PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Samm Mah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Youri (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.

Mah
vs
Youri

170 cm
21
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
141 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Samm Mah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Antonio Youri!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Ren Mimura and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Mah or perhaps it was just good defense by Youri which made him look bad.
The fight stays on the outside here - Youri looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Mah shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Mah was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Youri is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Mah controlling his opponent.
Youri tries to reverse the position but Mah maintains control.
Mah takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mah prevents Youri from getting the reversal.
Mah takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Youri really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Youri regains half guard.
Youri moves into full guard.
Mah not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mah trying to control but Youri is working from the bottom.

Youri has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Mah is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Youri.
Youri is looking to reverse the position.
Youri looks gassed!
Mah gets to mount! Youri was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Youri tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Youri is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Mah tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Youri is trying to escape the mount.
Mah can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Youri is looking to escape.
Youri is wriggling around trying to escape.

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.
Youri bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Youri postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Mah is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Youri, into his guard.
Youri wants to sweep here but Mah controlling him for the moment.

Mah avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mah tries to stand but Youri is controlling from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samm Mah dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Youri tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mah swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mah changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Youri tries to avoid it but Mah manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Youri to the ground. Youri escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mah circles away from the clinch attempt.
Youri wants to clinch.
Antonio Youri seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mah shoots in looking for a takedown. Youri tries to sprawl out of it but Mah keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Youri manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Youri goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Mah shoots in and bounces Youri off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Youri throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mah in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Mah avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Youri has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Mah has passed into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Youri tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mah wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Youri manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Youri is pressing down on Mah's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Youri working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mah doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mah manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Youri trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Youri has his foot on Mah's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mah works his way back into a safe position though.
Mah controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Youri looking for a guillotine here but Mah defends easily.
Mah lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Mah seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Youri tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mah sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Mah gets to his feet. Youri looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mah fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Youri sprawls well initially but Mah persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Mah lands with a punch from half guard.
Youri is trying to stand up here but Mah is controlling him well.
Youri wants to get back to full guard.

Youri is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Mah pulls his head out easily.
Mah is tying to control. Youri wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Youri is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Mah pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are battling for position here. Youri manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Youri looking for a sweep. Not yet Youri, not yet.

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

Youri clinches.
Youri lands with a left to the head.
Mah drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Samm Mah. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Youri tries a knee to the head but Mah blocks it.
Youri is pressed up against the cage. Mah has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Youri down to the mat. Youri avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Youri tries to clinch up.

Mah darts in and clinches Youri up against the cage.
Mah landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Mah.
Youri blocks an elbow strike.
Youri connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mah's face.
Mah tries to stall but Youri uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Youri looking to throw knees to the head but Mah is blocking nicely.

Youri breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Youri wants to clinch but Mah slips to the side

and Mah holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Mah tries to land knees in the clinch but Youri avoids the damage to the body.
Youri with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mah misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Youri.
Youri scores with a shot to the side of Mah's head.
Youri drops down looking for an ankle pick but Mah pulls his leg out and moves away.

Mah gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mah prevents a takedown attempt there.

Youri manages to break the clinch.
Youri keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Youri tries to clinch

and Mah counters with a single leg into guard. Youri didn't expect that.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mah is looking to stand up but Youri won't let him.
Mah lands a couple of digs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samm Mah dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Mah shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Youri is trying to escape the mount.
Youri regains half guard.

Youri looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Samm Mah overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mah slows the pace down in half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Youri is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Mah's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Mah's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Youri has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Mah has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Youri has his opponent's back but Mah is looking to stand. He manages to get to his feet and shakes off Youri.
Mah misses with a takedown attempt - Youri sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mah has a takedown stuffed.

Mah looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Mah controlling from the top position.

Youri had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Mah is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Youri Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Mah's back instead.

Mah showing good submission defense here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mah showing good submission defense here.
Mah controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

Youri looking for the RNC.

Mah is in a bad position with Youri working for a choke. Mah manages to spin nicely into guard and the danger is over for the moment.
Youri throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Youri is looking to sweep but instead, Mah has passed into half guard.
Youri is looking to improve his position.
Mah works his way into full mount!
Mah content just to control the position here.
Youri is looking to improve his position but Mah isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four 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.
Youri regains half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mah lands a nice short elbow.
Youri is looking to improve his position.
Youri strikes from the bottom but Mah uses the opportunity to move to side control.
Youri gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Mah lands with a punch from half guard.

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 Samm Mah.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mah, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samm Mah!