PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between shukugi medina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ikuto Takeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

medina
vs
Takeda

225 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
24
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, shukugi medina!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ikuto Takeda !
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, David Schapiro and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
medina fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Takeda connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Takeda throws a right and a left that medina avoids nicely.
Takeda misses with a hook.
Takeda misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Takeda lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Takeda scores with a nice strike.
Takeda cracks medina with a right hand to the side of the head.
medina shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
medina takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

medina has Takeda up against the cage in a clinch.
medina tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Takeda smiles and moves away.
Takeda lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but medina circles away quickly and effectively.

medina closes the distance and pushes Takeda back into the cage.
medina fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for shukugi medina. That's going to take a lot out of him.
medina changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Takeda fights it off and pushes away nicely.

medina shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takeda 's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Takeda really doesn't want to stay on the ground with medina. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
medina throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
medina tries to control but Takeda wriggling away.

medina has control of Takeda 's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Takeda regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Takeda trying desperately to get to his feet.

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.
medina can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Takeda is looking to escape.
Takeda trying desperately to get to his feet.
medina sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
medina misses with a head shot.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Takeda can do anything to dispel that myth.
Takeda wants to get back to his feet.
Takeda looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takeda is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Takeda is trying to stand up.
medina working Takeda over with strikes here.
medina throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

medina working for a guillotine from mount but Takeda is in no mood to give up.
medina 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.

That's four 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.

medina stands up from mount. Strange move.
medina fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Takeda avoids it really well and circles away.
medina steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Takeda .
Ikuto Takeda is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice sprawl there from Takeda as medina shoots in.
Takeda rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but medina moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
medina tries to close the distance and clinch but Takeda swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
medina has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from medina there as he acknowledges the shot.
medina misses with a low kick.
Takeda misses with a wild combination.
medina shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Takeda pinned against the cage. Takeda gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Takeda bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ikuto Takeda 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.

Takeda fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Takeda scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
medina avoids a punch combination nicely.
No joy there for medina, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Takeda throws a combination that misses
and medina counters with a good, hard body kick but Takeda shrugs it off.
medina avoids a punch combination nicely.

medina moves into the clinch.

medina breaks the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Takeda .
Ikuto Takeda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takeda throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Takeda is breathing heavily.
medina shoots for a takedown but Takeda saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Takeda fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
medina really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Takeda throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takeda misses with a few strikes there.
medina wants to clinch.
Takeda throws a combination that misses
and medina counters with a nice low kick that buckles Takeda 's knee momentarily.
Takeda throws a combination that misses
and medina counters with a nice body kick.
medina shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Takeda as he avoids it easily.

medina gets a clinch.

medina drags the fight down to the ground.
medina is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Takeda is controlling him.
medina has a closed guard, preventing Takeda from standing up.

medina looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takeda wants to get up but he can't break medina's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Takeda must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Takeda won't allow medina to get back to his feet.
medina trying to keep a closed guard but Takeda is proving a slippery customer.
Takeda wanted to stand there but medina had control of the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Takeda looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takeda misses with a combination
and medina counters with a head kick. That will keep Takeda thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
medina dives in and grabs Takeda 's left leg, looking for a takedown. Takeda pushes down on medina's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for shukugi medina. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from medina.
Takeda lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Takeda throws a series of punches but medina moves out of range.
medina needs to keep his hands up - Takeda had a free shot at his head there.
medina's corner calls for a 1-2. medina obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Takeda scores with the left hand. medina knows he should have avoided that one.
medina tries to clinch up but Takeda circles away and keeps his distance.
medina closes this distance looking for a takedown but Takeda circles away.
Takeda connects with a single shot there.
Nice cross by Takeda .
A punch lands to the side of medina 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Takeda throws a left and a right that both miss

and medina counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
medina misses with a hook to the ribs.

medina pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Takeda clobbers medina with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Takeda misses with a double jab

and medina counters by moving into the clinch.
medina taking a breather.
Takeda can't break the clinch.
medina avoiding damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Takeda breaks from the clinch.
Takeda slaps away a takedown attempt from medina, before circling back to the center of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

shukugi medina dominated that second 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Takeda with a hook.
medina takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Takeda misses with a jab, cross combination.
Takeda throws a right hand that medina ducks under and follows up with a left that medina also avoids with ease.
A combination from Takeda does no damage.
Takeda might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Takeda will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
medina explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
medina takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Takeda throws a series of punches but medina moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
medina bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Takeda 's head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
medina shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Takeda but Takeda pushes him off and we're back to square one.

medina has Takeda up against the cage in a clinch.
Takeda wants to get back to striking at distance but medina won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
medina displaying some good clinch control by pressing Takeda up against the cage.
medina misses with a hook to the ribs.

medina pulls guard successfully.

medina working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Takeda doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Takeda manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
medina trying to keep a closed guard but Takeda is proving a slippery customer.

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.
Takeda wants to stand and escape but instead medina has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Takeda wants to stand but medina is controlling the position.
Takeda avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
medina has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Takeda keeping moving, preventing medina from controlling successfully.
Takeda wants to stand but medina is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takeda keeping moving, preventing medina from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
medina takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
A shot to the liver by medina. Beautiful body shot.
shukugi medina is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Takeda misses with a combination

and medina counters by clinching up.
medina tries to pull guard but Takeda won't allow it.
medina tries to pull guard but Takeda won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for shukugi medina. That's going to take a lot out of him.
medina wants to break free but Takeda has control.
medina has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Takeda is trying to break the clinch but medina is controlling him.
medina tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Takeda smiles and moves away.
Takeda falls off balance throwing a combination
and medina counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
medina lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Takeda throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Takeda !
Takeda takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Takeda will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Takeda lands a nice looking body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Takeda misses with a series of wild punches.
medina throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Takeda misses with a double jab
and medina counters with a head kick. That will keep Takeda thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

And that's the end of the fight!
shukugi medina showed his dominance in that final round.
I think medina 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... shukugi medina!