PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Samm Mah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hiro Rikishi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rikishi is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by USA nuked my parents, I want revenge. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mah
vs
Rikishi

170 cm
21
143 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

166 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Samm Mah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiro Rikishi!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yuuki Gou and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rikishi shoots in and drives through. Mah sprawls well.
Mah stuffs the takedown.
Good work by Rikishi as he checks the leg kick.

Rikishi gets caught flat footed, as Mah shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Mah drops back looking for a leg! Rikishi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rikishi manages to kick Mah off! Mah jumps back into Rikishi's guard.
Mah is stalling in the full guard.

Mah thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mah accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mah thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mah stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rikishi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mah works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Mah controlling the action here.
Mah is pressing down on Rikishi's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rikishi is holding on for now.
Mah is tying to control. Rikishi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Mah seems to be working for a kimura but Rikishi defends the submission attempt.
Mah passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rikishi stops Mah from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

Mah jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Rikishi is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Rikishi and Mah has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Rikishi can't do much from the bottom here.
Rikishi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Mah controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mah seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Rikishi for as long as he can get away with.
Mah trying to control the action but Rikishi is working from the bottom.
Rikishi gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Rikishi tries to lock up and control but Mah gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Rikishi looks gassed!
Mah tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Mah working for a guillotine from mount but Rikishi is in no mood to give up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rikishi holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Mah tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

Mah goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Rikishi turns into him and now he's in Mah's guard.
Rikishi wants to stand and escape but instead Mah has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mah thows a big elbow that misses.
Mah sitting in guard here, content to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samm Mah dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mah connects with a solid leg kick.
Mah misses with a leg kick.
Mah swats away the attempt to clinch by Rikishi.
Hiro Rikishi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rikishi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mah lands a head kick!
Rikishi throws a lazy head kick

and Mah counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rikishi looking for a takedown.
Rikishi is breathing heavily.
Mah can't get the takedown.
Rikishi misses with an elbow over the top.
Mah landing knees to the head.
Rikishi tries to pull guard but Mah won't allow it.
Rikishi wants a takedown but no success here.
Samm Mah has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hiro Rikishi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mah tries to score a body lock takedown but Rikishi shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Mah has hold of one of Rikishi's legs. Rikishi is fighting the takedown attempt but Mah gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Mah chips away with some ground and pound.
Mah not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Mah trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Mah drops back looking for a leg! Rikishi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rikishi manages to kick Mah off! Mah jumps back into Rikishi's guard.
Mah sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mah wants to control from the top but Rikishi keeps moving.
Mah passes Rikishi's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Rikishi wants to control but Mah is keeping busy.

Mah is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rikishi is just riding it out for now. Mah eventually gives up the hold.
Mah content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rikishi has hold of Mah's hands but Mah slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Mah is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Mah wants to take a breather but Rikishi is having none of it.
Rikishi keeping control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mah stalling.
Mah not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rikishi trying to hold on to Mah's head to control him but Mah postures up.

Mah escapes and gets back to his feet.

Mah looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rikishi!
A nice elbow there by Mah.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samm Mah dominated that second round.
That's time! Mah's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Mah darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Mah thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rikishi is pressing down on Mah's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Mah looking to pass the guard.
Mah looking to sit in guard and control but Rikishi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rikishi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mah swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mah working a defensive guard but Rikishi passes into half guard.
Rikishi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rikishi is trying to control the action in half guard but Mah is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Mah tries to roll over but Rikishi keeps him under control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rikishi lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Mah tries to clinch but Rikishi moves out of range.
Mah throws a combination. Rikishi tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Rikishi fails with the takedown
and Mah makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Mah shoots in and bounces Rikishi off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rikishi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mah seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Mah pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rikishi is keeping the position for now.
Mah controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Mah sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rikishi's guard.
Mah is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mah thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rikishi's head.
Mah throwing shots but Rikishi is blocking nicely.

Mah is looking for a kimura but Rikishi is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mah to get the leverage.
Mah controlling the action here.
Rikishi trying to control here.
Rikishi won't allow Mah to pass to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rikishi trying to hold on to Mah's head to control him but Mah postures up.
Mah controlling the action here.
Rikishi is trying to stand up here but Mah is controlling him well.
Rikishi won't allow Mah to pass to mount.
Rikishi is pressing down on Mah's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rikishi throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mah looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Rikishi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samm Mah showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mah has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samm Mah!