PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bay Mai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshihiro Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bay Mai has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Mai
vs
Tanaka

178 cm
18
175 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

167 cm
22
173 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bay Mai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshihiro Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka shoots in for a double leg but Mai sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mai is looking to clinch.
Tanaka circles away from the clinch attempt.

Mai has managed to clinch.
Mai scores a nice knee to the body.
Tanaka looks gassed!
Mai throws a head punch that misses.
Tanaka wants a takedown.
Tanaka managing to block the knees to the body from Mai.
Mai is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Tanaka gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mai wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Mai pulls guard.

Mai looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Mai escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Tanaka gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Tanaka should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Mai looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tanaka is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka trying to control but Mai is working from the bottom.

Mai looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Tanaka has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mai is proving hard to escape from.
Mai looking for a sweep. Not yet Mai, not yet.
Mai manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Mai working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Mai with good strikes from the mount here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mai is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

Tanaka rushes Mai and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mai wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tanaka has him pressed against the cage.
Mai takes a knee right on the jaw!

Tanaka breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mai closes the distance looking to clinch

and Tanaka decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Mai's guard.
Mai keeping moving, preventing Tanaka from controlling successfully.
Tanaka passes easily into side control. Nice work.
A lull in the action here as Tanaka stalls from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Tanaka tries to clinch up

and Mai counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Mai managing to block the knees to the body from Tanaka.
Tanaka is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mai pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bay Mai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoshihiro Tanaka.
Tanaka scores a nice knee to the body.
Mai trying to land knees to the body.
Mai tries to pull guard but Tanaka won't allow it.
Mai misses with a punch on the inside.

Mai breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tanaka gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Mai counters with a shoot takedown. Tanaka fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Mai is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Tanaka Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Mai's back instead.
Mai tries to escape the position.
Tanaka scores with punches and elbows.
Mai staying busy and making it hard for Tanaka to control.
Tanaka scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Mai is looking for a way out.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tanaka lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Tanaka is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Mai defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bay Mai dominated that round.
That's time! Mai's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mai falls off balance throwing a combination

and Tanaka counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Tanaka slows down the pace here.
Mai trying to land knees to the body.
Mai tries a body shot but Tanaka blocks it.
Tanaka wants to break the clinch but can't.
Tanaka avoiding damage as Mai throws knees to the body.
Mai wants a takedown but no success here.
Mai slows down the pace here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mai has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tanaka is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Mai trying to land knees to the body.
Mai tries to score a body lock takedown but Tanaka shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bay Mai. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tanaka breaks the clinch.
Tanaka tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Mai counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mai is thwarting Tanaka's attempts to control the position.
Mai looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Tanaka manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Mai fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Mai doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Tanaka counters with a nice double leg into side control. Mai won't be happy with that.
Mai gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mai manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Mai uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka wants to clinch up but Mai keeps it at a distance.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Mai misses with a takedown attempt - Tanaka sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Mai shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Tanaka counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Mai!
Mai is desperately trying to improve his position but Tanaka has a good base and remains in mount.
Mai is working hard here to advance position.
Mai tries to lock up and control but Tanaka gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Tanaka in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Mai working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Tanaka avoids the attempt from Mai to control.
Tanaka throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Mai wants to hold on but Tanaka pushes him away.
Mai is trying to escape the mount.
Mai is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Mai is looking to get to half guard.
Tanaka lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Mai hang on?
Yoshihiro Tanaka has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mai manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Mai looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mai knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Mai is trying to get back to full guard.
Mai trying to control here.
Mai works his way to full guard. Good work.
Mai working a defensive guard here.
Mai looking for a sweep. Not yet Mai, not yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Mai working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tanaka doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tanaka manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Tanaka thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshihiro Tanaka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Mai scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Mai misses with the combination.
Mai circles away from the clinch attempt.

Tanaka rushes Mai and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka wants to break free but Mai has control.
Mai throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tanaka blocks it with crossed arms.
Tanaka has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mai is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Tanaka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Mai breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mai darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mai tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tanaka paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mai tries to clinch up but Tanaka circles away and keeps his distance.
Mai shoots for a double leg takedown but Tanaka sprawls well. He's pushed Mai's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mai looks to clinch

and Tanaka counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Tanaka.
Mai is trying to keep Tanaka in close.
Mai bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tanaka's guard.

Mai gets to his feet - Tanaka follows without any prompting.
Mai throws a combination that misses

and Tanaka counters with a nice double leg into side control. Mai won't be happy with that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mai manages to get back to half guard.

Tanaka stands up out of the half guard.
Mai circles away from the clinch attempt

and Mai counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mai prevents the takedown attempt.

Tanaka breaks the clinch.
Mai tries to clinch but Tanaka moves away

and Tanaka counters by moving into the clinch.
Mai using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Tanaka landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Tanaka takes a knee right on the jaw!
Tanaka lands a knee to the head.
Tanaka lands a nice knee to the body.
Mai missing with knees to the body.
Tanaka crunches a lovely knee into Mai's ribcage.
Tanaka prevents the takedown attempt.
Tanaka on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Mai manages to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mai is trying to keep Tanaka in close.

Mai looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Mai trying to keep a closed guard but Tanaka is proving a slippery customer.
Mai manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tanaka manages to get himself to full guard.
Tanaka throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Tanaka keeping moving, preventing Mai from controlling successfully.
Mai is really struggling to control Tanaka but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Tanaka looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mai is one step ahead there.
Mai will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

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.

Mai stands up and waves to Tanaka to follow him.
Mai throws a nice inside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tanaka clinches but Mai breaks the clinch

and Mai decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Tanaka's guard.

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 Bay Mai.
I think Mai has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Bay Mai!