PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ico Hakuza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hioshido Tamada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Ico Hakuza has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Hakuza
vs
Tamada

170 cm
24
135 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

170 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ico Hakuza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hioshido Tamada!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tamada displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hakuza.
Horrible takedown by Hakuza or perhaps it was just good defense by Tamada which made him look bad.
Hakuza tries to close the distance and clinch but Tamada swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hakuza tries to score a power double leg takedown but Tamada sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hakuza somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ico Hakuza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tamada tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hakuza swivels and escapes.
Tamada clinches but Hakuza breaks the clinch

and Hakuza counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hakuza postures up.
Tamada 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hakuza slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hakuza preventing the sweep.
Tamada trying to keep a closed guard but Hakuza is proving a slippery customer.
Hakuza throws a strike but Tamada rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hakuza has Tamada pulled in close to control his posture.

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.
Hakuza tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hakuza has Tamada pulled in close to control his posture.
Tamada missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hakuza keeping moving, preventing Tamada from controlling successfully.
Hakuza trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Tamada is looking to stand up but Hakuza won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tamada is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hakuza is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hakuza has escaped and now he's on top!

Hakuza got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tamada has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hakuza has managed to get both his arms back between Tamada's legs - danger averted.
Tamada looks gassed!
Tamada looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hakuza is one step ahead there.
Hakuza being controlled here momentarily.

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.
Let's hope that Tamada has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Hakuza stops Tamada from standing up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Tamada looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Hakuza passes into side control.
Hakuza advances to full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ico Hakuza 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.

Hakuza wants to clinch but Tamada slips to the side

and Tamada counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Tamada.
Tamada misses with some punches.
Hakuza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tamada has him pressed against the cage.
Tamada is trying to break the clinch but Hakuza has him pressed against the cage.
Hakuza tries to pull guard but Tamada won't allow it.
Hakuza has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tamada is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Hakuza tries to pull guard but Tamada holds him up against the cage and eventually Hakuza drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ico Hakuza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tamada displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hakuza up against the cage.
Hakuza prevents a takedown attempt there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hakuza drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Tamada gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tamada stalling against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hakuza has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Tamada avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Tamada manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Hakuza would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Tamada managing to control the position.
Tamada working a defensive guard here.
Hakuza stops Tamada from standing up.

That's two 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.
Tamada is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tamada striking off his back but it's not causing Hakuza any problems.
Hakuza stopping the sweep attempt from Tamada.
Hakuza trying to control but Tamada is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Tamada shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Hakuza manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Tamada postures up.
Hakuza keeping moving, preventing Tamada from controlling successfully.
Tamada with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tamada trying to control but Hakuza is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tamada stands up from Hakuza's guard - Tamada perhaps looking for a knockout.
Tamada looks to land a combination. Hakuza sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Tamada closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tamada trying to control the action but Hakuza is working from the bottom.
Tamada uses his free foot to push down on Hakuza's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Hakuza.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hioshido Tamada showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Hakuza fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Tamada with a poor takedown

and Hakuza counters by moving into the clinch.
Tamada avoids a wild elbow strike from Hakuza.
Hakuza scores with a knee to the head.

Tamada breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ico Hakuza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tamada fails with the takedown

and Hakuza moves into the clinch.
Hakuza fails to pull guard.
Tamada manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Tamada creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hakuza's defenses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tamada misses with a punch to the body.
Hakuza pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Hakuza wants to break free but Tamada has control.
Hakuza fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ico Hakuza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tamada stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Tamada taking a breather.

Tamada's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hioshido Tamada seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hakuza shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Tamada as he jumps to the side.
Tamada fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hakuza avoids it really well and circles away.
Hakuza tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Tamada counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Tamada throwing shots but Hakuza is blocking nicely.
Hioshido Tamada has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hakuza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Hakuza is trying to stand up here but Tamada is controlling him well.

Tamada is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hakuza defends it well.

Hakuza pushes Tamada off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hakuza misses with a takedown attempt
and Tamada counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tamada will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Hakuza up against the cage.

Hakuza has clasped his hands together around Tamada's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Hakuza wants to control but Tamada is keeping him busy.
Tamada wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hakuza working away.
Hakuza is looking to take a break and control but Tamada is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hakuza misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Tamada tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Tamada can't do much from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hioshido Tamada comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tamada has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hioshido Tamada!