PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between kenji takahashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hagupit Zack (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.

takahashi
vs
Zack

182 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, kenji takahashi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hagupit Zack!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yukihiro Shimada and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
takahashi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
takahashi takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
takahashi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hagupit Zack seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zack misses with a head kick.
A jab from Zack misses.
Zack staying out of range there.
takahashi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
takahashi on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
takahashi is breathing heavily.
Zack swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Zack leaves takahashi with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Zack gets a takedown into half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Zack lands strikes from half guard.
Zack thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed takahashi's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
takahashi blocking the ground and pound attempt from Zack.
Zack lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Zack missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Zack seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Zack working the head and body with strikes.
Zack lands strikes from half guard.
Zack scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Zack throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Zack takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Zack lands strikes from half guard.
Zack looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks takahashi with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Zack not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Zack not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Zack lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Zack is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zack thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed takahashi's head.
takahashi blocking the ground and pound attempt from Zack.
Zack is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Zack is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. takahashi doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Zack.
Zack not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Zack is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zack throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
takahashi on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Zack missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
takahashi trying to control from the bottom.
takahashi is trying to get back to full guard.
Zack looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zack throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ground and pound from Zack.
Zack is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Zack thows a huge punch but takahashi dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
takahashi on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
takahashi has hold of Zack's hands but Zack slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Zack scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Zack is nestled in close to takahashi, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Zack missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Zack looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks takahashi with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Zack is thwarting takahashi's attempts to control the position.
takahashi is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Zack scores with a couple of nice shots.
Zack seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zack throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
takahashi taking some punishment here, with Zack in his half guard.
Zack is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hagupit Zack dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Zack fails to land the takedown.
Zack throws a shot from downtown. takahashi moves away and avoids it.
Zack throws a head kick that misses.
Zack looks to land a right hand but takahashi moved out of range.

Zack bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
takahashi dodges the ground and pound from Zack.
What's takahashi going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
takahashi avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Zack.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
takahashi sneaks back into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zack landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Zack is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and takahashi reverses the position - he's now on top in Zack's guard.
Zack has a closed guard, preventing takahashi from standing up.
takahashi wants to control from the top but Zack keeps moving.
takahashi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Zack looking to hit a scissor sweep but takahashi is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Zack is looking to stand up but takahashi isn't so interested in that idea.
Zack looking for a sweep. Not yet Zack, not yet.
takahashi trying to control but Zack is working from the bottom.
Hagupit Zack has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because kenji takahashi just wasn't active enough.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zack is defended easily by takahashi.
kenji takahashi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zack moves in looking to clinch but takahashi pushes him off.
takahashi jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Zack throws a front kick that sends takahashi stumbling back into the cage.

Zack looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Zack lands strikes from half guard.
Ground and pound from Zack.
Zack is pressing down on takahashi's thigh, looking to free his foot. takahashi is holding on for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zack throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Zack missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
takahashi taking some punishment here, with Zack in his half guard.
takahashi moves into full guard.
takahashi controlling Zack's posture.
takahashi wants to sweep but no luck.
Zack with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zack is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hagupit Zack showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Zack misses with a head kick.
Zack looks for a takedown but takahashi sprawls well.
takahashi misses with a takedown attempt

and Zack counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Zack slips a nice elbow through takahashi's hands, connecting with takahashi's forehead.
takahashi is trying to get back to full guard.
Zack throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
takahashi wants to get back to his feet.
takahashi tries to get to full guard but Zack has control of the leg.
Zack is trying to control. takahashi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
takahashi is looking to control Zack's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can takahashi avoid being mounted?
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zack wants to take a breather but takahashi is having none of it.

Zack is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Zack with the ground and pound but takahashi uses the opportunity to regain guard.
takahashi wants to get back to his feet but Zack is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
takahashi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Zack postures up in takahashi's guard and throws a big left but takahashi blocks it.
Zack throws a big right hand that misses.
Zack must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
takahashi looking to control.

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.
takahashi wants to sweep here but Zack controlling him for the moment.
Zack postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Zack working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of takahashi's head.
takahashi has Zack pulled in close to control his posture.
takahashi is trying to keep Zack in close.
Zack landing some decent shots from guard.
Zack landing some decent shots from guard.
Zack landing some decent shots from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zack throwing strikes but missing.
Zack postures up and lands a big shot to takahashi's brow.
Zack wants to control from the top but takahashi keeps moving.
Zack postures up.
Zack stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. takahashi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
takahashi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Zack connects with a couple of short punches.
Zack throwing strikes from guard but takahashi blocks nicely.
kenji takahashi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Zack postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zack thows a big elbow that misses.
Zack with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zack cracks takahashi with a solid left hand.
takahashi lands a decent shot there.
takahashi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zack manages to get himself to full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zack can do anything to dispel that myth.
Zack looking for a sweep. Not yet Zack, not yet.
Zack trying to control the position.
takahashi stops Zack from standing up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hagupit Zack comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Zack 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 26:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hagupit Zack!