PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kenshiro Yamada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Rowler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eric Rowler acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Yamada
vs
Rowler

187 cm
25
217 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

187 cm
29
213 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenshiro Yamada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Eric Rowler!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rowler slips a jab and a cross from Yamada.
Yamada stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Yamada wants it to stay on the feet.
Rowler circles away from the clinch attempt.
A big left from Yamada misses.
Rowler moves in looking to clinch but Yamada pushes him off.
Yamada jabs at Rowler's body.
Yamada getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Yamada throws a good cross that connects.
Yamada lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Yamada throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rowler shoots for a takedown but Yamada saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Yamada misses with a series of wild punches.
Nice cross by Yamada.
Rowler defending well as Yamada loads up on a big left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamada pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Yamada falls off balance throwing a combination

and Rowler counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Yamada's guard now.
Yamada wants to sweep here but Rowler controlling him for the moment.
Rowler throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Yamada working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rowler.
Yamada trying to control the position here.
Rowler has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rowler won't allow Yamada to sweep him here.
Rowler sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Yamada's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamada gets back to full guard.
Rowler stops Yamada from standing up.
Rowler trying to control but Yamada is working from the bottom.
Rowler slips nicely into half guard.
Yamada wants to improve his position but Rowler is controlling well.

Rowler is working for a submission of some sort.
Rowler lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamada holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Rowler throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rowler stalling away here and it's allowed Yamada to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Yamada controls Rowler momentarily but Rowler frees himself.
Yamada looking for a sweep. Not yet Yamada, not yet.
Rowler stands and throws Yamada's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Yamada tries to improve position but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rowler wants to control but Yamada is keeping him busy.
Yamada gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Yamada taking some punishment here, with Rowler in his half guard.

Rowler is working for a submission of some sort.
Rowler wants to take a breather but Yamada is having none of it.
Rowler working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Yamada throws an overhand right that lands on Rowler's shoulder, as Rowler tries to avoid the shot.
Yamada jabs Rowler to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yamada. Rowler does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yamada misses with a wild combination.
Yamada scores with the left hand. Rowler knows he should have avoided that one.
Yamada swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yamada thows a left - swing and a miss!
Yamada throws a jab when Rowler was well out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamada throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rowler.
Rowler bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Yamada swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Yamada throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamada doesn't manage to clinch there - Rowler circles away.
Yamada swings for the body but Rowler moves out of range.
Rowler swats away the attempt to clinch by Yamada.
Rowler staying out of range there.
Yamada lands with a straight right. Rowler didn't see that one coming.
Yamada takes a swing at Rowler's ribcage but misses.
Rowler ducks under a wild hook from Yamada.
No joy there for Yamada, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yamada ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rowler moves away.
Yamada loads up on a big right hand but Rowler slips the punch.
Kenshiro Yamada is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rowler tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Yamada swivels and escapes.
Yamada misses with a combination

and Rowler counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamada wants to control but Rowler is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Yamada is looking for a sweep. Rowler is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rowler working Yamada over with strikes.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rowler in particular looking to stall.
Rowler not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rowler winds up and cracks Yamada with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Rowler uses his free foot to push down on Yamada's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Yamada.
Rowler scoring with strikes but Yamada is staying in there.
Yamada holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Rowler tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rowler dominating with strikes here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yamada is squirming around, avoiding Rowler's attempts to control the action.
Rowler throwing strikes here but Yamada is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Rowler throws some wild stikes that Yamada manages to avoid easily.
Rowler tries to control but Yamada wriggling away.
Rowler lands with some strikes.

It looks like Kenshiro Yamada has been cut.
Rowler lands a big elbow.
Yamada knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rowler on the ground.
Yamada is squirming around, avoiding Rowler's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamada can't escape the position.
Yamada bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Yamada has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Yamada connects with a couple of short punches.
Rowler working a defensive guard here.
Yamada looking to sit in guard and control but Rowler gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yamada is trying to control the position but Rowler postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Rowler showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kenshiro Yamada's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

A left and a right from Yamada both land. Nice combination.
Yamada scores with a one two! Rowler had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Yamada throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rowler sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Yamada throws a hook to the side of Rowler's head but Rowler sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A jab from Yamada misses.
The fighters circling - Yamada throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Yamada throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
A big left from Yamada misses.
Yamada scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Rowler doesn't seem bothered though.
Rowler looks for a takedown but Yamada sprawls well.
Yamada tests Rowler's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamada swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Rowler counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rowler wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yamada keeps working.
Rowler thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rowler passes the guard and advances to mount!
Rowler postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Yamada looks a forlorn figure.

Kenshiro Yamada's cut is getting worse.
Rowler lands a heavy elbow.

Kenshiro Yamada's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Rowler prevents Yamada from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamada taking shots to the head.

Jeez, Kenshiro Yamada's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Kenshiro Yamada's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Eric Rowler!