PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Brown (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kasahiro Yama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brown comes to the cage accompanied by Avassalador ft. Globus - Sou Foda. Yama has chosen Yatta as his entrance music. 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.

Brown
vs
Yama

185 cm
23
210 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

172 cm
22
216 lbs
12 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160 - Green Bay Packer's 12-0

Milwaukee's Best 160 - Green Bay Packer's 12-0
Milwaukee's Best 160 - Green Bay Packer's 12-0

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Brown!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kasahiro Yama!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Bruno Lombardi and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yama shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yama tries to free his leg and advance position but Brown is retaining full guard.
Brown will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Yama postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Brown wants to sweep here but Yama controlling him for the moment.
Yama pushing down on Brown's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Yama is trying to work for a kimura but Brown is defending well.
Yama sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Brown defending well though.
Yama performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Yama is nestled in close to Brown, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Brown wants to get back to full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Brown won't allow Yama to pass to mount.

Yama is working for a submission of some sort.
Yama wants to take a breather but Brown is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yama seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Yama wants to lay and pray for a moment but Brown keeps working.
Brown avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Yama.
Yama is looking to advance position but Brown won't allow it.
Brown is staying active underneath Yama, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yama prevents Brown from improving his position.

Yama is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Yama tries to pass the half guard into mount. Brown knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Yama throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Brown to regain full guard.
Yama wants to control from the top but Brown keeps moving.
Yama forces his way into half guard.
Brown regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Yama.
Brown is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Brown avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yama works over Brown with some ground and pound from guard.
Yama trying to control the position from guard on top but Brown is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yama throws a strike but Brown rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Yama has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Yama working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Brown doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Brown manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Brown is looking to stand up but Yama won't let him.
Yama trying to keep a closed guard but Brown is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yama has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Brown can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Brown wanted to stand there but Yama had control of the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Brown stands up from Yama's guard - Brown perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kasahiro Yama dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Yama will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Yama misses with a body punch
and Brown cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Brown fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nice sprawl there from Brown as Yama shoots in.

Yama drives through with a takedown into Brown's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Yama pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Brown is keeping the position for now.
Yama is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Brown has his foot on Yama's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yama works his way back into a safe position though.
Yama passes Brown's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Yama throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kasahiro Yama has got the better of the ground game so far.
Brown is looking for a sweep. Yama is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yama scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Yama with the ground and pound but Brown uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Yama preventing the sweep.
Brown working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Yama.
Yama throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Brown keeping moving, preventing Yama from controlling successfully.
Brown avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Yama tries to free his leg and advance position but Brown is retaining full guard.
Yama postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Yama trying to control the position from guard on top but Brown is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yama pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Brown is keeping the position for now.

Brown is looking for a triangle but Yama pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Brown looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Yama passes into half guard.

Yama seems to be working for a kimura but Brown defends the submission attempt.
Brown is not content to let Yama control the position.
Yama is looking to advance position but Brown won't allow it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Brown blocking the ground and pound attempt from Yama.

Brown actively working from the bottom here.
Yama is trying to control. Brown wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yama missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Yama prevents Brown from standing back up.
Yama is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Brown trying to control from the bottom.
Brown is refusing to be controlled, as Yama sits in half guard.
Brown is trying to maintain the position but Yama is very close to passing his half guard.
Yama working Brown over with strikes.
Yama controlling the action here.
Let's hope that Yama has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Yama throwing shots but Brown is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yama is controlling the pace.
Yama seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Brown does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Brown is looking to improve his position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Kasahiro Yama wasn't active enough on the ground.
Brown takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Some wild striking there from Brown.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yama takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Yama shoots in for a takedown but Brown shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
John Brown has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kasahiro Yama.
Brown misses with a low kick as Yama jumps back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kasahiro Yama showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sloppy strikes from Brown. Those never looked like landing.
Yama throws a body punch but Brown moves out of range.
Brown pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Yama thows a body shot but no joy.
Brown throws a leg kick
enabling Yama to counter with a crisp jab.
Yama checks a leg kick nicely.
Yama fails to land the takedown.
Brown uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yama.
Yama changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Brown misses with a body shot.
A head kick misses from Brown.
Yama will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Yama.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brown misses with a wild body shot.

Yama fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Brown sprawls well initially but Yama persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Yama lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Brown gets back to full guard.
Yama looking to pass the guard.

Brown had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yama defends it easily.
Brown wants to sweep here but Yama controlling him for the moment.
Brown not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yama is looking to work some ground and pound but Brown has wrist control.
Yama stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Brown swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Yama trying to control but Brown is working from the bottom.
Brown not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Yama works a leg free and moves into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yama missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Yama slips a nice elbow through Brown's hands, connecting with Brown's forehead.
Yama trying to control from half guard but Brown is working away.
Brown slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Yama stopping the sweep attempt from Brown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Brown is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Yama stopping the sweep attempt from Brown.
Yama controlling from the top position.
Brown looking for a sweep. Not yet Brown, not yet.
Yama working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Brown's head.
Yama pushing down on Brown's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yama is looking to take a break and control but Brown is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Yama seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Brown is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Kasahiro Yama! Kasahiro Yama retains his light heavyweight title!