PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Slade (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mamoru Takamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takamura has chosen HEKIREKI as his entrance music. John Slade has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Slade
vs
Takamura

182 cm
26
199 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

185 cm
23
200 lbs
8 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

CEC Nutrition Q159

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 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Slade!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mamoru Takamura!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Matti Vanhoillinen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Slade lands with a shot to the body.
Slade misses with a body shot.
Takamura misses the shot to the body.
A jab from Takamura misses.
Slade throws out a loose jab but Takamura uses good head movement to avoid it.
Slade misses with a hook
and Takamura counters with a nice leg kick.
Takamura fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Slade takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Takamura avoids the head kick by Slade.
Slade throws a head kick that misses.
Slade jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Takamura throws a leg kick that is checked
and Slade counters with a big head kick but Takamura shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takamura lands a body shot.
Takamura thows a body shot but no joy.
Takamura misses with the combination.

Slade clinches up against the cage.
Slade lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Slade misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Slade fails to land.
Slade prevents a takedown attempt there.
Slade has a couple of punches blocked by Takamura.

Slade escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Slade misses with a hook. Takamura ducked under it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slade misses with a body shot.
Slade tries to work over Takamura's front leg with a kick but Takamura checks it.
Takamura throws out a loose jab but Slade uses good head movement to avoid it.
Slade throws a head kick but Takamura moves out of range.
Slade misses with a low kick as Takamura jumps back.
Takamura thows a body shot but no joy.
Slade thows a body shot but no joy.

Slade clinches up against the cage.
Slade lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Takamura backwards.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
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!
Takamura throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Slade blocks it with crossed arms.
Takamura lands a left hand that snaps the head of Slade backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slade prevents a body shot from Takamura.
Slade swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Slade lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Slade lands a left hand.
Takamura can't break the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Slade.
Takamura throws a punch but it's blocked by Slade.
Takamura blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Takamura breaks the clinch.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Slade checks a leg kick.
Slade pulls out of a head kick attempt.
John Slade is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A slapping leg kick lands for Slade.
Takamura takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takamura walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Slade.
John Slade seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Slade throws a front kick that sends Takamura stumbling back into the cage.
Takamura pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Slade throws a head kick that misses.
Slade drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Slade throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Slade tries a head kick but it misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Slade lands with a shot to the body.
Slade takes a swing at Takamura's ribcage but misses.
Slade lands a leg kick that knocks Takamura off balance momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A head kick misses from Slade.
Slade just misses with a punch to the body.
Slade looks for the body kick but Takamura saw that one coming.
Takamura fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Slade is out of range.
Takamura avoids the body shot from Slade.
Slade tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mamoru Takamura is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Takamura shoots in looking for a takedown but Slade manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Takamura's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Takamura ducks under a wild hook from Slade.
Takamura blocks a jab.
Slade throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Slade misses.
Slade takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Slade throws the left hand but Takamura avoids the punch easily.
Takamura scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Takamura misses with an attempted mid kick.
Takamura attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Takamura uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Slade.
Takamura jabs at Slade's body.
Takamura misses with a body punch
and Slade counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Slade waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Takamura.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slade connects with a single shot there.
Nice defenses there by Takamura.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Takamura is defended easily by Slade.
Takamura throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
John Slade is winning the standup battle so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Slade looks to land a left hand but Takamura moved out of range nicely.
Slade lands a front kick.
Slade works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Takamura lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Slade circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takamura throws out a leg kick but Slade moves out of range and Takamura only half commits.
Takamura lands with a cross.
Slade lands a nice shot to the body.
Slade throws a leg kick that misses.
The fighters circling - Takamura throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Jab by Slade.
Takamura is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Slade rather than just go for the knockout.
Slade fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Takamura.
Slade throws a head kick that misses.
Slade takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takamura keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Slade.
Takamura misses with a wild body shot.
Takamura lands with a shot to the body.
Slade scores with a jab to the body.
Slade staying out of range there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A nice combination there by Takamura.
Takamura feints and then cracks Slade's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Slade down.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Slade tries to close the distance and clinch up but Takamura swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Slade throws a jab but it's blocked by Takamura.
Takamura blocks a head kick by Slade.
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 John Slade will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Slade misses with a straight right.
Slade fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Takamura manages to avoid it.
Takamura avoids the body shot from Slade.
Takamura takes a kick to the side of the head.
Slade fakes the leg kick and cracks Takamura in the body.
Slade with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Takamura fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Slade manages to avoid it.
Slade pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Takamura takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Slade feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Takamura's calf.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takamura lands a head kick!
Slade throws a jab when Takamura was well out of range.
Slade throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Takamura missing with a left hand there. Slade was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A head kick misses from Slade.
Takamura lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Slade slaps away a takedown attempt from Takamura, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Slade misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takamura dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Slade throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Takamura sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Nice sprawl there from Slade as Takamura shoots in.
Takamura misses the shot to the body.
Slade looks to land a right hand but Takamura moved out of range.
Slade misses the shot to the body.
Slade blocks a head kick by Takamura.
Horrible takedown by Takamura or perhaps it was just good defense by Slade which made him look bad.
John Slade has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mamoru Takamura.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takamura attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Takamura staying out of range there.
Slade loads up on a big right hand but Takamura slips the punch.
Slade is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Slade takes a swing at Takamura's ribcage but misses.
Takamura thows a body shot but no joy.
Slade scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takamura swings for the body but Slade moves out of range.

Takamura bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Slade regains half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Takamura prevents Slade from standing back up.

Takamura seems to be working for a kimura but Slade defends the submission attempt.
Slade pushes Takamura off looking to stand but Takamura dives back in and keeps control.
Mamoru Takamura has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Takamura slows the pace down in half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Slade is trying to stand.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Slade showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Slade, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Slade!
In his post fight interview, John Slade started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.