PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shinji Yamaru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Isamu Takahashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yamaru comes into the arena with Rising blaring out of the sound system. Takahashi is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Crows Zero - Into the Battle. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Yamaru
vs
Takahashi

177 cm
20
153 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Nutrition Oracle

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinji Yamaru!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Isamu Takahashi!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Ren Mimura and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Takahashi gets a double leg takedown into Yamaru's guard.
Takahashi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yamaru is keeping the position for now.

Takahashi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Yamaru throws a right and a left that Takahashi avoids nicely.
Yamaru is looking to clinch but Takahashi is avoiding it.
Takahashi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Yamaru misses with a low kick.
Yamaru lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Yamaru scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Isamu Takahashi has been cut.

Takahashi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Takahashi is working for a submission of some sort.
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!
Yamaru trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi slows the pace down in half guard.

Yamaru looking for submissions off his back.

Takahashi decides to stand and escape the position.

Yamaru scores with a takedown into Takahashi's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Takahashi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Yamaru doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Yamaru manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Takahashi has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Takahashi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi pulls Yamaru in close to prevent any damage.

Takahashi working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Yamaru has passed into half guard!
Takahashi trying to control here.
Takahashi looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Takahashi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Yamaru is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Takahashi is refusing to be controlled, as Yamaru sits in half guard.
Takahashi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Takahashi pulls Yamaru in close to prevent any damage.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Yamaru has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Isamu Takahashi was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Yamaru throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Isamu Takahashi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Isamu Takahashi's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Yamaru misses with a low kick.
Yamaru looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Yamaru looks to land a combination. Takahashi sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Takahashi dodges the punch combination from Yamaru.
Yamaru displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Takahashi has closed the distance and engaged Yamaru in a clinch.

Yamaru manages to break the clinch.
Takahashi blocks a head kick by Yamaru.
Some wild striking there from Yamaru.
A combination from Yamaru does no damage.

Takahashi closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Takahashi lands in his opponent's guard.
Takahashi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Takahashi trying to control but Yamaru is working from the bottom.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Isamu Takahashi hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Yamaru will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Takahashi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Takahashi tries to clinch but Yamaru moves out of range.
Yamaru tries to bum rush Takahashi with a series of wild strikes but Takahashi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Takahashi drives through and clinches with Yamaru against the cage.
Yamaru is trying to break free.

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.
Takahashi misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Yamaru.
Takahashi goes for a takedown in the clinch but Yamaru prevents it.
Yamaru tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Yamaru prevents a takedown attempt there.
Takahashi tries to break the clinch but Yamaru is controlling the position.
Yamaru prevents the takedown attempt.
Shinji Yamaru has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Isamu Takahashi.
Takahashi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Takahashi effectively controlling the action here.
Takahashi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Takahashi jumps into guard, dragging Yamaru to the mat.
Takahashi wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Yamaru showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Takahashi is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Yamaru pulls guard effortlessly.

Yamaru looking for a guillotine here but Takahashi defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Takahashi pushing down on Yamaru's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Yamaru is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamaru tries to kick Takahashi off but Takahashi keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Yamaru is defending against the submission attempts here by Takahashi.
Takahashi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Takahashi seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Isamu Takahashi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Isamu Takahashi's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Takahashi closes the distance and clinches.

Takahashi pulls guard successfully.
Yamaru wants to control from the top but Takahashi keeps moving.
Takahashi wants to sweep here but Yamaru controlling him for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamaru prevents Takahashi from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamaru won't allow Takahashi to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Takahashi keeping moving, preventing Yamaru from controlling successfully.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

We're going to have a standup here because Shinji Yamaru wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Yamaru enables Takahashi to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Yamaru manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Takahashi postures up.
Takahashi advances to half guard.
Yamaru wants to control the action here but instead Takahashi manages to pass to full mount!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Takahashi with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Takahashi misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Takahashi's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Takahashi landing strikes, looking to finish!
Takahashi controlling the pace for now.
Yamaru is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamaru holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Takahashi tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Yamaru is trying to stand but he's just given Takahashi his back.
Takahashi throwing wild punches that miss their target.

Yamaru is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Takahashi gets his way!
Takahashi keeps control of the position easily here as Yamaru tries to buck him off.
Takahashi misses with punches from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yamaru showing good submission defense here.
Yamaru is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Takahashi.
Yamaru has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Takahashi.
Shinji Yamaru has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Isamu Takahashi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Takahashi is persistently looking for the submission but Yamaru is defending it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Isamu Takahashi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Takahashi winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Isamu Takahashi!