PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Baldridge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Yoshida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mark Yoshida will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Baldridge
vs
Yoshida

182 cm
29
180 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

175 cm
26
182 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marcus Baldridge!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mark Yoshida!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baldridge misses with a right hand

and Yoshida counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Baldridge wants to improve his position but Yoshida is controlling well.
Yoshida trying to control the action but Baldridge is working from the bottom.
Yoshida not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Baldridge is looking to escape.
Baldridge is trying to maintain the position but Yoshida is very close to passing his half guard.
Yoshida not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Baldridge blocking the ground and pound attempt from Yoshida.
Baldridge wants to improve his position but Yoshida is controlling well.
Yoshida has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Yoshida is keen to just control but Baldridge is a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldridge controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Yoshida working over Baldridge with some ground and pound. Baldridge looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Yoshida not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Baldridge won't allow Yoshida to pass to mount.

Baldridge is defending against the submission attempts here by Yoshida.

Yoshida wants to work for an arm triangle but Baldridge is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Baldridge is trying to stand back up but Yoshida is controlling him

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldridge wants to get back to full guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Yoshida connects with a nice short shot to Baldridge's temple.
The fighters are battling for position here. Baldridge manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Baldridge is adopting a defensive guard.
Baldridge wants to hit a switch here but Yoshida passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Baldridge there!

Yoshida working for a submission but Baldridge is keeping him at bay.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Baldridge is looking to improve his position but Yoshida isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida avoids the attempt from Baldridge to control.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Yoshida cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Yoshida pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Yoshida won't let Baldridge get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Yoshida working the ground and pound effectively.
Baldridge avoids a series of strikes thrown by Yoshida.
Yoshida landing strikes from the mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Baldridge really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida scoring with strikes but Baldridge is staying in there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Baldridge is desperately trying to improve his position but Yoshida has a good base and remains in mount.
Baldridge wants to get back to his feet.

Yoshida looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Yoshida can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Baldridge is looking to escape.
Baldridge manages to regain half guard. Good work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Baldridge wants to control but Yoshida is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Yoshida dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Baldridge looks to land a right hand but Yoshida moved out of range.
Baldridge throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Baldridge throws a shot from downtown. Yoshida moves away and avoids it.
Nice shot by Yoshida.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Baldridge is defended easily by Yoshida.
Yoshida steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Baldridge.
Mark Yoshida is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sloppy strikes from Yoshida. Those never looked like landing.
Baldridge looks to score with a jab to the body but Yoshida is just out of range.
Yoshida dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Baldridge swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yoshida shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Baldridge pinned against the cage. Baldridge gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Baldridge tries to land a front kick but Yoshida steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Yoshida is trying hard to land a takedown here. Baldridge sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshida looks to land a combination. Baldridge sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Sloppy strikes from Yoshida. Those never looked like landing.
Baldridge slips a jab from Yoshida.

Baldridge closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Yoshida quickly recovers to half guard.
Yoshida is refusing to be controlled, as Baldridge sits in half guard.
Yoshida keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Baldridge trying to mount his opponent but Yoshida defends it.
Baldridge throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Yoshida to regain full guard.
Yoshida working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Baldridge.
Baldridge throws a strike but Yoshida rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Yoshida is fighting to break Baldridge's control of his arms but Baldridge is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yoshida won't allow Baldridge to get back to his feet.
Baldridge looking for a sweep. Not yet Baldridge, not yet.
Baldridge looking to control.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Marcus Baldridge has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Yoshida throws a one two combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldridge takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Yoshida.
Marcus Baldridge has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Yoshida.
Yoshida checks a leg kick nicely.

Baldridge closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Yoshida quickly recovers to half guard.
Mark Yoshida has got the better of the ground game so far.
Yoshida gets full guard.
Baldridge throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Yoshida works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Baldridge stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yoshida swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Baldridge is working hard here to advance position.
Baldridge content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Baldridge throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baldridge throws an elbow that misses. Yoshida uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Baldridge's guard. Nice move by Yoshida!
Baldridge preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Baldridge has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Yoshida trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Yoshida pushing down on Baldridge's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Yoshida perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Yoshida looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yoshida throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Baldridge is looking for a sweep. Yoshida is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
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 Marcus Baldridge will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Yoshida takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Mark Yoshida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yoshida blocks a jab.
Baldridge throws a big shot that misses.
Baldridge looks to land a right hand but Yoshida moved out of range.
Yoshida dives in and grabs Baldridge's left leg, looking for a takedown. Baldridge pushes down on Yoshida's head and hops out.
Yoshida misses with a series of wild punches.
Baldridge goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Some wild striking there from Yoshida.
Yoshida uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Baldridge.
Yoshida checks a low kick from Baldridge.
Yoshida misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yoshida throws a combination that misses

and Baldridge counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Yoshida!
Baldridge throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldridge lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Yoshida regains half guard.
Baldridge throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Yoshida keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Baldridge slips a nice elbow through Yoshida's hands, connecting with Yoshida's forehead.
Yoshida on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Baldridge missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Baldridge is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baldridge looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Baldridge scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldridge thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Baldridge looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Yoshida with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Baldridge passes the guard and advances to mount!
Baldridge looking to ground and pound but Yoshida is blocking nicely.
Yoshida sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Yoshida trying to control but Baldridge postures up.
Baldridge thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Yoshida regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Baldridge.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Baldridge accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Yoshida utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Baldridge being controlled here momentarily.
Baldridge won't allow Yoshida to sweep him here.
Baldridge throws a big elbow that misses.
Baldridge throws a big right hand that misses.
Yoshida trying to control the position.
Baldridge trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baldridge throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Yoshida works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Yoshida wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Yoshida has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Baldridge can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Baldridge stopping the sweep attempt from Yoshida.
Baldridge has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Baldridge throws a big right hand that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Baldridge tries to free his leg and advance position but Yoshida is retaining full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Baldridge showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Baldridge has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Baldridge!
Marcus Baldridge decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.