PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jun Ito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy Do (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ito
vs
Do

180 cm
25
175 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

182 cm
21
178 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jun Ito!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Billy Do!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Do tries to clinch but Ito moves out of range.
Do shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ito pinned against the cage. Ito gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Do scores a takedown into full mount!
Do raining down shots from the mount!

Do swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Ito is now in Do's guard. A big mistake from Do there, giving up the dominant position!
Ito throwing strikes from guard but Do blocks nicely.
Do keeping moving, preventing Ito from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ito looking to pass the guard.
Ito postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ito is looking to stand up but Do won't let him.
Ito throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Do works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ito wants to control from the top but Do keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two 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.
Ito loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ito tries to close the distance and clinch up but Do swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ito defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Do.
Ito tries to clinch up but Do circles away and keeps his distance.
Do tries for a takedown but Ito sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Jun Ito has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Billy Do.
Do shoots for a double leg takedown but Ito sprawls well. He's pushed Do's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ito looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Do circles away from the clinch attempt

and Do counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ito!
A nice elbow there by Do.

Do working for a submission but Ito is keeping him at bay.

Do swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Ito is now in Do's guard. A big mistake from Do there, giving up the dominant position!
Do looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ito trying to control the position from guard on top but Do is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Do preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Do utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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

Do uses the cage to get back to his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ito gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Do.

Ito manages to break the clinch.
Ito fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ito misses with a takedown attempt - Do sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ito fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ito shoots in and drives through. Do sprawls well.
Ito shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Do as he avoids it easily.
Do takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Do shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Do trying to work for an americana but Ito has managed to regain full guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Do trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ito looking for a sweep. Not yet Ito, not yet.
Do advances to half guard.
Ito is trying to maintain the position but Do is very close to passing his half guard.
Do is just content to waste time from the top position. Ito takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Ito looking to control.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Do drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Ito manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Do has Ito in his guard.
Ito thows a big elbow that misses.

Ito stands and steps away. Do gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Do swats away the attempt to clinch by Ito.

Ito rushes Do and presses him up against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Do.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ito.
Do takes a shot to the head.
Do drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Do looking for a takedown.
Do gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ito.
Ito scores with a shoulder strike.
Do tries for a takedown but Ito manages to get underhooks.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ito as Do tries to tie him up.

Ito's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Do will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Do darts in and clinches Ito up against the cage.

Ito breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Do avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Do closes the distance and pushes Ito back into the cage.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Ito's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Do circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ito lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ito.

Ito moves into the clinch.
Ito pushes off an throws an elbow but Do leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Do has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Ito regains guard immediately.
Do looking to sit in guard and control but Ito gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ito wants to control from the top but Do keeps moving.
Do avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Do keeping moving, preventing Ito from controlling successfully.
Ito working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ito trying to control the position from guard on top but Do is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Billy Do 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Do tries to clinch but Ito moves out of range.
Ito misses with a jab, cross combination.
Do throws a series of punches but Ito avoids them all with ease.
Nice sprawl there from Ito as Do shoots in.

Ito gets a clinch.
Do misses with a body punch.
Do tries for a takedown but Ito manages to get underhooks.
Ito wants to break free but Do has control.

Ito's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Do darts in and clinches Ito up against the cage.
Ito is trying to force a seperation but Do has the dominant position.
Ito is pressed up against the cage. Do has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ito down to the mat. Ito avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Jun Ito has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Billy Do.
Nice cross by Ito.
Do tries for a takedown but Ito circles away easily
and Ito counters with a right hand to the body.
Ito is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ito tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ito is looking to clinch but Do is avoiding it.
Do is breathing heavily.

Ito closes the distance and clinches.
Ito gets underhooks to prevent Do's takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ito breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Do tries to close the distance and clinch but Ito swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Ito has managed to clinch.
Do tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Ito is pressed up against the cage. Do has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ito down to the mat. Ito avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Ito tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Do paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ito tries to close the distance and clinch but Do swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ito doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Do counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Do.
Do working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Do with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ito is looking to stand up but Do isn't so interested in that idea.
Do throwing strikes from guard but Ito blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ito utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Do with a flurry of punches that miss.
Do stops Ito from standing up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ito stuffs the takedown.
Ito tries to clinch there but Do circles away.
Do is looking to clinch.
Do takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ito wants to clinch up but Do keeps it at a distance.

Ito clinches.

Ito jumps into guard, dragging Do to the mat.
Ito avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ito avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Do with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ito is trying to control the position but Do postures up.

Do drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ito dives on top into guard.
Ito looking to pass the guard.
Ito wants to control from the top but Do keeps moving.

That's four 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.
Ito wants to pass the guard but Do is keeping the position.
Ito wants to control from the top but Do keeps moving.
Billy Do has got the better of the ground game so far.
Do bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ito's guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Do prevents Ito from getting back to his feet.

Do gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Ito is looking to clinch.

Do shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ito manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Do trying to control the position from guard on top but Ito is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ito 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.
Do postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Do throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Ito working for a triangle but Do defends it easily.
Ito wants to get back to his feet but Do is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Do stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ito swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Do won't allow Ito to get back to his feet.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Do gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ito counters with a nice double leg into side control. Do won't be happy with that.
Ito working the strikes but Do uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Ito missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ito not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ito looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Do wants to get back to full guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Ito stands up out of the half guard.
Ito tries to clinch

and Do decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ito's guard.
Do wants to control from the top but Ito keeps moving.
Ito is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Do is controlling him.
Do postures up in Ito's guard and throws a big left but Ito blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Do accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Do wants to pass the guard but Ito is keeping the position.
Do with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Do looking to pass the guard.
Do trying to control the position from guard on top but Ito is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Decent striking displayed by Ito there.

Ito clinches with his opponent.

Ito breaks the clinch.

Do tries to keep at a distance but Ito has taken the fight into the clinch.

Do jumps guard and drags Ito to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Do wriggles free and stands up.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jun Ito.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight for Billy Do!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight for Billy Do!

Billy Do wins by majority decision!