PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Arn John (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenshin Takeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

John
vs
Takeda

182 cm
22
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Arn John!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenshin Takeda!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
John throws a series of strikes that have Takeda backpedaling.

John clinches.
Takeda scores with a knee to the head.
Takeda is working for takedown but John is calmly controlling the position for now.
Takeda keeps control of John as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Takeda lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Arn John has been cut.
John wants to break free but Takeda has control.
Takeda unloads a knee to the mid-section. John lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Takeda crunches a lovely knee into John's ribcage.
John wants to break the clinch but can't.

Takeda has clasped his hands together around John's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
John is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Takeda's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Takeda is trying to control the action in half guard but John is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
John avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Takeda.
Takeda wants to pass to mount but John is defending the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
John is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Takeda wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John wants to improve his position but Takeda is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Takeda is trying to control the action in half guard but John is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Takeda buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Takeda circles away from the clinch attempt.
John takes a swing at Takeda's ribcage but misses.
John tries to clinch but Takeda moves out of range.

John 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.
John is breathing heavily.
Takeda is trying to control the position but John postures up.

Takeda looking for a guillotine here but John defends easily.
John working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
John sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Takeda's guard.
Takeda works his way to full guard. Good work.
John tries to free his leg and advance position but Takeda is retaining full guard.

Takeda is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
John is stalling in the full guard.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
John avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Takeda looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takeda pulls John in close to prevent any damage.

Takeda pushes John off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Takeda moves into the clinch successfully.
John wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Takeda lands with a left to the head.

Takeda is trying to trip John. He has hold of a leg but John is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Takeda persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Takeda throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
John being controlled here, momentarily.
Takeda stands up over John, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
John bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Takeda's guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
John trying to control the position from guard on top but Takeda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
John will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Takeda controls John momentarily but John frees himself.
John won't allow Takeda to sweep him here.
John loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
John trying to move into half guard but instead Takeda has managed to sweep!
Takeda must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Takeda wants to pass the guard but John is keeping the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
John fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenshin Takeda dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Arn John's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Takeda rushes John and presses him up against the cage.
John has had enough of the clinch but Takeda keeps him there for the moment.
John tries for a takedown. No joy.
John can't break the clinch.
Takeda changes levels and goes for a takedown here. John fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Takeda slips under a jab.

John shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
John tries to free his leg and advance position but Takeda is retaining full guard.
John forces his way into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Takeda tries to roll over but John keeps him under control.
Takeda is not content to let John control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takeda trying to hold on to John's head to control him but John postures up.

John is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Takeda defends it well.

Takeda is defending against the submission attempts here by John.

John is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Takeda defends it well.
Takeda wants to improve his position but John is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

John is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
John prevents Takeda from improving his position.

Takeda kicks off John and gets to his feet.
Takeda drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

John closes the distance and clinches.
John wants to get back to striking at distance but Takeda won't allow it.
John has had enough of the clinch but Takeda keeps him there for the moment.
John has Takeda pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Takeda manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Takeda connects with a knee to the head.
Takeda goes for a takedown attempt but John pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
John slow jab from Takeda misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

John closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
John wants to take a breather but Takeda is having none of it.
John is controlling the pace.
John looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Takeda with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Takeda moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Takeda wants to sweep here but John controlling him for the moment.

Takeda looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Takeda being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
John passes into half guard.

John is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Takeda defends it well.
Takeda is staying active underneath John, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

John postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Takeda to stand up.
John wants to clinch but Takeda slips to the side

and Takeda counters with a takedown into side control.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
John is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Takeda's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Takeda is stalling here. John is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Takeda seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and John has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arn John dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Arn John's cut.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Takeda shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Takeda was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
John tries to lock up and control but Takeda gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
John is desperately trying to improve his position but Takeda has a good base and remains in mount.
John wants to hold on but Takeda pushes him away.
Takeda trying to control but John is having none of it.

Takeda has hold of John's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and John manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
John has given up his back.
John is keeping busy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takeda is hanging on to John's back as he tries to escape.
John breaks Takeda's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
John scoring with some ground and pound.
John is pushing down on Takeda's leg trying to pass to half guard. Takeda is fighting to maintain full guard but John has managed to sneak the leg through.
John tries to pass the half guard into mount. Takeda knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Takeda is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of John's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take John's back!
John looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Takeda is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. John knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften John for a finish.
Takeda is trying to stick to John's back but John is turning into Takeda. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Takeda's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by John.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
John forces his way into half guard.
John passes the guard and advances to mount!
Takeda working to try and regain half guard.

John goes for an armbar but Takeda turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Takeda.
John looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

John keeping busy on the bottom but Takeda has passed one foot through into half guard.
Takeda wants to free his trapped foot but John is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Takeda trying to control the pace.
Takeda is tying to control. John wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Takeda seems to be working for a kimura but John defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
John is pressing down on Takeda's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

John looking for a triangle here. Takeda is fighting it but it looks tight! John pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Takeda is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Arn John!