PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sing Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshihiro Takaya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ali comes to the cage accompanied by Prince Ali - Reprise. Takaya is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Jimi Hendrix - All along the Watchtower. Sing Ali could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Yoshihiro Takaya's chin.

Ali
vs
Takaya

225 cm
27
154 lbs
14 - 4 - 0

171 cm
23
152 lbs
11 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

O'Brannigan's Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sing Ali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yoshihiro Takaya!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Takaya scores a takedown into full mount!
Takaya looking to finish with strikes here!
Takaya throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Takaya can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ali is looking to escape.
Takaya thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Takaya throws a wild left hand from mount and Ali manages to wriggle his way back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takaya trying to control from half guard but Ali is working away.
Takaya slows the pace down in half guard.
Ali really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Takaya trying to advance position but Ali counters by regaining guard.
Takaya has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two 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.
Takaya with a flurry of punches that miss.
Takaya pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ali is keeping the position for now.
Ali keeping moving, preventing Takaya from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takaya stays in close to Ali's body and controls the position.
Takaya working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ali keeping moving, preventing Takaya from controlling successfully.
Takaya might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Ali kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Takaya fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ali manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ali keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ali avoids a punch combination nicely.
Takaya misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ali.
Ali looks to land a combination. Takaya sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Takaya throws a body punch but Ali moves out of range.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ali lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Yoshihiro Takaya seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takaya throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Takaya circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ali lands a right hook to the body.
Sing Ali is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ali has closed the distance and engaged Takaya in a clinch.
Ali digs a right hand underneath Takaya's ribcage. Takaya let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Takaya stalling.
Ali dodges an elbow strike from Takaya.
Takaya swings wildly with an uppercut but Ali uses good head movement to avoid it.
A right hand to the body from Ali.
Ali lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Takaya.
A short right from Ali.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ali.
Ali prevents a takedown attempt there.
Ali lands a body shot.
A right handed body shot lands from Ali.
Takaya tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ali avoids it.
Ali gets through Takaya's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ali tries to throw a body punch but Takaya avoids it by throwing Ali back against the cage.
Takaya blocks an uppercut.
Ali lands a body punch in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Ali - that landed with a thud.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Ali - that landed with a thud.
Takaya is breathing heavily.
Ali pushes Takaya back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ali prevents a body shot from Takaya.
Ali is trying to break the clinch but Takaya is controlling him.
Takaya can't find room to land a body shot as Ali controls the action.
Takaya misses with a body punch.
A body shot lands from Ali.
Ali lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Takaya.
Ali lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Still in the clinch, Ali scores with a nice short uppercut.
A short left from Ali.
Ali swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ali is working Takaya over against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ali creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Ali lands a shot to the body.
Ali blocks an uppercut.
Takaya is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ali is keeping busy.
Takaya is trying to force a seperation but Ali has the dominant position.
Still in the clinch, Ali scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ali is working Takaya over against the cage.
Ali prevents Takaya from breaking the clinch.
Ali lands a body shot in the clinch.
Ali lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nice body punch from Ali - that landed with a thud.
Ali lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali lands a body punch.
Ali scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Nice body punch from Ali - that landed with a thud.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ali.

Ali's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ali tries to clinch but Takaya moves out of range.
Takaya takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Ali tries to clinch up.
Ali moves out of range of the strikes.
Ali avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Takaya fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Takaya fails to land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takaya misses with a double jab
and Ali connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sing Ali is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ali fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Ali tries to clinch up but Takaya circles away and keeps his distance.
Takaya throws a big shot that misses.
Ali misses with a body shot.
Ali is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Ali wants to clinch up but Takaya keeps it at a distance.
Ali looks to land a combination. Takaya sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali works the jab nicely.
Takaya keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Takaya drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Takaya stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ali swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ali will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Takaya wants to control from the top but Ali keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sing Ali dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ali keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ali is looking to clinch.

Takaya looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Ali!
Takaya tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Takaya wants to control the pace but Ali is squirming around nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takaya tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Ali wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Takaya.
Takaya with the ground and pound from mount.
Ali has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Takaya's lack of action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali is refusing to be controlled, as Takaya sits in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Yoshihiro Takaya.
Takaya jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Ali tries to clinch up but Takaya circles away and keeps his distance.
Takaya scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Ali doesn't manage to clinch there - Takaya circles away.

Takaya scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Ali won't allow Takaya to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali is refusing to be controlled, as Takaya sits in half guard.
Ali avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Takaya.

Takaya is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ali is staying active underneath Takaya, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Yoshihiro Takaya has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ali is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Takaya trying to control the pace.
Takaya wants to free his trapped foot but Ali is holding on for dear life with his legs.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Takaya fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sing Ali is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Takaya misses with a combination
enabling Ali to counter with a crisp jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoshihiro Takaya comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ali 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sing Ali!