PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taka Yoshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Virgil Earp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taka Yoshi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Yoshi
vs
Earp

190 cm
29
220 lbs
23 - 9 - 0

187 cm
26
216 lbs
18 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

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 23 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Taka Yoshi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Virgil Earp!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Stewart Dunkirk and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yoshi shoots in looking for a takedown. Earp tries to sprawl out of it but Yoshi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Earp manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Earp throws a head kick that misses
and Yoshi counters with a one-two to the body.
Earp misses with a hook
and Yoshi counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Earp feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Yoshi's calf.
Yoshi avoids the head kick by Earp.
Earp lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Earp.
Earp throws a head kick that misses

and Yoshi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Yoshi.
Earp controls Yoshi momentarily but Yoshi frees himself.
Earp is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Yoshi is controlling him.
Earp is wriggling around but Yoshi manages to pass to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yoshi is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Earp is pressing down on Yoshi's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Earp wants to get back to his feet but Yoshi is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Yoshi drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Earp dives on top into guard.
Yoshi has a closed guard, preventing Earp from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Yoshi is trying to keep Earp in close.

Earp decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Yoshi, up you get!
No joy there for Earp, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Earp lands with a slapping head kick.
Virgil Earp is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Earp throws a leg kick
and Yoshi counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshi gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Earp connects with a solid leg kick.
Yoshi throws a leg kick but Earp sees it coming and moves out of range.
Earp throws a sloppy head kick and Yoshi moves out of range easily.
Virgil Earp seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A combination from Earp does no damage.
Yoshi checks a low kick from Earp.
Earp throws a head kick that misses.
Earp misses with a jab to the body

and Yoshi counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Earp's guard now.
Earp is trying to control the position but Yoshi postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Earp is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Yoshi tries to free his leg and advance position but Earp is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Earp utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Earp manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Yoshi manages to get himself to full guard.
Earp wants to control from the top but Yoshi keeps moving.
Yoshi is pulling down on Earp's head. It's preventing any offense from Earp, at least for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Earp wants to get up but he can't break Yoshi's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
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 Taka Yoshi will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Earp misses with a right hand
and Yoshi counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Earp misses with a head kick.
Earp swings away with a body shot that misses
and Yoshi counters with an inside leg kick.
Yoshi misses with the combination.
Horrible takedown by Yoshi or perhaps it was just good defense by Earp which made him look bad.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick by Earp misses
and Yoshi counters with an outside leg kick.
Earp throws a sloppy head kick and Yoshi moves out of range easily.
Earp throws a sloppy body shot
letting Yoshi counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Earp throws a body kick the misses
and Yoshi counters with a nice low kick that buckles Earp's knee momentarily.
Earp throws an off balance right hand
and Yoshi counters with a left and a right that stings Earp.
Yoshi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Earp's waist but Earp gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Yoshi off to one side.
Yoshi keeps the fight on the outside.
Earp throws a head kick but Yoshi moves out of range.
Yoshi thows a body kick. Earp tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A lazy body kick from Earp
and Yoshi counters with a nice uppercut.
Earp throws a head kick that misses
and Yoshi counters with a right hand to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoshi scores with a spinning back kick!
Earp rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Yoshi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Yoshi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Earp throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
No joy there for Yoshi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yoshi throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Earp counters with a stiff right hand.
Earp lands with a slapping head kick.
Yoshi looks for a takedown but Earp sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taka Yoshi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Earp is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Earp misses with a body punch

and Yoshi counters with a nice double leg into side control. Earp won't be happy with that.
Yoshi landing strikes.
Earp tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Yoshi throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Yoshi in side control lands a decent elbow.
Earp takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yoshi trying to control the position but Earp is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Yoshi are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Earp wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Yoshi working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Earp regains half guard.
Yoshi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Earp defending well though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Earp is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Earp is looking to control Yoshi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Earp avoid being mounted?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taka Yoshi dominated that second round.
That's time! Yoshi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Earp misses with a body shot

and Yoshi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Yoshi trying to control from half guard but Earp is working away.
Earp manages to get to full guard.
Earp is looking to stand back up but Yoshi counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Earp.
Earp makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Earp.
Earp wants to stand and escape but Yoshi is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Earp is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Yoshi stops Earp from standing up.
Yoshi wants to control from the top but Earp keeps moving.
Yoshi is working Earp over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Yoshi throwing strikes from guard but Earp blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yoshi scoring with some ground and pound.
Earp looking to control.
Earp might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Yoshi kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Yoshi drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Earp manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Yoshi has Earp in his guard.
Earp wants to stand but Yoshi has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Virgil Earp has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Earp is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Taka Yoshi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yoshi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Earp manages to get himself to full guard.

Earp looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Yoshi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Earp tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Earp is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Earp working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Yoshi.
Yoshi stopping the sweep attempt from Earp.

Earp had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yoshi defends it easily.
Taka Yoshi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Earp takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Yoshi scoring with some ground and pound.
Earp can't keep his opponent in guard - Yoshi advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taka Yoshi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Yoshi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taka Yoshi!