PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Barry Montalo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yamapi Chan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Montalo
vs
Chan

165 cm
20
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Blaze Ronin Street Gear

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Barry Montalo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yamapi Chan!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Hirohito Nitta and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Montalo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Montalo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Montalo could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Chan tries for a takedown. No joy.
Chan fails to pull guard.
Montalo lands an elbow inside that Chan shrugs off.

It looks like Yamapi Chan has been cut.

Montalo has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Chan regains guard immediately.
Montalo is looking to work some ground and pound but Chan has wrist control.
Chan controlling the position.
Montalo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Montalo trying to control the position from guard on top but Chan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Montalo decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Chan, up you get!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Montalo.
Chan keeps the fight on the outside.

Chan shoots in and bounces Montalo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Montalo pulls Chan in close to prevent any damage.
Montalo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Chan's guard.

Chan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montalo being controlled here momentarily.
Montalo trying to stand up but can't free himself from Chan's guard.
Chan doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Montalo gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Montalo.
Chan throws a big shot that misses.
Chan throws a leg kick but Montalo checks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montalo swings widly with a right hand

and Chan counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Chan trying to control the position from guard on top but Montalo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Yamapi Chan.

Montalo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Montalo is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chan wants to sweep but no luck.
Montalo sitting in guard here, content to control.
Chan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Montalo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Chan is proving hard to escape from.
Montalo trying to control but Chan is working from the bottom.

Chan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Montalo doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Montalo manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Chan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Montalo is one step ahead there.
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 Barry Montalo will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Yamapi Chan's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Chan takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Montalo with a poor takedown

and Chan counters with a nice double leg into side control. Montalo won't be happy with that.
Montalo is trying to get back to half guard.
Chan is looking to take a break and control but Montalo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chan controlling the position from side mount.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Yamapi Chan.
Chan misses with a takedown

and Montalo counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Chan wants to control but Montalo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Chan is pressing down on Montalo's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they both work up against the meshing.
Chan manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Montalo manages to get himself to full guard.
Chan sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montalo controlling the position.
Montalo working a defensive guard here.

Montalo has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Chan off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Chan swats away the attempt to clinch by Montalo.
Chan blocks the body kick.
Chan tries to clinch

and Montalo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Chan's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Montalo won't allow Chan to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Barry Montalo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Montalo stands up and waves to Chan to follow him.
Montalo fails with an attempt to clinch.

Montalo gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Montalo keeping full guard, as Chan tries to pass.
Chan wants to control from the top but Montalo keeps moving.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chan trying to land knees to the body.
Montalo drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Chan wants a takedown but no success here.
Montalo doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Chan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Montalo jumps guard.
Chan lands a couple of elbows.
Chan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Chan wants to control from the top but Montalo keeps moving.
Chan connects with a couple of short punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Chan distracts Montalo with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Montalo keeping moving, preventing Chan from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Barry Montalo dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Yamapi Chan's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Montalo doesn't manage to clinch there - Chan circles away.
Chan fails with the takedown

and Montalo moves into the clinch.
Montalo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Chan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Montalo fails with the takedown

and Chan counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Chan.
Montalo working a defensive guard but Chan passes into half guard.
Chan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Montalo keeps working.
Chan lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Chan decides to stand up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Chan slips a straight right by Montalo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chan with a poor takedown

and Montalo counters by moving into the clinch.
Chan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Montalo just stands there and leans against the cage.
Barry Montalo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yamapi Chan.
Montalo jumps guard but Chan stands there with Montalo around his waist. Montalo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Montalo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Montalo taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Montalo tightens his grip and picks Chan up, before dumping him to the ground. Chan manages to land in guard.
Montalo sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Chan controls Montalo momentarily but Montalo frees himself.
Montalo pushing down on Chan's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Chan is looking to get back to full guard here but Montalo has managed to pass to side control instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montalo trying to control but Chan is having none of it.

Montalo is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Montalo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Chan, pushing him back against the cage.
Chan managing to block the knees to the body from Montalo.

Montalo tightens his grip and picks Chan up, before dumping him to the ground. Chan manages to land in guard.
Montalo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Montalo trying to control the position from guard on top but Chan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chan controlling Montalo's posture.
Montalo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Montalo looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Chan keeping moving, preventing Montalo from controlling successfully.
Chan trying to control the position.
Montalo being controlled here momentarily.
Montalo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Chan trying to keep a closed guard but Montalo is proving a slippery customer.
Yamapi Chan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Montalo is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Chan is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Chan has escaped and now he's on top!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Barry Montalo.
Well Montalo 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Barry Montalo!