PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Keiji Hashimoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vevrin Betlach (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hashimoto's entrance music is Chopin's Funeral March in B flat minor. A fine choice. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Hashimoto
vs
Betlach

172 cm
26
151 lbs
15 - 6 - 2

176 cm
24
149 lbs
15 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Keiji Hashimoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vevrin Betlach!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Alexandre Firmino and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hashimoto uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Betlach.
Hashimoto avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Betlach misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hashimoto.
Hashimoto just misses with a punch to the body.
Hashimoto throws a body punch but Betlach moves out of range.
Betlach avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hashimoto blocks a jab.
Hashimoto just misses with a punch to the body.
Betlach waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hashimoto.
Hashimoto slips a jab from Betlach.
Betlach swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Hashimoto counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Nice defenses there by Betlach.
Betlach throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hashimoto tries to land a leg kick but Betlach saw it coming and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hashimoto misses the shot to the body.
Betlach ducks under a wild hook from Hashimoto.
Hashimoto is looking to wear down Betlach with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Hashimoto jabs at Betlach's body.
A shot to the body from Hashimoto misses
and Betlach counters with a left to the body.
Hashimoto takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Betlach swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Good work by Betlach as he checks the leg kick.
Hashimoto catches Betlach with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Betlach changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Betlach throws a jab but it's blocked by Hashimoto.
Betlach scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Betlach takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hashimoto cracks Betlach with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Betlach works Hashimoto's body with a nice hook.
Hashimoto with a hook.
Nice sprawl there from Betlach as Hashimoto shoots in.
Hashimoto moves away from the strike by Betlach.
Nice defenses there by Hashimoto.
Betlach throws a jab when Hashimoto was well out of range.
Betlach walks into a jab.
Hashimoto swings for the body but Betlach moves out of range.
A jab from Betlach misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hashimoto swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Betlach.
Hashimoto cracks the inside of Betlach's front leg.
Betlach throws a shot from downtown. Hashimoto moves away and avoids it.
Keiji Hashimoto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Betlach throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Hashimoto counters with a nice uppercut.
Hashimoto cracks Betlach with an open hand slap.
Betlach swings away with a body shot that misses
and Hashimoto counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Betlach takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Hashimoto avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hashimoto moves out of range as Betlach strikes.
Betlach throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hashimoto bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Betlach throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hashimoto sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Betlach cracks Hashimoto with an open hand slap.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters circling - Betlach throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Betlach fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Betlach throws a body punch but Hashimoto moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Betlach swats away the attempt to clinch by Hashimoto.
Hashimoto misses the shot to the body.
A shot to the body from Hashimoto misses
and Betlach counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Betlach misses with a wild body shot.
Hashimoto misses with a body shot.
Hashimoto throws a body punch but Betlach moves out of range.
Betlach misses with a straight right.
Nice defenses there by Hashimoto.
Hashimoto misses the jab.
Hashimoto misses with an uppercut. Betlach saw that one coming.
A looping hook to the body misses from Betlach. Hashimoto does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hashimoto bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Betlach misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hashimoto.
Hashimoto just misses with a punch to the body.
Hashimoto misses the shot to the body.

That's four 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.
Hashimoto looks to score with a jab to the body but Betlach is just out of range.
Hashimoto lands a jab to Betlach's midsection.
Hashimoto slips a straight right by Betlach.
A big left from Hashimoto misses.
Betlach takes one on the button.
Betlach throws a series of punches but Hashimoto moves out of range.
Betlach tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hashimoto was well out of range. Poor timing from Betlach.
Betlach changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Hashimoto uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Betlach.
Betlach swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Betlach misses with a wild body shot.
Betlach misses with an uppercut. Hashimoto saw that one coming.
Hashimoto throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A slow jab from Hashimoto misses its intended target.
Hashimoto throws a low kick but Betlach moves out of range easily.
Betlach lands with a nice combination. Hashimoto backs away looking to recover.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hashimoto will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hashimoto jabs Betlach to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Hashimoto misses with a shot to the body
and Betlach counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hashimoto dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Vevrin Betlach seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Betlach walks into a left hand.
Hashimoto connects with the punch.
Good shot there by Hashimoto.
Betlach gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Betlach comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Betlach cracks Hashimoto with an open hand slap.
Hashimoto digs a good hook to Betlach's body.
Hashimoto waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Betlach.
Hashimoto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Betlach.
Betlach throws a hook to the side of Hashimoto's head but Hashimoto sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hashimoto feints and then cracks Betlach's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Betlach down.
Betlach moves out of range as Hashimoto strikes.
Hashimoto tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Betlach was well out of range. Poor timing from Hashimoto.
Hashimoto connects with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hashimoto is looking to slow Betlach down with leg kicks.
Hashimoto cracks a nice hook into Betlach's ribs.
Hashimoto tries to land a leg kick but Betlach saw it coming and moves away.
Hashimoto dips to his left and cracks Betlach with an uppercut!
Betlach uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hashimoto.
Hashimoto does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hashimoto misses with a hook to the body
letting Betlach counter with a right hand.
Betlach looks to score with a jab to the body but Hashimoto is just out of range.
A swing and a miss from Betlach.
Betlach throws a sloppy body shot
and Hashimoto connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A shot to the liver by Hashimoto. Beautiful body shot.
Hashimoto bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Betlach's head backwards.
Hashimoto getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Betlach misses with a body punch
and Hashimoto counters with a nice body shot.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Betlach, as that shot connected.
Hashimoto works Betlach's body with a nice hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hashimoto throws out a leg kick but Betlach moves out of range and Hashimoto only half commits.
The fighters circling - Betlach throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Betlach takes a jab right on the kisser.
Hashimoto misses the shot to the body.
Hashimoto connects with a leg kick. Betlach looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Hashimoto misses with a body shot
and Betlach counters with a right hand to the body.

Hashimoto moves into the clinch successfully.
Hashimoto tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hashimoto swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hashimoto throws a punch but it's blocked by Betlach.
Hashimoto tries to throw a body punch but Betlach avoids it by throwing Hashimoto back against the cage.
Hashimoto misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hashimoto tries a body shot but Betlach blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Betlach wants to break free but Hashimoto has control.
Hashimoto tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Betlach tries to break the clinch but Hashimoto is controlling the position.
Hashimoto can't find room to land a body shot as Betlach controls the action.
Hashimoto tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Betlach's elbow.
Betlach has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Betlach trying to control the position but instead, Hashimoto has worked for underhooks and has pushed Betlach into the cage.
Hashimoto struggles to land a body shot inside as Betlach controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Betlach misses with a body punch.
Betlach lands a body punch.
Betlach is trying to break free.
Betlach is trying to push Hashimoto away but Hashimoto has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Betlach blocks a body shot from Hashimoto.
Hashimoto lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Betlach prevents a body shot from Hashimoto.
A hook to the body from Betlach.
Hashimoto struggles to land a body shot inside as Betlach controls his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keiji Hashimoto dominated that second round.
That's time! 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.

Betlach swings for the body but Hashimoto moves out of range.
Betlach misses with a body shot
and Hashimoto counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Betlach uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hashimoto.
Betlach throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Betlach misses with a hook. Hashimoto ducked under it nicely.
Hashimoto blocks a jab.
Hashimoto takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Hashimoto avoids the body shot from Betlach.
Hashimoto slips a straight right by Betlach.
Hashimoto scores with a hook.
Hashimoto tries to clinch but Betlach moves out of range.
Betlach scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Hashimoto throws a leg kick that is checked
and Betlach counters with a straight right hand.
Betlach missing with a left hand there. Hashimoto was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Betlach waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hashimoto.
Betlach throws a good cross that connects.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Hashimoto misses.
Hashimoto lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Hashimoto shoots in and drives through. Betlach sprawls well.
A low kick from Hashimoto misses
letting Betlach counter with a right hand.
Hashimoto scores with a nice strike.
Hashimoto shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Betlach misses with a two punch combination.
Hashimoto swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Betlach looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Hashimoto takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Hashimoto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Betlach keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hashimoto misses the shot to the body.
Betlach throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hashimoto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Betlach misses with a wild body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hashimoto shoots for a double leg takedown but Betlach sprawls well. He's pushed Hashimoto's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hashimoto feints and then cracks Betlach's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Betlach down.
Hashimoto takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Hashimoto throws a hook but Betlach avoids it easily.
Hashimoto connects with a body shot.
Hashimoto bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hashimoto takes a swing at Betlach's ribcage but misses.
Hashimoto jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Betlach throws a shot from downtown. Hashimoto moves away and avoids it.
Hashimoto dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Some bone on bone action there as Betlach checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Betlach ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hashimoto misses with a body punch
and Betlach counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hashimoto thinking.
Hashimoto throws out a leg kick but Betlach moves out of range and Hashimoto only half commits.
Hashimoto takes a swing at Betlach's ribcage but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Betlach misses with a wild body shot.
Betlach lands with a hook. Hashimoto tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Hashimoto throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Betlach dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hashimoto connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Hashimoto thows a body shot but no joy.
Hashimoto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Betlach.
Betlach fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hashimoto manages to avoid it.
Hashimoto lands with a shot to the body.
Hashimoto feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Betlach's calf.
Betlach has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Hashimoto throws a predictable looking body shot
and Betlach counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hashimoto ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Betlach moves away.
Betlach takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Hashimoto doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Betlach takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Hashimoto.
Hashimoto ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Betlach shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Betlach swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Betlach throws a jab when Hashimoto was well out of range.
Hashimoto throws a looping overhand right but Betlach ducks down to avoid it.
Betlach throws out a powerful jab.
Betlach uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hashimoto.
Hashimoto with a jab.
Betlach misses with a jab to the body
and Hashimoto counters with a straight right hand.
Hashimoto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Betlach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Betlach keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hashimoto slips a straight right by Betlach.
Hashimoto throws a sloppy body shot
and Betlach counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Hashimoto misses the shot to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vevrin Betlach comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Betlach has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vevrin Betlach!