PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Yoshito Hirai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vincent Taveraz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taveraz comes into a darkened arena with his song building. dream shatter kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Hirai
vs
Taveraz

180 cm
20
194 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

182 cm
26
189 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
KO power

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshito Hirai!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Vincent Taveraz!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Ren Mimura and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taveraz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Hirai counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hirai slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hirai stands and throws Taveraz's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hirai is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Taveraz knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Taveraz tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hirai wants to control but Taveraz is keeping him busy.
Taveraz takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Taveraz looking for a sweep but Hirai has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Taveraz can't escape the position.
Hirai trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hirai lands with some strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taveraz is trying desperately to improve position.
Hirai tries to control but Taveraz wriggling away.
Taveraz is looking to improve his position but Hirai isn't that keen on the idea.
Hirai has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Hirai mounts Taveraz! Really nice guard pass there!
Taveraz tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Taveraz is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Hirai has hold of Taveraz's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Taveraz manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Taveraz tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hirai is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Taveraz has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Taveraz working to try and regain half guard.
Hirai looking to control but Taveraz is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hirai controlling the position easily from mount.
Taveraz taking shots to the head.
Hirai lands a nice shot to the head.
Hirai can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Taveraz is looking to escape.
Hirai lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hirai trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Hirai is working to isolate an arm here. It's a telegraphed submission attempt but he's gone for it anyway - and he's got it! Hirai extends the arm and Taveraz is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:23 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Yoshito Hirai!
Yoshito Hirai retains his middleweight title!