PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Banto Niko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tokugawa Hattori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Niko
vs
Hattori

170 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
19
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Banto Niko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tokugawa Hattori!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Hirohito Nitta and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hattori fails to land the takedown.
Hattori will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Niko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hattori swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hattori closes this distance looking for a takedown but Niko circles away.
Banto Niko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tokugawa Hattori.
Niko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hattori paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hattori fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Niko keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Tokugawa Hattori seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Niko stuffs the takedown attempt from Hattori. Hattori gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hattori swats away the attempt to clinch by Niko.
Hattori shoots in looking for a takedown but Niko manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hattori's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Hattori circles away from the clinch attempt.
Niko keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Niko blocks a head kick by Hattori.
Niko doesn't manage to clinch there - Hattori circles away.
Niko stuffs the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hattori fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Niko avoids it really well and circles away.

Hattori tries to keep at a distance but Niko has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hattori avoids the elbow strike from Niko, against the cage.
Niko lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Niko wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Niko lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hattori backwards.
Hattori drops down looking for an ankle pick but Niko pulls his leg out and moves away.
Nice takedown defense from Niko. No joy for Hattori on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hattori swats away the attempt to clinch by Niko.
Hattori fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hattori misses with a head kick.
Niko fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hattori swinging wildly here.

That's four 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.
Niko moves out of range as Hattori throws a body kick.
Banto Niko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Niko closes the distance and pushes Hattori back into the cage.
Hattori wants a takedown but no success here.
Hattori is looking to break free of the clinch but Niko has double underhooks.
Hattori dodges an elbow strike from Niko.
Niko creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Hattori's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Niko lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Niko could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Hattori tries to pull guard but Niko won't allow it.
A short right from Niko.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Banto Niko dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hattori tries to keep at a distance but Niko has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hattori misses with a punch on the inside.
Hattori tries to score a body lock takedown but Niko shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Hattori blocks an elbow strike from Niko.
Niko scores with a shoulder strike.
Niko lands a hook to the side of the head.
Hattori has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Niko is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Niko throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hattoris head.
Niko blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hattori blocks an elbow strike from Niko.
Niko pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hattori is trying to break the clinch but Niko has him pressed against the cage.

Niko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The fight stays on the outside here - Niko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Niko is looking to clinch.

Niko has closed the distance and engaged Hattori in a clinch.
Hattori is working for takedown but Niko is calmly controlling the position for now.
Banto Niko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tokugawa Hattori.
Niko lands with a light punch inside.
Hattori wants to stall.
Hattori tries to circle away but Niko has him pinned against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niko wants to get back to striking at distance but Hattori won't allow it.
Hattori tries to circle away but Niko has him pinned against the cage.
Hattori has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Niko is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Hattori tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Niko's elbow.
Niko pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Hattori looking for a takedown.
A frustrated look appears on Niko's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Niko misses with an elbow over the top.
Hattori has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Niko avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hattori tries to pull guard but Niko holds him up against the cage and eventually Hattori drops back down to his feet.
Hattori is breathing heavily.
Hattori jumps guard but Niko stands there with Hattori around his waist. Hattori gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hattori working aggressively here.
Niko throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Niko misses with a knee strike.
Niko throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Niko throws an elbow that misses.
Hattori tries to score a body lock takedown but Niko shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Hattori dodges an elbow strike from Niko.
Niko lands a hook that snaps the head of Hattori backwards.
Hattori looking to stall.
Hattori takes a shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hattori jumps guard but Niko stands there with Hattori around his waist. Hattori gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hattori tries to pull guard but Niko won't allow it.

Niko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Niko tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Hattori manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hattori shoots in looking for a takedown but Niko manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hattori's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Hattori tries to score a power double leg takedown but Niko sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hattori somewhat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hattori shoots in but no luck this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Banto Niko dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Hattori changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Niko tries to avoid it but Hattori manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Niko to the ground. Niko escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Hattori changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Niko tries to avoid it but Hattori manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Niko to the ground. Niko escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Niko defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hattori.
Banto Niko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tokugawa Hattori.
Niko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hattori shoots in looking for a takedown but Niko manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hattori's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Hattori jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Niko wants to clinch.

Niko pushes Hattori up against the cage in a clinch.
Hattori takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niko prevents the takedown attempt.
Hattori dodges an elbow strike from Niko.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Niko just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hattori's brow.
Hattori drops down looking for an ankle pick but Niko pulls his leg out and moves away.

Niko closes the distance and clinches.
Niko lands with a short shot to the head.
Niko scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Niko creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Niko is pressed up against the cage. Hattori has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Niko down to the mat. Niko avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hattori shoots in but Niko avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Niko moves in looking to clinch but Hattori pushes him off.
Banto Niko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hattori shoots in looking for a takedown. Niko tries to sprawl out of it but Hattori keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Niko manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Banto Niko is winning the standup battle so far.
Niko doesn't manage to clinch there - Hattori circles away.
Hattori fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hattori.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hattori shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Niko defends it nicely.
Hattori will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hattori misses with a wild combination.
Hattori avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tokugawa Hattori has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Niko wants to clinch up but Hattori keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niko tries to clinch but Hattori moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Niko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hattori misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Niko tries to clinch but Hattori is having none of it.
Hattori misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hattori shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Niko but Niko pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Banto Niko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hattori will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Banto Niko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Niko 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Banto Niko!