PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lion Takanori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddie Faber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Faber is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: California Love - Tupac. Eddie Faber is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Takanori
vs
Faber

166 cm
19
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
19
153 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lion Takanori!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eddie Faber!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Frank Dennis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Faber fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Takanori fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Takanori displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Faber is rocked!

It looks like Eddie Faber has been cut.
Faber closes the distance and clinches up with Takanori, looking for a takedown. Faber pushes Takanori against the cage but Takanori circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Faber is still on wobbly legs! Can Takanori finish him?
Takanori throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Faber slips a jab and a cross from Takanori.
Takanori throws a nice looking combination but Faber bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Takanori waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Faber.

Faber fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Takanori sprawls well initially but Faber persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Takanori is looking to control Faber's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Takanori avoid being mounted?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Faber landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The fighters are battling for position here. Takanori manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Faber seems to have recovered his senses.
Faber trying to control but Takanori is working from the bottom.
Takanori working a defensive guard here.
Faber tries to free his leg and advance position but Takanori is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faber not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Takanori is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Faber stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Takanori swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Faber controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Faber really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Takanori. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Takanori trying to keep a closed guard but Faber is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Takanori throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Faber.
Takanori swinging wilding here.
Takanori throws a nice looking combination but Faber bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Takanori looks to land a combination but Faber avoids it well.
Faber showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Takanori.
Faber fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lion Takanori has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eddie Faber.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Faber shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Takanori's guard.
Takanori is trying to control the position but Faber postures up.
Faber is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Faber pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Takanori is keeping the position for now.
Takanori looking for a sweep. Not yet Takanori, not yet.
Takanori is breathing heavily.
Faber postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Faber is looking to work some ground and pound but Takanori has wrist control.
Takanori controls Faber momentarily but Faber frees himself.
Faber trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Faber avoids the body shot from Takanori.

Faber scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber thows a huge punch but Takanori dodges it nicely.
Faber scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Faber is looking for a kimura here.
Takanori looks like he's trying to stand up.
Faber prevents Takanori from improving his position.
Faber looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Takanori keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Faber shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Takanori as he avoids it easily.
Takanori lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Takanori throws a series of punches but Faber avoids them all with ease.
Takanori fails to land with a series of punches.
Takanori misses with a series of wild punches.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Takanori stalks Faber and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Faber's face. Faber staggers backwards, shaken.

Faber feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Faber is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Faber is in close to Takanori's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Faber lands a couple of elbows.
Faber slips nicely into half guard.
Ground and pound from Faber.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Faber dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Eddie Faber's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Faber fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Takanori sprawls well initially but Faber persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Takanori is trying to stand back up but Faber is controlling him
Faber sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Takanori defending well though.
Takanori regains full guard. Nicely done.
Faber postures up and lands a big shot to Takanori's brow.
Takanori keeping moving, preventing Faber from controlling successfully.

Takanori has his foot on Faber's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Faber works his way back into a safe position though.
Faber makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Takanori wants to sweep but no luck.
Takanori keeping full guard, as Faber tries to pass.
Faber missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Takanori trying to keep a closed guard but Faber is proving a slippery customer.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Faber slips a jab and a cross from Takanori.

Faber shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Faber showed some decent athleticism there.
Takanori is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Faber scores with a couple of nice shots.
Faber not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Takanori tries to kick Faber off but Faber keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Faber working over Takanori with some ground and pound. Takanori looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Faber sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Takanori gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Faber controlling from the top position.
Takanori tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Takanori looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Faber postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Faber prevents Takanori from getting back to his feet.
Faber stays in close to Takanori's body and controls the position.
Takanori keeping moving, preventing Faber from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanori working a defensive guard here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Takanori with a jab.
Takanori misses with a takedown

so Faber counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Takanori looking to hit a scissor sweep but Faber is one step ahead there.
Faber stops Takanori from standing up.
Faber throws a big right hand that misses.
Takanori wants to stand and escape but Faber is having none of it.
Faber stands up over Takanori, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Faber trying to control but Takanori is working from the bottom.
Faber wants to pass the guard but Takanori is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takanori looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Faber avoids the body shot from Takanori.
Takanori swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Takanori jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Takanori fails with the takedown.
Some wild striking there from Takanori.
Takanori gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Faber counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lion Takanori. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Faber sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Takanori wants to improve his position but instead Faber has moved into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Faber showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Eddie Faber's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Faber closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Takanori can't do much from the bottom here.
Takanori is looking for a sweep.
Takanori gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Takanori looks like he's trying to stand up.
Eddie Faber has got the better of the ground game so far.
Faber slips a nice elbow through Takanori's hands, connecting with Takanori's forehead.
Takanori is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Faber prevents Takanori from standing back up.
Faber trying to control from half guard but Takanori is working away.
Takanori is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanori manages to get to full guard.
Takanori working a defensive guard here.
Faber looking to pass the guard.

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

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Takanori bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
A jab lands there for Takanori.
Faber dodges the punch combination from Takanori.

Faber drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Takanori is trying to control Faber's posture but Faber avoids it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takanori is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Faber throws an elbow but Takanori slips to the side and avoids it well.
Faber cracks Takanori with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Faber trying to control the action but Takanori is working from the bottom.
Faber staying calm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanori wants to control but Faber postures up.
Takanori is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Takanori's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Takanori scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Takanori rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Faber moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A punch combination from Takanori misses.

Faber closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Faber lands in his opponent's guard.
Takanori looking to control.
Faber stays in close to Takanori's body and controls the position.
Faber pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Takanori is keeping the position for now.
Faber works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Lion Takanori has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Takanori is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Faber pulls his head out easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eddie Faber comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Faber winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eddie Faber!