PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Konji Yamaski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aruneru Hero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aruneru Hero will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Yamaski
vs
Hero

168 cm
26
145 lbs
5 - 10 - 0

180 cm
25
151 lbs
5 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 5 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Konji Yamaski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Aruneru Hero!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hero will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Yamaski closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Hero to the mat! Hero manages to get full guard.
Hero tries to strike from the bottom.

Yamaski avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Yamaski wants to control from the top but Hero keeps moving.
Hero lands some strikes from the bottom.
Hero striking off his back but it's not causing Yamaski any problems.
Yamaski might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Hero holds on and takes a little breather.

Yamaski is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hero looking for a sweep. Not yet Hero, not yet.
Yamaski postures up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hero trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hero tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hero wants to stand but Yamaski is controlling the position.
Hero is trying to control the position but Yamaski postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Aruneru Hero.

Hero shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hero showed some decent athleticism there.
Hero thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Yamaski's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hero not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hero is trying to control. Yamaski wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Yamaski pushes Hero off looking to stand but Hero dives back in and keeps control.
Yamaski misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Yamaski is breathing heavily.
Hero is just content to waste time from the top position. Yamaski takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Hero in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hero trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamaski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hero is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hero wants to pass the guard but Yamaski is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamaski keeping moving, preventing Hero from controlling successfully.
Yamaski is trying to hold Hero in close to prevent damage but Hero has managed to pass into half guard.
Yamaski wants to improve his position but Hero is controlling well.

Hero is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Yamaski defends it well.

Hero stands up and beckons Yamaski to join him on the feet.
Hero delivers a nice body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yamaski gets caught flat footed, as Hero shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Hero wants to control from the top but Yamaski keeps moving.
Hero with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Hero trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamaski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hero throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Yamaski throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hero throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aruneru Hero dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A nice combination there by Hero.

Hero closes the distance and clinches.
A short body shot lands from Hero as the two fighters clinch.
Hero stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hero.
Yamaski takes an elbow to the temple.
Knees to the body from Hero.
Yamaski takes an elbow to the forehead.
Hero lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Nice elbow from Hero.
Hero stalling.
Hero using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Yamaski has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hero misses with a knee strike.
Hero lands an elbow that stopped Yamaski in his tracks for a moment.
Hero with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hero gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A short right from Hero.
Hero lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Hero throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Yamaskis head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hero is pushing Yamaski up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Hero pulls guard.
Hero looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yamaski is one step ahead there.
Hero throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hero manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Yamaski is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hero lands a heavy elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hero is working for a guillotine from mount but Yamaski frees his head quite easily.
Hero can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Yamaski is looking to escape.
Hero connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hero putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Hero wants to finish this one by submission but Yamaski is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Hero.
Hero with good strikes from the mount here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hero working the ground and pound effectively.

Hero working for a guillotine from mount but Yamaski is in no mood to give up.
Hero tries to control but Yamaski wriggling away.
Hero prevents Yamaski from getting the reversal.
Hero scoring with strikes but Yamaski is staying in there.
Hero scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Yamaski?

Yamaski defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Hero.
The referee warns Yamaski that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hero sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Hero pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Hero looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hero working the ground and pound effectively.
Hero punishing his opponent with strikes.
Hero trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hero dominating with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aruneru Hero showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hero tries to clinch up but Yamaski circles away and keeps his distance.
Hero tries to clinch but Yamaski moves out of range.

Hero rushes Yamaski and presses him up against the cage.
Hero wants to stall.
A knee to the head by Hero.
Yamaski is trying to push Hero away but Hero has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Yamaski trying to control the position but instead, Hero has worked for underhooks and has pushed Yamaski into the cage.
Hero putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Yamaski in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Hero tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hero scores with a hook to the body.
Hero will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Yamaski up against the cage.
Hero with a knee to the head.
Hero tries a knee to the head but Yamaski blocks it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hero comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hero stalling against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hero lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A knee to the head by Hero.
Hero throws a knee to the head but misses.
Yamaski trying to land knees to the body.
A short right from Hero.
Hero tries a knee to the head but Yamaski blocks it.
Hero throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Yamaski blocks it with crossed arms.
Hero drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hero is trying to stall.

Yamaski's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hero dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Yamaski. That did some damage!
Hero throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hero is looking to clinch.
Yamaski goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's two 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.

Hero feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Hero avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Hero drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Hero jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Hero stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yamaski swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Yamaski trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Yamaski working a defensive guard here.
Hero loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamaski preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hero trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamaski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hero wants to stand but Yamaski has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hero missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Yamaski is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hero is controlling him.

Yamaski looking for a guillotine here but Hero defends easily.
Hero wants to stand but Yamaski is controlling his posture from full guard.

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.
Yamaski throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hero's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Hero stands up and waves to Yamaski to follow him.
Aruneru Hero is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A solid body kick from Hero.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hero throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A nice combination there by Hero.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hero!
Konji Yamaski has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Hero moves into the clinch successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aruneru Hero comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hero 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 26:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aruneru Hero!