PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ippo Makunouchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damian Myers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Makunouchi
vs
Myers

182 cm
22
190 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

178 cm
22
185 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ippo Makunouchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Damian Myers!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Winston Howard and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Myers missing with a left hand there. Makunouchi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Makunouchi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Myers paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Makunouchi scores with a punch to the head.
Myers misses with an uppercut.
Makunouchi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Myers manages to avoid it.
Makunouchi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Myers.
Myers tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Makunouchi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Myers shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Myers is rocked!
Myers throws a head kick but Makunouchi moves out of range.
Myers closes the distance and clinches up with Makunouchi, looking for a takedown. Myers pushes Makunouchi against the cage but Makunouchi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Makunouchi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Makunouchi ducks under a wild hook from Myers.
Makunouchi throws a big overhand right that connects, sending Myers tumbling to the canvas!
Myers is still in real trouble! Can Makunouchi finish him?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Makunouchi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Makunouchi misses.
Myers seems to have recovered his senses.
Oh, that's a big right hand from Makunouchi and Myers goes tumbling to the canvas! Makunouchi follows him to the ground and looks to finish from half guard.
Makunouchi tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Myers.
Myers works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Makunouchi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Myers, up you get!
Makunouchi swings for the body but Myers moves out of range.
Makunouchi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Myers misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Makunouchi moves into the clinch successfully.
Makunouchi controlling the action here for a moment.
Myers misses with a hook from the clinch.
Myers wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Makunouchi has him pressed against the cage.
Myers looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Myers dodges an elbow strike from Makunouchi.
Myers dodges an elbow strike from Makunouchi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Myers's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Myers avoids the elbow strike from Makunouchi, against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Myers scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nice elbow from Myers.
Makunouchi misses with an elbow over the top.
Makunouchi lands an elbow that stopped Myers in his tracks for a moment.
Nice elbow from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Makunouchi lands an elbow that stopped Myers in his tracks for a moment.
with the fighters clinched against the cage, Myers creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Myers misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ippo Makunouchi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damian Myers.
Myers looks gassed!
Myers closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Makunouchi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Myers swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Myers bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Makunouchi throws a jab but it's blocked by Myers.
Makunouchi wants to clinch

and Myers counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!

Makunouchi manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Makunouchi misses with a body shot.
Myers shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Makunouchi makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Makunouchi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Myers paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Myers misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Makunouchi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Myers keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ippo Makunouchi dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Makunouchi slips under a jab.
Myers bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Makunouchi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Myers doesn't seem bothered though.
Myers throws a lazy right hand but Makunouchi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Myers throws a head kick that misses
and Myers takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Makunouchi tries to clinch but Myers moves away

and Myers counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Makunouchi is looking to get back to is feet but Myers passes into side control.
Makunouchi prevents Myers from improving position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makunouchi is trying to control Myers's posture but Myers avoids it.
Makunouchi is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Makunouchi can't do much from the bottom here.
Makunouchi pushes Myers away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Myers gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Myers tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Makunouchi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Myers shoots in looking for a takedown. Makunouchi tries to sprawl out of it but Myers keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Makunouchi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Makunouchi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Makunouchi takes a swing at Myers's ribcage but misses.
Myers shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Makunouchi as he jumps to the side.
Myers looks to land a left hand but Makunouchi moved out of range nicely.
Myers misses with a looping right.
Makunouchi avoids the head kick by Myers.
Makunouchi tries to clinch but Myers moves out of range.
Makunouchi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ippo Makunouchi will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Myers tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Makunouchi counters with a straight right hand.
A head kick by Myers misses
and Makunouchi counters with a big right hand! Oh Myers is in trouble here! Makunouchi follows up with more strikes and that's it! The ref has stopped it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ippo Makunouchi!