PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ippo Makounchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Norifumi Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Makounchi comes to the cage accompanied by rolling go. Norifumi Yamamoto told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Makounchi
vs
Yamamoto

178 cm
18
139 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

160 cm
20
134 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

Valhalla Fight Wear
Down Under - Supplements.160Q Video Proof

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Ippo Makounchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Norifumi Yamamoto!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shigeki Sano and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Makounchi scores with a jab to the head.
Makounchi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Makounchi thows a body shot but no joy.
Yamamoto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Good work by Makounchi as he checks the leg kick.
Makounchi connects with a jab.
Yamamoto throws a series of punches but Makounchi avoids them all with ease.
Yamamoto avoids the body shot from Makounchi.
Makounchi misses with a body kick.
Yamamoto fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Makounchi checks it well.
No joy there for Makounchi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yamamoto misses with a head kick.
Yamamoto misses with a looping right.
Yamamoto moves out of range as Makounchi throws a body kick.
Makounchi attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Ippo Makounchi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yamamoto fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
No joy there for Yamamoto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Makounchi scores with a crisp jab that stopped Yamamoto in his tracks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makounchi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Yamamoto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Yamamoto swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Makounchi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Yamamoto moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Makounchi avoids the head kick by Yamamoto.
Yamamoto misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Makounchi slips a jab and a cross from Yamamoto.
Makounchi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Yamamoto moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Makounchi connects with a right hand. Yamamoto shakes it off.
Makounchi slips a jab and a cross from Yamamoto.
Makounchi scores with a decent looking hook.
Makounchi is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Makounchi tests Yamamoto's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Makounchi digs a good body shot into Yamamoto's ribs.
Yamamoto blocks the body kick.
Makounchi feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Yamamotos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Makounchi is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makounchi uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Yamamoto has time to react.
Yamamoto throws a right and a left that Makounchi avoids nicely.
Makounchi throws a right and a left that Yamamoto avoids nicely.
Makounchi looks to land a combination but Yamamoto avoids it well.
Makounchi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Yamamoto misses with a wild combination.
Makounchi looks to land a combination but Yamamoto avoids it well.
Yamamoto throws a head kick that misses.
Makounchi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Yamamoto throws a nice looking combination but Makounchi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Makounchi throws the kick towards the body but Yamamoto avoids it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Makounchi throws a body punch but Yamamoto moves out of range.
Yamamoto throws out a leg kick but Makounchi moves out of range and Yamamoto only half commits.
A leg kick checked by Makounchi.
Yamamoto throws a sloppy head kick and Makounchi moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makounchi misses with a few strikes there.
Makounchi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Yamamoto.
Yamamoto misses with a series of wild punches.
Makounchi avoids the head kick by Yamamoto.
Yamamoto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Makounchi!
Yamamoto throws a series of punches but Makounchi moves out of range.
Makounchi dodges the punch combination from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto misses with a wild combination.
Makounchi misses with a series of wild punches.
Makounchi throws a series of punches but Yamamoto moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makounchi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Yamamoto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Yamamoto throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Makounchi.
A punch combination from Makounchi misses.
Makounchi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Yamamoto lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Makounchi circles away quickly and effectively.
Yamamoto misses with a series of wild punches.
Yamamoto throws a shot from downtown. Makounchi moves away and avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yamamoto shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Makounchi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Makounchi is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Makounchi scores with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ippo Makounchi will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Makounchi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Yamamoto circles away quickly and effectively.
Makounchi throws a wild body kick that Yamamoto sees coming a mile off.
Sloppy strikes from Makounchi. Those never looked like landing.
Yamamoto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Yamamoto throws a right hand that Makounchi ducks under and follows up with a left that Makounchi also avoids with ease.
Some wild striking there from Makounchi.
Some wild striking there from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto tries to bum rush Makounchi with a series of wild strikes but Makounchi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Makounchi tried to score with a low kick but Yamamoto checks it.
Makounchi lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Yamamoto backs up against the cage.
Makounchi feints a jab promting Yamamoto to slip. Makounchi then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Yamamoto slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Makounchi really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Yamamoto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ippo Makounchi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Makounchi blocks a head kick by Yamamoto.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Yamamoto in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makounchi lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Makounchi connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Yamamoto's hands.
Yamamoto misses with a head kick.
Yamamoto misses with an uppercut. Makounchi saw that one coming.
Makounchi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Makounchi throws a looping overhand right but Yamamoto ducks down to avoid it.
Yamamoto throws a sloppy head kick and Makounchi moves out of range easily.
Makounchi misses with a wild combination.
Makounchi slips a jab and a cross from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto throws a big shot that misses.
Yamamoto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Yamamoto misses with the combination.
Makounchi swinging wildly here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto misses with a series of wild punches.
Yamamoto lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Makounchi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Yamamoto ducks right into an uppercut from Makounchi.
Yamamoto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sloppy strikes from Yamamoto. Those never looked like landing.
Ippo Makounchi is winning the standup battle so far.
Yamamoto pivots, looking for a leg kick but Makounchi is out of range and Yamamoto settles back down.
Makounchi uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Yamamoto has time to react.
Yamamoto lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Makounchi circles away quickly and effectively.
Makounchi misses with a kick to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Makounchi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makounchi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Makounchi misses with the combination.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Yamamoto misses with a head kick.
Makounchi misses with the combination.
Yamamoto tries to bum rush Makounchi with a series of wild strikes but Makounchi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Yamamoto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Makounchi works the jab nicely.
Makounchi with a hook.
Yamamoto throws a nice looking combination but Makounchi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Makounchi tries to bum rush Yamamoto with a series of wild strikes but Yamamoto uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Makounchi dodges the punch combination from Yamamoto.
Makounchi thows a body shot but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Makounchi blocks the low kick.
Yamamoto tries to land a leg kick but Makounchi saw it coming and moves away.
Makounchi misses with a two punch combination.
Yamamoto fails to land with a series of punches.
Makounchi misses with a kick to the body.
Yamamoto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A swing and a miss from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto misses with a head kick.
Yamamoto moves forwards but Makounchi connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Makounchi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yamamoto misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yamamoto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Makounchi is looking to land body kicks.
Makounchi lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Norifumi Yamamoto will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Makounchi misses with a series of wild punches.
Yamamoto throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Makounchi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Makounchi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Yamamoto moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Makounchi tries to bum rush Yamamoto with a series of wild strikes but Yamamoto uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sloppy strikes from Yamamoto. Those never looked like landing.
Yamamoto throws a low kick but Makounchi avoids it.
No joy there for Makounchi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yamamoto swinging wildly here.
Yamamoto looks to land a combination but Makounchi avoids it well.
Makounchi ducks under a wild hook from Yamamoto.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Makounchi with a jab.
Yamamoto throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Yamamoto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Makounchi throws a series of punches but Yamamoto moves out of range.
Yamamoto throws a head kick but Makounchi moves out of range.
Makounchi connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Makounchi misses with a double jab.
Yamamoto tries to bum rush Makounchi with a series of wild strikes but Makounchi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A decent looking cross lands there for Makounchi.
Decent striking displayed by Makounchi there.
Makounchi misses with an attempted mid kick.
Makounchi looks to score with a jab to the body but Yamamoto is just out of range.
A shot to the liver by Yamamoto. Beautiful body shot.
Makounchi misses with an attempted mid kick.
Yamamoto pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Makounchi looks to land a combination but Yamamoto avoids it well.
Yamamoto ducks under a wild hook from Makounchi.
A combination from Yamamoto does no damage.
Makounchi throws a right and a left that Yamamoto avoids nicely.
Yamamoto swinging wildly here.
Makounchi lands a jab.
Makounchi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Yamamoto tries to bum rush Makounchi with a series of wild strikes but Makounchi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Makounchi works Yamamoto's body with a nice hook.
A punch combination from Yamamoto misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makounchi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Makounchi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Yamamoto misses with a looping right.
Yamamoto misses with a double jab.
Makounchi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Yamamoto misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yamamoto avoids a kick to the body.
Makounchi is looking to chop away at Yamamoto's legs.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Yamamoto, as that shot connected.
Yamamoto takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Makounchi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Makounchi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Makounchi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Yamamoto loads up on a big right hand but Makounchi slips the punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto misses with a head kick.
Makounchi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Yamamoto circles away quickly and effectively.
Yamamoto looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Makounchi throws a nice looking combination but Yamamoto bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Makounchi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Makounchi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Yamamoto.
Makounchi throws a half hearted mid kick.
Yamamoto ducks under a wild hook from Makounchi.
Yamamoto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yamamoto tries a head kick but it misses.
Makounchi moves out of range as Yamamoto throws a body kick.
Makounchi feints a jab promting Yamamoto to slip. Makounchi then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Yamamoto slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Norifumi Yamamoto.
I think Yamamoto 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ippo Makounchi!
Ippo Makounchi decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.