PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kaito Takamine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Takamine
vs
Sonnen

180 cm
19
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

187 cm
23
212 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kaito Takamine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Chael Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takamine looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Takamine could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Sonnen tries for a takedown but Takamine circles away easily

and Takamine counters by clinching up.
Takamine stops a takedown attempt from Sonnen.
Sonnen goes for a takedown attempt but Takamine pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Kaito Takamine has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chael Sonnen.
Takamine fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sonnen tries for a takedown but Takamine circles away easily

and Takamine counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sonnen won't be happy with that.
Sonnen is not content to let Takamine control the position.
Sonnen is trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takamine moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Sonnen pushes Takamine away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Takamine gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sonnen keeps the fight on the outside.

Sonnen 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.
Sonnen trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Takamine manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Takamine stands and steps away. Sonnen gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Takamine fails with an attempt to clinch.

Sonnen is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Takamine's half guard.
Sonnen tries to pass the half guard into mount. Takamine knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takamine is in trouble now - Sonnen has advanced to mount!
Sonnen throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Takamine is in a horrible position here. Sonnen smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Sonnen content just to control the position here.
Sonnen trying to control but Takamine is having none of it.

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.
Takamine wants to hold on but Sonnen pushes him away.
Sonnen lands a big shot there that rocks Takamine but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Sonnen throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Takamine tries to lock up and control but Sonnen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sonnen misses with some ground and pound and Takamine recovers position to half guard.
Sonnen is looking to advance position but Takamine won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Chael Sonnen will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Takamine gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Takamine is trying to keep Sonnen in close.
Sonnen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sonnen looking to pass the guard.
Sonnenis looking to pass into half guard but Takamine pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Takamine is in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takamine trying to control the position from guard on top but Sonnen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Takamine postures up in Sonnen's guard and throws a big left but Sonnen blocks it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Takamine pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sonnen with a lazy takedown attempt

and Takamine counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Takamine.
Sonnen goes for a takedown attempt but Takamine pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Takamine clinches with his opponent.
Takamine is trying to drag Sonnen to the mat but Sonnen just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Takamine breaks from the clinch.
Sonnen fails with the takedown

and Takamine counters with a shoot takedown. Sonnen fights it but they end up in guard.
Kaito Takamine has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chael Sonnen.
Takamine wants to stand but Sonnen has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Sonnen kicks Takamine off and gets to his feet.

Sonnen shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sonnen showed some decent athleticism there.
Sonnen is trying to control. Takamine wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen is looking to advance position but Takamine won't allow it.
Sonnen frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Takamine is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sonnen throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Sonnen looking to finish with strikes here!

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.
Sonnen misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Takamine tries to lock up and control but Sonnen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Chael Sonnen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sonnen landing punches.
Takamine taking shots to the head.
Sonnen lands a nice shot to the head.
Sonnen trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sonnen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Takamine?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Sonnen misses with a kick to the body

and Takamine counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Takamine wants to stand up but Sonnen is controlling the position.
Takamine prevents Sonnen from standing back up.
Takamine trying to control the action but Sonnen is working from the bottom.
Sonnen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Takamine. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Takamine throws a strike but Sonnen avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Takamine wants to control from the top but Sonnen keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Takamine stops Sonnen from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takamine trying to control the position from guard on top but Sonnen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sonnen wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Takamine manages to pass to side control.
Takamine tries to stand but can't do so whilst Sonnen controls his leg.

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

Sonnen closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Takamine did well to prevent Sonnen getting side control.
Sonnen working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Takamine's thigh. Takamine counters though and makes it back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sonnen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sonnen sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sonnen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sonnen sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sonnen stops Takamine from standing up.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takamine preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sonnen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Takamine is keeping the position for now.

Takamine escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sonnen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Takamine fails with an attempt to clinch.

Sonnen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Takamine!
Sonnen cracks Takamine with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Takamine manages to regain half guard whilst avoiding the strikes.
Sonnen trying to mount his opponent but Takamine defends it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Chael Sonnen.
I've got Sonnen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kaito Takamine!