PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hirokazu Yoshida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tank Alberts (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.

Yoshida
vs
Alberts

182 cm
21
164 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Prefers standup

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

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, Hirokazu Yoshida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tank Alberts!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yoshida lands with a good body shot.
Alberts throws a body kick that misses
and Yoshida counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Yoshida clobbers Alberts with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Alberts takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Alberts drives through and clinches with Yoshida against the cage.

Yoshida escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Alberts keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yoshida.
Yoshida throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Alberts is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Yoshida.
Alberts is trying hard to land a takedown here. Yoshida sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Yoshida misses with a two punch combination.
Alberts ducks under a wild hook from Yoshida.
Alberts slips a jab from Yoshida.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Alberts tries to move into range but Yoshida moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Alberts takes one to the side of the head.
Yoshida connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Alberts lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Yoshida circles away quickly and effectively.
Alberts fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good exchange - Yoshida coming out on top.
Alberts pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Alberts looks to clinch
and Yoshida counters with a stiff right hand.
Yoshida fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Alberts manages to avoid it.
A big left from Yoshida misses.
Alberts moves out of range of the body kick.
Yoshida avoids the head kick by Alberts.
Alberts shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Yoshida as he jumps to the side.
Alberts has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Yoshida finds it's way round the side to connect with Alberts's head.
Yoshida pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Alberts blocks a low kick nicely.

Alberts drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alberts wants to control from the top but Yoshida keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Yoshida is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Alberts is controlling him.
Alberts tries to free his leg and advance position but Yoshida is retaining full guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Alberts stopping the sweep attempt from Yoshida.
Alberts is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Yoshida keeping full guard, as Alberts tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Alberts manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Yoshida on his heels. He'll look to pass Yoshida's guard now, I'm sure.
Alberts looks winded!
Alberts wants to stand but Yoshida has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Yoshida keeping moving, preventing Alberts from controlling successfully.
Yoshida wants to sweep here but Alberts controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alberts trying to control the position from guard on top but Yoshida is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tank Alberts wasn't active enough on the ground.
Yoshida will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hirokazu Yoshida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yoshida takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Yoshida ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yoshida misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Alberts.
A head kick from Yoshida lands but Alberts takes it in his stride.
Alberts shoots in but Yoshida avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hirokazu Yoshida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tank Alberts.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yoshida closes the distance and lands a one-two.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hirokazu Yoshida dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Alberts moves out of range as Yoshida throws a body kick.
Yoshida throws a body punch but Alberts moves out of range.
Alberts closes this distance looking for a takedown but Yoshida circles away.
Yoshida misses with a series of wild punches.
Yoshida just misses with a punch to the body.
Alberts checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Yoshida with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sloppy strikes from Yoshida. Those never looked like landing.
Yoshida thows a left - swing and a miss!
Yoshida throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Yoshida misses with a two punch combination.

Alberts shoots in and bounces Yoshida off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Alberts prevents Yoshida from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alberts working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Alberts tries to free his leg and advance position but Yoshida is retaining full guard.
Alberts trying to control but Yoshida is working from the bottom.
Alberts is breathing heavily.
Alberts prevents Yoshida from getting back to his feet.
Yoshida utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Alberts trying to control but Yoshida is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tank Alberts has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Yoshida throws a right and a left that Alberts avoids nicely.
Yoshida dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Alberts walks forward, straight into a front kick from Yoshida.
Yoshida throws a head kick but Alberts moves out of range.
Yoshida misses with a few strikes there.
Hirokazu Yoshida is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yoshida lunges at Alberts with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Alberts's hand.

Alberts looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yoshida tries to roll over but Alberts keeps him under control.
Yoshida is in trouble now - Alberts has advanced to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You get the feeling that Yoshida really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Alberts tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Yoshida tries to hold on but Alberts pushes him away.
Yoshida can't escape the position.
Alberts working Yoshida over with strikes here.
Tank Alberts has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Alberts with the ground and pound from mount.
Yoshida controls the position.
Alberts looking to finish with strikes here!
Alberts looking to control but Yoshida is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alberts avoids the attempt from Yoshida to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tank Alberts will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Yoshida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yoshida is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Alberts.
Alberts with a poor takedown
and Yoshida counters with a stiff right hand.
Hirokazu Yoshida is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Yoshida throws a body kick that misses.
Yoshida tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Alberts shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Yoshida as he jumps to the side.
Yoshida misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yoshida throws a sloppy head kick and Alberts moves out of range easily.

Alberts forces Yoshida back against the cage and clinches.
Yoshida tries to break the clinch but Alberts is controlling the position.
Alberts will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Yoshida up against the cage.
Yoshida tries to break free but Alberts pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshida has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Alberts has Yoshida pressed against the cage, preventing Yoshida from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Yoshida's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Yoshida looks to land a combination but Alberts avoids it well.
Alberts misses with a takedown attempt - Yoshida sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hirokazu Yoshida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tank Alberts.
Yoshida wants to slow Alberts down by chopping away at his legs.
A head kick misses from Yoshida.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Yoshida jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Alberts gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Alberts is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Yoshida is defending well.
Alberts is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Yoshida pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yoshida escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yoshida circles away from the clinch attempt.
Yoshida dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Yoshida displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Alberts.
Yoshida jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Yoshida scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A punch combination from Yoshida misses.
Yoshida with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A punch combination from Yoshida misses.
Yoshida dips to his left and cracks Alberts with an uppercut!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yoshida throws a head kick that misses.
Yoshida throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida misses with a wild combination.
Alberts fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Yoshida throws a series of punches but Alberts avoids them all with ease.
Yoshida throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Alberts sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Alberts pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Yoshida connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Yoshida lands with a hook. Alberts tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Yoshida!
Yoshida goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Alberts uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Yoshida.

Alberts feints and as Yoshida raises his hands in defense, Alberts changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alberts stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yoshida swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Alberts wants to control from the top but Yoshida keeps moving.

Yoshida is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Alberts defends well.
Alberts not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yoshida controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hirokazu Yoshida showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Yoshida 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28

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