PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taj Mahal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edmond Honda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mahal
vs
Honda

198 cm
25
238 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

208 cm
19
280 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

1337 ANZAC - a GTI company

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taj Mahal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Edmond Honda!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Fujiwara and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mahal misses with a body kick.
Honda tests Mahal's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Honda bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Mahal's head.
Honda looks to score with a jab to the body but Mahal is just out of range.
Honda lands a glancing blow to the side of Mahal's head.
A big right from Honda misses.
Honda fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Mahal on the side of the head.
Honda misses with a straight left.
Honda misses with a jab, cross combination.
Honda misses with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahal throws a lazy head kick
and Honda counters with a series of strikes. Mahal will be more careful next time no doubt.

Mahal instigates a clinch.
Mahal is working for takedown but Honda is calmly controlling the position for now.
Honda wants to get back to striking at distance but Mahal won't allow it.
Mahal stalling in the clinch.
Mahal gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Edmond Honda has been cut.
Mahal prevents Honda from breaking the clinch.
Honda can't break the clinch.
Honda has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Honda tries to break free but Mahal pushes him back against the cage.
Mahal drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Honda is looking to break free of the clinch but Mahal has double underhooks.

Mahal manages to pull guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Honda got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mahal has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Honda has managed to get both his arms back between Mahal's legs - danger averted.
Honda is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Mahal has his foot on Honda's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Honda works his way back into a safe position though.
Honda pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mahal is keeping the position for now.

Mahal working for a triangle but Honda defends it easily.

Honda stands up from Mahal's guard - Honda perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Honda missing with a left hand there. Mahal was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Honda lands with a slapping head kick.
A lazy left from Honda finds it's target.
Mahal moves out of range as Honda strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mahal defending well as Honda loads up on a big left hand.
Honda on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Honda might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

Mahal scores a takedown into full mount!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Honda avoids a series of strikes thrown by Mahal.
Honda is trying to stand up.
Honda is looking to improve his position but Mahal isn't that keen on the idea.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
BOOM! Mahal connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Taj Mahal will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Edmond Honda's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mahal avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Honda just misses with a punch to the body.
Honda thows a body shot but no joy.
Honda misses with a right hand

and Mahal moves into the clinch.
Honda gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Mahal.

Mahal wants the takedown. Honda is fighting it off but Mahal persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Honda's guard against the cage.
Mahal won't allow Honda to get back to his feet.
Mahal wants to control from the top but Honda keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Honda keeping full guard, as Mahal tries to pass.
Honda trying to control the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Mahal tries to free his leg and advance position but Honda is retaining full guard.
Honda wants to stand but Mahal is controlling the position.

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.
Honda preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mahal trying to control the position from guard on top but Honda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mahal shoots in for a takedown but Honda shows good takedown defense.
Taj Mahal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Honda wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Mahal tries to clinch up but Honda circles away and keeps his distance.
Mahal steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Honda.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahal tries to clinch but Honda is having none of it.
Edmond Honda is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Honda takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Mahal here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Honda lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Mahal avoids the body shot from Honda.
Honda avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Honda missing with a left hand there. Mahal was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Honda misses with a body punch

and Mahal counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mahal.
Mahal stops Honda from standing up.
Mahal with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mahal accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mahal works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Mahal is pressing down on Honda's thigh, looking to free his foot. Honda is holding on for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Honda is trying to control but can't.
Mahal missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mahal with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Honda trying to control but Mahal postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taj Mahal dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Edmond Honda's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Mahal is trying hard to land a takedown here. Honda sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mahal moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Mahal looks for a takedown but Honda sprawls well.
Honda lands with an uppercut that bounces Mahal off the cage and back into rage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice leg kick lands there from Mahal.
Honda throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Edmond Honda seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Mahal shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Honda's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahal wants to control from the top but Honda keeps moving.
Mahal wants to pass the guard but Honda is keeping the position.
Mahal thows a big elbow that misses.
Honda looking to control.
Mahal pushes down on Honda's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Honda is looking to escape.

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.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mahal in particular looking to stall.
Mahal is keen to just control but Honda is a slippery customer.
Taj Mahal is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Well, if Mahal is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Edmond Honda has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Taj Mahal wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Honda takes a swing at Mahal's ribcage but misses.
Honda throws out a loose jab but Mahal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Honda scores with a shot to the body.
Mahal throws a nice outside leg kick.
Mahal tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Honda stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Mahal shoots in for a takedown but Honda shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taj Mahal. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Honda fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Honda swats away the attempt to clinch by Mahal.
Mahal blocks a leg kick.
A head kick by Mahal misses
and Honda counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Mahal throws a wild body kick that Honda sees coming a mile off.
Mahal throws a head kick but Honda moves out of range.
Mahal takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

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 Taj Mahal.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mahal, 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taj Mahal!