PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Yoshihiro Iwamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryo Kanzaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Iwamura
vs
Kanzaki

178 cm
27
153 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

182 cm
25
150 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yoshihiro Iwamura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ryo Kanzaki!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Russell Pearce and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Iwamura tries to clinch up but Kanzaki circles away and keeps his distance.

Iwamura closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Iwamura's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Iwamura fails with an attempt to clinch.
Iwamura closes the distance looking to clinch

and Kanzaki counters with a single leg into guard. Iwamura didn't expect that.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Iwamura pulls Kanzaki in close to his closed guard and prevents Kanzaki from doing any damage or advancing position.
Kanzaki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Kanzaki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Iwamura keeping moving, preventing Kanzaki from controlling successfully.
Kanzaki is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Iwamura working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kanzaki.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanzaki is looking to work some ground and pound but Iwamura has wrist control.
Iwamura is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kanzaki is controlling him.
Kanzaki controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Kanzaki throws a big right hand that misses.
Iwamura keeping moving, preventing Kanzaki from controlling successfully.
Kanzaki throws and elbow that misses. Iwamura uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Kanzaki's guard. Nice move by Iwamura!
Iwamura has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kanzaki is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ryo Kanzaki has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Nice sprawl there from Iwamura as Kanzaki shoots in.
Kanzaki fails with a takedown attempt.
Kanzaki keeps the fight on the outside.
Iwamura misses with a takedown attempt - Kanzaki sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Iwamura doesn't manage to clinch there - Kanzaki circles away.
Kanzaki circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kanzaki counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Iwamura wants to stand but Kanzaki is controlling the position.
Kanzaki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kanzaki is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Kanzaki with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Kanzaki postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Iwamura is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Kanzaki, into his guard.
Iwamura trying to control the position from guard on top but Kanzaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanzaki tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Iwamura tries to free his leg and advance position but Kanzaki is retaining full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kanzaki wants to sweep but no luck.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Kanzaki tries to strike from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryo Kanzaki dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kanzaki closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kanzaki lands in his opponent's guard.
Kanzaki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Iwamura swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kanzaki is looking to work some ground and pound but Iwamura has wrist control.
Iwamura pulls Kanzaki in close to prevent any damage.

Kanzaki drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Iwamura dives on top into guard.
Iwamura trying to control but Kanzaki is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Iwamura would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Yoshihiro Iwamura has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Kanzaki fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Iwamura avoids it really well and circles away.
Horrible takedown by Iwamura or perhaps it was just good defense by Kanzaki which made him look bad.
Iwamura tries to clinch but Kanzaki is having none of it.
Yoshihiro Iwamura is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanzaki keeps the fight on the outside.
Yoshihiro Iwamura seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Iwamura pushes Kanzaki up against the cage in a clinch.
Kanzaki tries to score a body lock takedown but Iwamura shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Iwamura wants to stall.
Iwamura using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kanzaki has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Iwamura lands a nice elbow.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kanzaki looking to stall.
Iwamura tries a knee to the head but Kanzaki blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kanzaki as Iwamura tries to tie him up.
Kanzaki on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Kanzaki pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kanzaki is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Iwamura trying to control the position from guard on top but Kanzaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Iwamura would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Iwamura slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Yoshihiro Iwamura.
Iwamura looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Iwamura tries to close the distance and clinch but Kanzaki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Iwamura.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kanzaki wants to control but Iwamura postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshihiro Iwamura dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Kanzaki swats away the attempt to clinch by Iwamura.
Iwamura closes the distance but Kanzaki moves to the side

and Kanzaki counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Kanzaki trying to move into half guard but instead Iwamura has managed to sweep!
Kanzaki keeping moving, preventing Iwamura from controlling successfully.
Kanzaki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Iwamura is one step ahead there.
Iwamura wants to stand but Kanzaki has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Iwamura looking to sit in guard and control but Kanzaki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Iwamura looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Kanzaki puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Kanzaki sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Iwamura defending well though.

Kanzaki is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Iwamura still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Iwamura has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Iwamura controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Iwamura seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Kanzaki for as long as he can get away with.

Iwamura decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Iwamura tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kanzaki manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Iwamura moves to clinch but Kanzaki breaks away

and Kanzaki decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Iwamura's guard.
Kanzaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Iwamura is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kanzaki keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Iwamura's head.
Kanzaki trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanzaki is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Kanzaki is looking to advance position but Iwamura has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Iwamura can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kanzaki is looking to escape.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Iwamura content just to control the position here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kanzaki is squirming around, avoiding Iwamura's attempts to control the action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryo Kanzaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kanzaki has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryo Kanzaki!