PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Taka Sho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yushin Okami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yushin Okami has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sho
vs
Okami

184 cm
18
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
184 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taka Sho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yushin Okami!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yukihiro Shimada and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Okami moves into range and clinches up with Sho.

Sho decides to pull guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Sho escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Okami gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Okami lands a couple of elbows.
Sho looking for a sweep. Not yet Sho, not yet.

Sho throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Okami pushing down on Sho's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Okami wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sho keeps working.
Sho regains full guard. Nicely done.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sho not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Okami got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sho has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Okami has managed to get both his arms back between Sho's legs - danger averted.
Sho keeping full guard, as Okami tries to pass.
Okami is working Sho over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sho tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Okami trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sho is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Sho is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Okami defends well.
Sho pulls Okami in close to prevent any damage.

Sho has an active guard here but Okami has managed to pass into half guard.
Sho is not content to let Okami control the position.
Sho wants to get back to full guard.
Sho on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sho tries to get out of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sho gets back to full guard.
Sho trying to keep a closed guard but Okami is proving a slippery customer.

Sho looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Sho keeping moving, preventing Okami from controlling successfully.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Sho is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Okami defends well.
Okami distracts Sho with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Okami slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sho moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sho avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sho wants to sweep but no luck.
Sho keeping moving, preventing Okami from controlling successfully.
Sho is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Okami pushes Sho off looking to stand but Sho dives back in and keeps control.
Sho wants to control but Okami is keeping him busy.

Okami with the active half guard here but Sho passes nicely into side control.
Sho wants to lay and pray for a moment but Okami keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sho tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

Sho goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Okami rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Sho's guard! Nice work there by Okami!
Okami missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sho looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sho is trying to hold Okami in close to prevent damage but Okami has managed to pass into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taka Sho dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Okami gets caught flat footed, as Sho shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Sho missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sho postures up.
Sho throwing strikes from guard but Okami blocks nicely.
Okami tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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

Sho working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Okami doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Okami manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Okami trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sho wants to sweep here but Okami controlling him for the moment.
Okami lands a couple of elbows.

Sho escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Okami gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Okami gets to his feet - Sho follows without any prompting.

Okami drives through and clinches with Sho against the cage.
Sho fails to pull guard.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Okami.
Sho fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Okami pulls Sho into guard.
Sho controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okami keeping moving, preventing Sho from controlling successfully.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sho passes into half guard.

Sho is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Okami doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Sho.
Sho not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sho is looking for a kimura here.

Okami actively working from the bottom here.
Okami is pressing down on Sho's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sho seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Sho won't allow Okami to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sho landing some decent shots from guard.
Sho trying to control but Okami is working from the bottom.
Sho engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Sho throws a strike but Okami rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sho has his foot on Okami's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Okami works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taka Sho dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Sho changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Okami tries to avoid it but Sho manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Okami to the ground. Okami escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Okami lands a head kick. Sho smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Sho tries to keep at a distance but Okami has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sho tries to pull guard but Okami holds him up against the cage and eventually Sho drops back down to his feet.
Okami landing knees to the head.

Okami has picked Sho up - he's going for a ride! Okami dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Okami wants to pass the guard but Sho is defending well.
Sho is trying to get back to full guard.
Okami working over Sho with some ground and pound. Sho looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Okami is looking to take a break and control but Sho is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Okami sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sho defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okami looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Sho is pressing down on Okami's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Sho had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Okami defends it easily.
Okami must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sho manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Okami tries to hold on but Sho pushes him away.
Taka Sho overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sho lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Sho tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sho landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Okami is trying to escape the mount.
Sho trying to control but Okami is having none of it.
Okami wants to hold on but Sho pushes him away.
Okami sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Okami won't allow Sho to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sho is working hard here to advance position.
Okami is looking to control Sho's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Okami avoid being mounted?
Sho scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Sho stops Okami from getting back to his feet.
Sho perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Okami wants to get back to his feet.
Sho keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Sho seems to be working for a kimura but Okami defends the submission attempt.

Okami is defending against the submission attempts here by Sho.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sho is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Okami wants to control but Sho is keeping busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sho landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taka Sho showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sho, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27

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