PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Yushin Ayoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshi Yamaguchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Ayoki might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to "Eye for an Eye" by Blacklisted. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Ayoki
vs
Yamaguchi

180 cm
18
171 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

176 cm
22
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite 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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yushin Ayoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshi Yamaguchi!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yukihiro Shimada and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ayoki tries to land a front kick but Yamaguchi steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Ayoki tries to clinch but Yamaguchi moves out of range.

Yamaguchi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Yamaguchi seems content to control.

Yamaguchi is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Yamaguchi trying to control the pace.
Ayoki wants to get back to full guard.
Yamaguchi tries to pass to full mount but Ayoki defends it.
Yamaguchi content to control rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamaguchi passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Ayoki!
Yamaguchi wants to control the pace but Ayoki is squirming around nicely.
Ayoki wants to control but Yamaguchi is having none of it.
Yamaguchi trying to control but Ayoki is having none of it.

That's two 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.
Ayoki wants to control but Yamaguchi is having none of it.
Yamaguchi controlling from mount.
I looks like Yamaguchi might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

Despite being in the dominant position, Yoshi Yamaguchi just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ayoki thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ayoki cracks a nice hook into Yamaguchi's ribs.
Yamaguchi fails with a takedown attempt.
Yamaguchi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ayoki as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamaguchi avoids the head kick by Ayoki.
Yamaguchi fails to land the takedown.
Yushin Ayoki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoshi Yamaguchi.
Ayoki throws a leg kick but Yamaguchi checks it.
Ayoki is looking to chop away at Yamaguchi's legs.
Ayoki moves in looking to clinch but Yamaguchi pushes him off.

Ayoki rushes Yamaguchi and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Yamaguchi drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Ayoki has hold of one of Yamaguchi's legs. Yamaguchi is fighting the takedown attempt but Ayoki gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Ayoki has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ayoki is fighting to break Yamaguchi's control of his arms but Yamaguchi is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Yamaguchi is trying to control the position but Ayoki postures up.
Ayoki wants to stand but Yamaguchi has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Yamaguchi wants to sweep but no luck.
Yamaguchi is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Ayoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamaguchi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Yamaguchi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Yamaguchi seems keen to control Ayoki's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Yoshi Yamaguchi will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Yamaguchi blocks a head kick by Ayoki.
Yamaguchi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ayoki circles away.
Ayoki throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Ayoki slips under a jab from Yamaguchi.
Yushin Ayoki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ayoki throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Yamaguchi sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Ayoki looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Yamaguchi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ayoki trying to stand up but can't free himself from Yamaguchi's guard.
Yamaguchi 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.
Ayoki wants to stand but Yamaguchi is controlling his posture from full guard.
Yamaguchi has Ayoki pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamaguchi looking for a sweep. Not yet Yamaguchi, not yet.
Ayoki wants to pass the guard but Yamaguchi is keeping the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

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

and Ayoki counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ayoki.

Yamaguchi manages to pull guard.
Ayoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamaguchi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yamaguchi pulls Ayoki in to control the position.
Ayoki stays in close to Yamaguchi's body and controls the position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ayoki wants to stand but Yamaguchi has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Yamaguchi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ayoki doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ayoki manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Yamaguchi has his hands on Ayoki's head, controlling the position.
Ayoki wants to stand but Yamaguchi is controlling his posture from full guard.
Yamaguchi has his hands on Ayoki's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yamaguchi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Yamaguchi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Yamaguchi looking to secure an arm triangle but Ayoki defends it well.
Yamaguchi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ayoki is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yamaguchi has hold of Ayoki's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Ayoki manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Yamaguchi is working for a guillotine from mount but Ayoki frees his head quite easily.
Yamaguchi pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Ayoki tries to hold on but Yamaguchi pushes him away.
Yamaguchi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Yamaguchi is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Ayoki is surviving well by controlling Yamaguchi's body position as best he can.
Ayoki is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Yamaguchi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshi Yamaguchi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Ayoki fails with an attempt to clinch.
Yamaguchi tries for a takedown but Ayoki circles away easily
and Ayoki counters with a left and a right that stings Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi avoids a kick to the body.
Yushin Ayoki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ayoki tries to clinch but Yamaguchi is having none of it.
Ayoki throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ayoki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Yamaguchi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ayoki counters with a single leg into guard. Yamaguchi didn't expect that.
Yoshi Yamaguchi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ayoki being controlled here momentarily.
Ayoki wanted to stand there but Yamaguchi had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamaguchi looking to control.
Yamaguchi trying to control the position here.
Ayoki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yamaguchi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ayoki trying to stand up but can't free himself from Yamaguchi's guard.
Yamaguchi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
No joy there for Ayoki, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Yamaguchi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Ayoki!
Yamaguchi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ayoki is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamaguchi pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Yamaguchi tries to control but Ayoki wriggling away.
Yamaguchi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ayoki stops Yamaguchi from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You get the feeling that Ayoki really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Yamaguchi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ayoki tries to hold on but Yamaguchi pushes him away.
Yamaguchi controlling his opponent.
Ayoki working to try and regain half guard.
Yamaguchi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Despite being in the dominant position, Yoshi Yamaguchi just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Yamaguchi scores a takedown into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ayoki tries to reverse the position but Yamaguchi maintains control.
Yamaguchi tries to control but Ayoki wriggling away.
Yamaguchi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ayoki wants to hold on but Yamaguchi pushes him away.
Ayoki is working to get back to half guard.
Yamaguchi trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Yamaguchi goes for an armbar but Ayoki turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Ayoki.
Yushin Ayoki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ayoki postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Yoshi Yamaguchi.
I've got Yamaguchi 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yoshi Yamaguchi!