PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tiny Dong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taka Soto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Tiny Dong has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Dong
vs
Soto

225 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
21
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tiny Dong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taka Soto!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Soto gets caught napping as Dong dives in and scores a takedown. Soto manages to retain guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Soto wants to sweep but no luck.
Dong missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Dong trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Dong trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Soto manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Soto cracks Dong with a solid left hand.
Soto preventing the sweep.
Soto loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Dong not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Dong manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Dong trying to control but Soto is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dong controlling the position easily from mount.
Soto is squirming around, avoiding Dong's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dong is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Soto is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Dong looking to finish with strikes here!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Soto can do anything to dispel that myth.
Dong throwing strikes here but Soto is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Soto tries to hold on but Dong pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dong controlling the pace for now.
Soto tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Dong get's back to his feet.

Dong shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Dong throws a big elbow that misses.
Soto really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dong. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Soto being controlled here, momentarily.
Dong tries to free his leg and advance position but Soto is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dong wants to get up but he can't break Soto's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Dong slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Dong will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tiny Dong wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Dong moves into the clinch.

Dong escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Soto gets caught flat footed, as Dong shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Dong trying to control but Soto is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiny Dong dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Dong dives in and scores a takedown into Soto's guard.
Soto is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Soto is looking for a triangle but Dong pushes his legs off easily.
Dong wants to stand but Soto has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Dong really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Soto wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dong is stalling in the full guard.
Dong trying to control but Soto is working from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Tiny Dong has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Dong clinches with his opponent.

Soto has Dong pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Soto pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Dong tumbling to the mat - Soto dives into Dong's guard.

Dong looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Dong is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tiny Dong overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soto is working Dong over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Dong is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Soto must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Soto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

We're going to have a standup here because Tiny Dong wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Dong lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Dong.

Dong drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Soto keeping moving, preventing Dong from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soto is trying to keep Dong in close.
Dong trying to control the position from guard on top but Soto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Tiny Dong just wasn't active enough.

Dong closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Soto to the mat! Soto manages to get full guard.
Dong wants to control from the top but Soto keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tiny Dong has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Dong lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Soto shoots in looking for a takedown but Dong manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Soto's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Nice takedown defense from Dong. No joy for Soto on that attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiny Dong dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Soto throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Dong was covering up waiting for the punch and Soto finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Soto in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Dong is on top in guard.
Dong showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Soto seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Dong wants to control from the top but Soto keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dong looking to sit in guard and control but Soto gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Dong had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Soto defends it easily.
Dong is trying to control the position but Soto postures up.
Dong has Soto pulled in close to control his posture.
Soto trying to control the position from guard on top but Dong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Soto's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Soto throws a big right hand that misses.
Soto is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Dong is trying to keep Soto in close.
Soto trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Soto is looking to work some ground and pound but Dong has wrist control.
Soto scoring with punches to the head and body.
Soto looking to pass the guard.
Dong working a defensive guard here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dong is really struggling to control Soto but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soto is looking to work some ground and pound but Dong has wrist control.
Soto throws an elbow that misses. Dong uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Soto's guard. Nice move by Dong!
Dong postures up in Soto's guard and throws a big left but Soto blocks it.
Dong pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Soto is keeping the position for now.
Soto is trying to keep Dong in close.
Dong wants to stand but Soto is controlling his posture from full guard.

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 Tiny Dong.

Dong shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Dong controlling from the top position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Soto holds on and takes a little breather.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tiny Dong.
Well Dong 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tiny Dong!