PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nobofuki Mishima (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shinji Tainaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tainaka has chosen 54-71 - Ugly Pray as his entrance music. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Mishima
vs
Tainaka

170 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

170 cm
19
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nobofuki Mishima!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinji Tainaka!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mishima closes this distance looking for a takedown but Tainaka circles away.
Mishima throws a right and a left that both miss.

Tainaka clinches with his opponent.
Mishima gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tainaka.

Mishima manages to break the clinch.
Mishima shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tainaka with a jab.
Tainaka throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tainaka is looking to clinch.
Mishima moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Mishima misses with a right hand
and Mishima takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mishima throws a left and a right that both miss
and Tainaka counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tainaka throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tainaka slips a jab and a cross from Mishima.
Mishima tries to clinch but Tainaka moves out of range.
Tainaka tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Mishima counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Good standup being displayed there by Tainaka as he connects with a hook.
Tainaka fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Tainaka gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Tainaka has Mishima pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Tainaka pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Mishima tumbling to the mat - Tainaka dives into Mishima's guard.
Tainaka must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tainaka tries to free his leg and advance position but Mishima is retaining full guard.
Tainaka trying to control but Mishima is working from the bottom.
Mishima controls Tainaka momentarily but Tainaka frees himself.
Mishima is really struggling to control Tainaka but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Mishima can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tainaka controls the pace.
I looks like Tainaka 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.
Tainaka really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mishima. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mishima looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tainaka is one step ahead there.
Mishima is breathing heavily.
Tainaka stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mishima swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mishima lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Tainaka!
Tainaka wants to control but Mishima is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tainaka is squirming around, avoiding Mishima's attempts to control the action.
Mishima controlling the position easily from mount.
Tainaka tries to hold on but Mishima pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mishima trying to control but Tainaka is having none of it.
Mishima avoids the attempt from Tainaka to control.
Tainaka holds of for dear life.
Tainaka is in all sorts of trouble here.
Mishima tries to control but Tainaka wriggling away.
Tainaka tries to reverse the position but Mishima maintains control.
Tainaka wants to control but Mishima is having none of it.
Tainaka is looking to improve his position but Mishima isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mishima tries to control but Tainaka wriggling away.
Mishima content just to control the position here.
Mishima looking to ground and pound but Tainaka is blocking nicely.
Mishima looking to ground and pound but Tainaka is blocking nicely.
Tainaka is desperately trying to improve his position but Mishima has a good base and remains in mount.
Tainaka wants to control but Mishima is having none of it.
Mishima trying to control but he's not successful this time.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tainaka can do anything to dispel that myth.
Tainaka tries to lock up and control but Mishima gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mishima sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Tainaka tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinji Tainaka dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Mishima shoots in looking for a takedown. Tainaka tries to sprawl out of it but Mishima keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tainaka manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Tainaka thuds his right hand into Mishima's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Good standup being displayed there by Tainaka as he connects with a hook.
Mishima displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Tainaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mishima swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mishima takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Mishima misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Tainaka drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Tainaka controlling the position from side mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tainaka trying to control the position but Mishima is working away.
Mishima tries to bench press Tainaka off him but Tainaka keeps the position.

Tainaka decides to stand back up. Tainaka steps back and let's Mishima get back to his feet.
Tainaka darts in trying to clinch

and Mishima counters by clinching up.

Mishima manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Tainaka seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Tainaka postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tainaka trying to control the position from guard on top but Mishima is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tainaka passes Mishima's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tainaka is trying to control the action in half guard but Mishima is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Despite being in the dominant position, Shinji Tainaka just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mishima tries to clinch but Tainaka moves out of range.
Tainaka scores with a one two! Mishima had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Tainaka misses with a right hand

and Mishima counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Tainaka wants to control but Mishima is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tainaka gets back to full guard.
Tainaka working a defensive guard but Mishima manages to pass into side control anyway.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tainaka is trying to improve his position.
Tainaka struggling a bit here.
Tainaka is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tainaka wants to control but Mishima postures up.
Mishima happy to just control the position for now.
Mishima scores with a couple of short elbows.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tainaka misses with the combination.
Tainaka stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Mishima fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nobofuki Mishima. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mishima gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Mishima shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Tainaka's guard.
Mishima is pushing down on Tainaka's leg trying to pass to half guard. Tainaka is fighting to maintain full guard but Mishima has managed to sneak the leg through.
Mishima is trying to control the action in half guard but Tainaka is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tainaka wants to improve his position but Mishima is controlling well.
Tainaka trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tainaka gets full guard.
Tainaka looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mishima slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Tainaka is trying to control the position but Mishima postures up.
Tainaka lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Mishima!
Tainaka controlling the position easily from mount.
Mishima is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tainaka content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nobofuki Mishima will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mishima misses with a hook to the body
and Tainaka counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A punch lands to the side of Mishima 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Tainaka just misses with a punch to the body.
Tainaka will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Shinji Tainaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tainaka cracks Mishima with a good jab.
Mishima shoots for a takedown but Tainaka saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tainaka swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mishima looks to clinch

and Tainaka counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Tainaka trying to control the position from guard on top but Mishima is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mishima is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Tainaka is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Mishima wants to pass the guard but Tainaka is defending well.
Mishima is thwarting Tainaka's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tainaka is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Mishima is staying active.
Tainaka keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Mishima is looking to advance position but Tainaka won't allow it.
Tainaka tries to roll over but Mishima keeps him under control.
Mishima drops an elbow to the side of Tainaka's head.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tainaka blocks a head kick by Mishima.
Mishima gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Tainaka counters with a head kick. That will keep Mishima thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Tainaka circles away from the clinch attempt.

Mishima scores with a takedown into Tainaka's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tainaka keeping moving, preventing Mishima from controlling successfully.
Tainaka pulls Mishima in close to prevent any damage.
Tainaka is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tainaka might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Mishima kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Tainaka looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mishima wants to stand but Tainaka is controlling his posture from full guard.
Tainaka is trying to keep Mishima in close.
Mishima trying to control but Tainaka is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mishima throws a leg kick but Tainaka checks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Tainaka.
Tainaka throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mishima takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Mishima walks into a straight right hand from Tainaka.
Nobofuki Mishima is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mishima is looking to clinch.

Tainaka looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mishima wants to control but Tainaka is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tainaka content to control rather than advance.
Let's hope that Tainaka has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Mishima gets back to full guard.
Tainaka being controlled here momentarily.
Tainaka wants to pass the guard but Mishima is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tainaka wants to control from the top but Mishima keeps moving.
Mishima looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mishima is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Tainaka trying to control but Mishima is working from the bottom.
Mishima wants to stand up but Tainaka is controlling him.
Tainaka trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mishima shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Tainaka counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nobofuki Mishima. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tainaka prevents Mishima from escaping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shinji Tainaka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tainaka 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shinji Tainaka!