182 cm
18
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dakota Finley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ichiro Makoto!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Makoto gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Makoto is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Makoto keeping moving, preventing Finley from controlling successfully.
Finley has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

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

Makoto has his foot on Finley's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Finley works his way back into a safe position though.

Makoto is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Makoto working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Finley doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Finley manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Finley got a little sloppy there for a moment and Makoto has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Finley has managed to get both his arms back between Makoto's legs - danger averted.
Makoto looks gassed!
Makoto wants to sweep here but Finley controlling him for the moment.

Makoto looking for a guillotine here but Finley defends easily.
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.
Finley lands a couple of elbows.
Makoto looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Finley wants to pass the guard but Makoto is keeping the position.
Finley is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Finley landing some decent shots from guard.
Finley works over Makoto with some ground and pound from guard.
Finley looking to pass the guard.
Finley lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Makoto is looking for a triangle but Finley pushes his legs off easily.
Finley lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finley works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ground and pound from Finley.

Finley decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Finley misses with the combination.
A combination from Finley does no damage.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Finley!
Finley looks to land a combination. Makoto sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Finley drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into 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!

Finley decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Makoto, up you get!
Finley throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Makoto takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Finley.
Finley creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Check out the look on Finley's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Finley decides to stand back up.

Finley feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Makoto 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.

Makoto is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Finley keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Makoto's head.

Makoto working for a triangle but Finley defends it easily.

Makoto looking for a guillotine here but Finley defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Makoto is looking for a triangle but Finley pushes his legs off easily.
Finley passes Makoto's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Finley is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Finley unloading with bombs!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Finley with good strikes from the mount here!
Finley prevents Makoto from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dakota Finley dominated that round.
That's time! Finley's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Finley misses with a two punch combination.

Finley moves into the clinch.
Makoto tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Finley just stands there and leans against the cage.

Finley pulls guard effortlessly.
Finley pulls Makoto in to control the position.
Finley controls Makoto momentarily but Makoto frees himself.
Finley on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Finley tries to get out of the position.
Makoto wants to pass the guard but Finley is keeping the position.
Finley is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Makoto won't allow Finley to sweep him here.
Finley keeping full guard, as Makoto tries to pass.
Makoto is breathing heavily.

Makoto drops back, looking for a kneebar! Finley looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Finley looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Finley!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finley lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Finley decides to stand back up.
Makoto tries for a takedown but Finley circles away easily

and Finley counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Makoto moves into full guard.
Finley sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Makoto's guard.
Makoto has hold of Finley's hands but Finley slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Finley connects with a nice short shot to Makoto's temple.
Makoto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Makoto trying to get back to full guard but Finley takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finley fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Makoto is in all sorts of trouble here.
Makoto takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Finley looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Dakota Finley overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Finley lands a big elbow.
Finley landing strikes from the mount.
Finley scoring with strikes but Makoto is staying in there.
Makoto is trying to escape the mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Finley lands a big shot there that rocks Makoto but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Finley can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Makoto is looking to escape.
Makoto takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makoto is squirming around, avoiding Finley's attempts to control the action.
Finley pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Makoto is desperately trying to improve his position but Finley has a good base and remains in mount.
Finley in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Finley pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Finley with the ground and pound from mount.
Makoto is desperately trying to improve his position but Finley has a good base and remains in mount.
Finley trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Finley breaks from Makoto's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Finley lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Makoto hang on?

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.
Finley takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Makoto is looking to get to half guard.
Makoto is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Finley looking to finish Makoto with some ground and pound. This is bad for Makoto!
Makoto is wriggling around trying to escape.
Makoto bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Finley looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

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

Finley drops back looking for a leg! Makoto is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Makoto manages to kick Finley off! Finley jumps back into Makoto's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dakota Finley dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Makoto shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Makoto pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Finley is keeping the position for now.
Finley throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Makoto stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Finley swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Finley working a defensive guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makoto pushing down on Finley's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Finley wants to improve his position but Makoto is controlling well.

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

Makoto closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Finley won't allow Makoto to pass to mount.
Finley is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Finley manages to get to full guard.
Finley throwing short punches from the bottom.
Makoto postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finley tries to move into full mount but can't pass Makoto's legs.
Makoto tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Finley wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Finley working the body and head with strikes.

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

Finley changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Makoto looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Makoto looks to move to half guard but instead Finley has passed into mount! Damn!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finley breaks from Makoto's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Makoto working to try and regain half guard.

Finley looking to secure an arm triangle but Makoto defends it well.
Makoto gets back to half guard.

Makoto actively working from the bottom here.
Makoto is looking to improve his position.
Finley looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Makoto with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Makoto regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Finley's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Finley preventing the sweep.

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

Makoto working for a triangle but Finley defends it easily.
Finley chips away with some ground and pound.
Makoto bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Finley's guard.
Finley keeping full guard, as Makoto tries to pass.
Ichiro Makoto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dakota Finley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Makoto postures up in Finley's guard and throws a big left but Finley blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ichiro Makoto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Finley 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dakota Finley!