PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ippo makunouchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Forza Gr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Forza Gr has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

makunouchi
vs
Gr

200 cm
20
192 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

160 cm
18
190 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ippo makunouchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Forza Gr!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gr shoots for a takedown but makunouchi saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

makunouchi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gr looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
makunouchi misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Gr has eaten all the pies!
Gr being controlled for a moment.
Gr tries to bench press makunouchi off him but makunouchi keeps the position.
makunouchi is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Gr's shoulder. That is not cool.

makunouchi stands up.

makunouchi drives through with a takedown into guard.
makunouchi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gr on the ground.
makunouchi wants to pass the guard but Gr is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

makunouchi gets to his feet. Gr looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
makunouchi throws a combination. Gr tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Gr looks gassed!

makunouchi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Gr is rocked!
Gr preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Gr is working an open guard so makunouchi takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Gr gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and makunouchi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Gr is still in real trouble! Can makunouchi finish him?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

makunouchi is working for a kimura but Gr is defending it quite comfortably.
Gr seems to have recovered his senses.
Gr tries to get to full guard but makunouchi has control of the leg.
Gr wants to control but makunouchi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
makunouchi wants to stand but Gr has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gr is looking to control makunouchi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gr avoid being mounted?

Gr is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but makunouchi pulls his head out easily.
Gr is trying to maintain the position but makunouchi is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gr misses with a takedown attempt

and makunouchi counters with a takedown into side control.
Ippo makunouchi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Forza Gr.
makunouchi throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Gr is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gr takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
An elbow from makunouchi crashes against the mat.
Gr is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
makunouchi tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Gr tries to buck makunouchi off but makunouchi is having none of it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
makunouchi fails with the takedown.
Gr misses with a takedown attempt
and makunouchi counters with a leg kick.
Gr has his takedown stuffed

and makunouchi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by makunouchi.
Gr working a defensive guard here.
makunouchi is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
makunouchi wanted to stand there but Gr had control of the position.
makunouchi will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
makunouchi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gr swivels though and keeps the full guard.
makunouchi is working hard here to advance position.
makunouchi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gr being controlled here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ippo makunouchi dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gr misses with a takedown attempt

and makunouchi counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Gr!
makunouchi content just to control the position here.
makunouchi connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

It looks like Forza Gr has been cut.

makunouchi is working for a guillotine from mount but Gr frees his head quite easily.
Gr really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
makunouchi really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Gr flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Gr is trying to escape the mount.
makunouchi looking to control but Gr is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
makunouchi controlling from the full mount.

makunouchi has hold of Gr's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Gr manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gr is trying desperately to improve position.
Gr is in a horrible position here. makunouchi smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
makunouchi looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
makunouchi with the ground and pound from mount.
makunouchi controlling from the full mount.
makunouchi postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Gr looks a forlorn figure.
makunouchi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gr can do to turn this around?
makunouchi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
makunouchi looking to control but Gr is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
makunouchi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ippo makunouchi just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
makunouchi lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That has opened up Forza Gr's cut even more.

makunouchi scores a takedown into full mount!
makunouchi controlling the position easily from mount.
makunouchi scores with a couple of good head shots there.
makunouchi controlling from mount.
makunouchi prevents Gr from getting the reversal.
Ippo makunouchi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
makunouchi controlling the pace for now.
Gr keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
makunouchi throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Gr because makunouchi loaded up on that one.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gr manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Gr moves into full guard.
makunouchi trying to control the position from guard on top but Gr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ippo makunouchi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Forza Gr's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gr with a poor takedown

and makunouchi counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Gr's guard now.
makunouchi tries to free his leg and advance position but Gr is retaining full guard.
Gr manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. makunouchi manages to get himself to full guard.

Gr drops back looking for a leg! makunouchi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and makunouchi manages to kick Gr off! Gr jumps back into makunouchi's guard.
Gr landing some decent shots from guard.
makunouchi keeping full guard, as Gr tries to pass.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gr being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
makunouchi controls Gr momentarily but Gr frees himself.
Gr wants to control from the top but makunouchi keeps moving.
makunouchi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
makunouchi wants to stand up but Gr is controlling him.

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

Gr closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming makunouchi to the mat! makunouchi manages to get full guard.
makunouchi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now makunouchi is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
makunouchi scoring with some ground and pound.
Gr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Gr is looking for a triangle but makunouchi pushes his legs off easily.
makunouchi is in close to Gr's body, working some short punches and elbows.
makunouchi won't allow Gr to sweep him here.
makunouchi is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Gr working for a triangle but makunouchi defends it easily.
makunouchi is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
makunouchi trying to control but Gr is working from the bottom.
makunouchi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
makunouchi is really struggling to control Gr but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Gr working a defensive guard here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gr misses with a takedown attempt
and makunouchi finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

makunouchi closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
makunouchi lands a decent elbow from side control.
You can see the frustration on Gr's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
makunouchi scoring with punches from side control.
makunouchi tries to move into full mount but can't pass Gr's legs.
Gr regains half guard there - taking advantage of makunouchi's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Gr is looking to improve his position.
Gr is pressing down on makunouchi's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
makunouchi looking to sit in guard and control but Gr gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Forza Gr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gr trying to control but makunouchi is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ippo makunouchi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well makunouchi 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:26
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:26
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ippo makunouchi!