PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Keiji Hashimoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Moe Lester (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hashimoto comes to the cage accompanied by Holding Out For A Hero (Japanese Version). Lester has chosen I Feel Wonderful as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hashimoto
vs
Lester

172 cm
32
156 lbs
25 - 10 - 3

170 cm
27
150 lbs
21 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

- - - - - All Nutrients 160 - - - - -

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 10 - 3, fighting out of New York, Keiji Hashimoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Moe Lester!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hashimoto tries a head kick but it misses.
Hashimoto wants to clinch.

Hashimoto shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Hashimoto prevents Lester from improving his position.
Hashimoto missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Lester is pressing down on Hashimoto's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Hashimoto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lester is trying to keep Hashimoto in close.
Lester looking for a sweep. Not yet Lester, not yet.
Lester keeping moving, preventing Hashimoto from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lester is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lester keeping full guard, as Hashimoto tries to pass.
Hashimoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Lester is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lester ducks under a wild hook from Hashimoto.
Lester misses with a body shot
and Hashimoto counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hashimoto throws a chopping leg kick but Lester manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Lester scores with a sloppy right hand. Hashimoto should have avoided that one.
Lester throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lester looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Moe Lester seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lester misses with a jab to the body

and Hashimoto counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hashimoto is trying to control the action in half guard but Lester is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Lester won't allow Hashimoto to pass to mount.
Lester is concentrating on defense, preventing Hashimoto from advancing position.
Lester tries to get to full guard but Hashimoto has control of the leg.
Hashimoto is pressing down on Lester's thigh, looking to free his foot. Lester is holding on for now.
Lester moves into full guard.
Hashimoto wants to control from the top but Lester keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Keiji Hashimoto.
Hashimoto lands a slapping body shot.
Lester throws a low kick but Hashimoto avoids it.
Hashimoto throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A telegraphed right hand from Lester misses the target.
Lester lands with a hook. Hashimoto tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Lester throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Hashimoto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lester.
Lester throws a head kick that Hashimoto semi-blocks.
Lester uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hashimoto.
Lester connects with a solid leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lester throws a leg kick but Hashimoto moved away.
Lester misses with a low kick.
Hashimoto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lester.
Lester misses with a body shot.
Lester fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Hashimoto checks it well.
Lester uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hashimoto.

Lester fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hashimoto, pushing him back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Lester.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lester swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lester avoids a wild elbow strike from Hashimoto.
Lester lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Lester can't find room to land a body shot as Hashimoto controls the action.
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 Keiji Hashimoto will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hashimoto slips a jab from Lester.
A big right from Hashimoto misses.
Hashimoto fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lester misses the shot to the body.
Lester looks to throw a body kick
and Hashimoto counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Lester slaps away a takedown attempt from Hashimoto, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A jab from Hashimoto misses.
Lester lands a body shot.
Hashimoto walks into a left hand.
Lester stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keiji Hashimoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
An inside leg kick lands from Lester.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lester throws the left hand but Hashimoto avoids the punch easily.
Lester connects with a jab.
Lester throws a sloppy head kick and Hashimoto moves out of range easily.
Lester walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Hashimoto tried to score with a low kick but Lester checks it.
Lester throws a leg kick but Hashimoto sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Lester lands with a straight right. Hashimoto didn't see that one coming.
Hashimoto takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Hashimoto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lester.
Lester thows a body shot but no joy.
Lester checks a leg kick.
Lester listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lester getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lester will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
That kick from Lester tenderised Hashimoto's leg. Hashimoto is trying to keep his angry face on.
Lester tries to work over Hashimoto's front leg with a kick but Hashimoto checks it.
Lester lands with a nice body kick.
Lester throws a leg kick
and Hashimoto counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Lester tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lester scores with a sloppy right hand. Hashimoto should have avoided that one.
Lester throws the left hand but Hashimoto avoids the punch easily.
Lester tries to land a leg kick but Hashimoto saw it coming and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hashimoto throws a low kick, looking for Lester's leg but Lester calmly moves out of range.
Lester misses with a few strikes there.
Lester misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Hashimoto counters with a shoot takedown. Lester fights it but they end up in guard.
Lester has his hands on Hashimoto's head, controlling the position.
Hashimoto advances position into side control!
Lester taking punishment in the form of punches.
Sloppy strikes there by Hashimoto.
Hashimoto lands a few punches from side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lester keeping his opponent close.
Lester manages to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lester wants to improve his position but Hashimoto is controlling well.
Lester is staying active underneath Hashimoto, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Lester on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Lester is looking to improve his position.
Lester blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hashimoto.
Lester wants to control but Hashimoto is keeping busy.
Lester is looking for a sweep. Hashimoto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Lester is defending against the submission attempts here by Hashimoto.
Lester is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Moe Lester showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Lester looks to throw the jab but Hashimoto is out of range.
Lester misses with a head kick.
Hashimoto checks a leg kick.
Lester misses with a low kick.
Hashimoto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hashimoto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lester.
Hashimoto misses with a hook.
Lester thows a leg kick but Hashimoto checks it
letting Hashimoto counter with a right hand.
Lester ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hashimoto moves away.
Lester thows a leg kick but Hashimoto checks it
and Hashimoto counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hashimoto tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lester was well out of range. Poor timing from Hashimoto.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hashimoto throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lester's waist but Lester gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hashimoto off to one side.
Lester lands with a thumping leg kick.
Hashimoto wants to clinch up but Lester keeps it at a distance.
Hashimoto walks into a left hand.
Lester throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Lester looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Hashimoto misses with a wild combination.
Hashimoto throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Lester rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Hashimoto counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hashimoto fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lester avoids it really well and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Lester is predictable there
and Hashimoto counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Hashimoto is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Lester.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lester tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hashimoto was well out of range. Poor timing from Lester.
A low kick from Lester misses
and Hashimoto counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lester uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hashimoto.
Hashimoto cracks the inside of Lester's front leg.
An inside leg kick lands from Lester.
Lester throws a looping overhand right but Hashimoto ducks down to avoid it.
Hashimoto fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Moe Lester is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lester throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lester misses with a hook. Hashimoto ducked under it nicely.
Lester slips under a jab.
Hashimoto takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Lester throws a head kick that misses
and Hashimoto counters with a straight right hand.
Hashimoto is looking to clinch but Lester is avoiding it.
Hashimoto looks to score with a jab to the body but Lester is just out of range.
Lester ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Hashimoto drives through and clinches with Lester against the cage.
Lester misses with some punches.
Hashimoto stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Hashimoto lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hashimoto gets through Lester's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Lester tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hashimoto's elbow.
Lester gets underhooks to prevent Hashimoto's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keiji Hashimoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lester works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lester pushes off an throws an elbow but Hashimoto leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Lester lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hashimoto backwards.
Hashimoto tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Lester stalls.
Lester tries to work over Hashimoto's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lester misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lester taking a breather.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Moe Lester.
I think Lester 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Moe Lester!
Moe Lester seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.