PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ikki Takeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Riley Lewis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takeda kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is You're Going Down. Riley Lewis will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Takeda
vs
Lewis

181 cm
18
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
18
212 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Prefers standup

[GTI] Divine Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ikki Takeda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Riley Lewis!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takeda with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Lewis to score with a decent uppercut.
Takeda throws a leg kick
and Lewis counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Lewis punishes Takeda's body with a nice straight punch.
Lewis connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
A slow jab from Takeda misses its intended target.
Takeda has a takedown stuffed.
Lewis misses with an uppercut. Takeda saw that one coming.
Takeda misses with a low kick.
Takeda scoring well with a low kick there.
Takeda avoids the body shot from Lewis.
Lewis scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Takeda looks to score with a jab to the body but Lewis is just out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takeda misses with an uppercut
and Lewis counters with a low kick, right behind Takeda 's knee.
Lewis lands with a cross.
Lewis slaps away a takedown attempt from Takeda, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ikki Takeda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takeda tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lewis swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takeda shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ikki Takeda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A low kick from Takeda is predictable there
and Lewis counters with a nice body shot.
Lewis circles away from the clinch attempt.
Riley Lewis is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Takeda fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lewis avoids it really well and circles away.
Takeda moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Lewis misses the shot to the body.
Lewis lands a nice hook to Takeda's body. Takeda takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Takeda throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Lewis counters with a one-two to the body.
Lewis lands a glancing blow to the side of Takeda's head.
Lewis misses with a shot to the body
and Takeda counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lewis uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Takeda.
Takeda drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Lewis scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lewis keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lewis thows a body shot but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takeda bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Lewis takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Takeda swings for the body but Lewis moves out of range.
Lewis dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lewis moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Takeda takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Lewis throws a body punch but Takeda moves out of range.
Lewis has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Lewis checks a low kick from Takeda.
Lewis misses with a looping right.
Takeda throws a sloppy head kick and Lewis moves out of range easily.
Lewis scores with a jab.
Takeda is looking to clinch.
Lewis throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Lewis lands a nice looking body shot.
Takeda is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lewis.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lewis looks to land a left hand but Takeda moved out of range nicely.
Lewis connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Takeda momentarily.
Takeda misses with a looping left.
Takeda jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Lewis throws a body punch but Takeda moves out of range.
Lewis lands a slapping body shot.
Takeda shoots in but no luck this time.
Lewis walks forward, straight into a front kick from Takeda.
Takeda is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Lewis's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.

Takeda clinches with his opponent.
Lewis lands a hook that snaps the head of Takeda backwards.
A right hook to the body lands for Takeda.
Takeda tries to throw a body punch but Lewis avoids it by throwing Takeda back against the cage.
Takeda creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Lewis's defenses.
Lewis has had enough of the clinch but Takeda keeps him there for the moment.
Lewis has a couple of punches blocked by Takeda.
Lewis throws a head punch that misses.
Takeda gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lewis softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Takeda goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Takeda misses with an elbow strike.
Takeda lands a hook that snaps the head of Lewis backwards.
Takeda swings wildly with an uppercut but Lewis uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Lewis.
Lewis lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Takeda lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Takeda pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Lewis avoiding damage as Takeda throws knees to the body.
Lewis swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Takeda lands a body punch in the clinch.
Takeda misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lewis.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Takeda lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Lewis lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Lewis blocking some punches.
Takeda swings wildly with an uppercut but Lewis uses good head movement to avoid it.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Takeda. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Takeda misses with a short punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Takeda fails to land the takedown.
Lewis scores with a hook.
Takeda blocks a jab.
Lewis tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Takeda was well out of range. Poor timing from Lewis.
Lewis throws a front kick aimed at Takeda's knee but Takeda avoids it well.
Lewis digs a good hook to Takeda's body.
Takeda jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Lewis uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Lewis lands with a hook. Takeda tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Takeda moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Lewis throws a leg kick which misses Takeda's front leg but catches the back leg as Takeda tries to avoid it.
Takeda misses with a looping right.
Lewis lands a leg kick that knocks Takeda off balance momentarily.
Nice body kick from Takeda.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lewis 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.
Takeda misses with a head kick.
Takeda fails in his attempt to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Takeda.
Lewis throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Takeda stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Lewis keeps Takeda at a distance using the push kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Takeda misses the target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lewis. Takeda does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lewis misses with the combination.
Lewis on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Lewis cracks Takeda with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Takeda digs a good hook to Lewis's body.
Lewis slips under a jab from Takeda.
Lewis throws a hook but Takeda blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lewis throws a half hearted mid kick.

Takeda forces Lewis back against the cage and clinches.
Lewis takes a knee to the side of the body.
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!
Takeda scores with a shoulder strike.
Takeda goes for a takedown attempt but Lewis pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ikki Takeda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lewis is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Takeda.

Takeda has closed the distance and engaged Lewis in a clinch.
Takeda lands a body shot in the clinch.
Takeda blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Takeda blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Lewis pressing his opponent against the cage.
A short right from Takeda.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Takeda.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Takeda tightens his grip and picks Lewis up, before dumping him to the ground. Lewis manages to land in guard.
Lewis not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lewis manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Takeda manages to get himself to full guard.
Lewis wants to get up but he can't break Takeda's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Takeda seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Ikki Takeda.
Lewis swings for the body but Takeda moves out of range.
Lewis blocks a head kick by Takeda.
Takeda throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lewis defending well as Takeda loads up on a big left hand.
Lewis throws a shot from downtown. Takeda moves away and avoids it.
A slow jab from Takeda misses its intended target.
Takeda throws a sloppy head kick and Lewis moves out of range easily.
Lewis throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Takeda stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Takeda slips a straight right by Lewis.
Lewis checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nice straight punches there by Lewis. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Lewis.
Sloppy strikes from Takeda. Those never looked like landing.
Takeda scores with a decent looking hook.
Takeda displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lewis throws out the jab.
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 Ikki Takeda will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Takeda looks to land a combination but Lewis avoids it well.
Lewis misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Takeda throws the left hand but Lewis avoids the punch easily.
Takeda tries to clinch up.
Takeda darts in trying to clinch
and Lewis counters with a right hand to the body.
Takeda shoots for a double leg takedown but Lewis sprawls well. He's pushed Takeda's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Takeda fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lewis shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Lewis throws a nice inside leg kick.
Lewis cracks Takeda with a good jab.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Lewis.
Takeda takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Lewis scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Takeda doesn't seem bothered though.
Takeda takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lewis lunges at Takeda with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Takeda's hand.
Lewis checks the leg kick.
A head kick misses from Lewis.
Lewis looks to land a left hand but Takeda moved out of range nicely.
Takeda tries to clinch up.
Takeda wants to clinch.
Lewis throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Takeda on the side of the head.
Takeda doesn't manage to clinch there - Lewis circles away.
Lewis works the jab nicely.
Takeda looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Takeda scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Riley Lewis seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Takeda cracks the inside of Lewis's front leg.
Lewis checks a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takeda shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lewis sprawls well. Lewis wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Takeda gets slowly back to his feet.
Takeda throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Lewis scores with a nice strike.
Takeda throws the left hand but Lewis avoids the punch easily.
Takeda ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takeda chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Lewis paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Takeda is looking to clinch but Lewis is avoiding it.
Takeda buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Takeda throws a looping overhand right but Lewis ducks down to avoid it.
The fighters circle momentarily. Lewis darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Lewis sizes up Takeda with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Lewis tries to land a leg kick but Takeda saw it coming and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lewis throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nice defenses there by Lewis.

Takeda pushes Lewis up against the cage in a clinch.
Takeda throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Lewis avoids the elbow strike from Takeda, against the cage.
Takeda blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ikki Takeda has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Takeda misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Lewis avoids a wild elbow strike from Takeda.
Takeda has Lewis pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lewis manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ikki Takeda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Still in the clinch, Lewis scores with a nice short uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lewis.
Lewis has a couple of punches blocked by Takeda.
Lewis fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Takeda just misses with a elbow thrown towards Lewis's brow.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Lewis tries to work over Takeda's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Lewis tries to break the clinch but Takeda is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takeda letting Lewis take a breather here.
Lewis prevents a takedown attempt there.
Takeda gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Takeda.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takeda misses with a punch to the body.
Lewis lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Takeda misses with a punch on the inside.
Lewis tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Lewis is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Takeda is keeping busy.
Lewis blocking some punches.
Takeda misses with an elbow strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Takeda has a couple of punches blocked by Lewis.
Takeda looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Takeda missing with knees to the body.
Takeda tries to throw a body punch but Lewis avoids it by throwing Takeda back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Riley Lewis.
I think Lewis 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Riley Lewis!
During a confident post fight interview, Riley Lewis thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.