PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ichiro Takahashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazuyuki Shimizu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takahashi's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, 暗殺者. Kazuyuki Shimizu is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Takahashi
vs
Shimizu

180 cm
26
179 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

196 cm
26
193 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Convicted Trap House
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ichiro Takahashi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kazuyuki Shimizu!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Jonathan Paton and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takahashi blocks the body kick.
Shimizu fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Takahashi is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Shimizu's half guard.
Takahashi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Shimizu's head.
Shimizu is looking for a sweep. Takahashi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Takahashi is working for a kimura but Shimizu is defending it quite comfortably.
Takahashi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shimizu keeps working.
Takahashi has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Takahashi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi wants to pass the guard but Shimizu is defending well.
Takahashi scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Shimizu is trying to get back to full guard.
Takahashi is looking to advance position but Shimizu won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi controlling the pace.
Takahashi throwing shots but Shimizu is blocking nicely.

Takahashi looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Shimizu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Takahashi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Shimizu is looking to improve his position.

Takahashi is looking for a kimura but Shimizu is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Takahashi to get the leverage.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Shimizu is not content to let Takahashi control the position.
Shimizu is trying to get back to full guard.
Takahashi is looking to advance position but Shimizu won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi is looking to take a break and control but Shimizu is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Shimizu is trying to control but can't.
Shimizu is not content to let Takahashi control the position.

Takahashi is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Shimizu doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Takahashi.
Shimizu wants to improve his position but Takahashi is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ichiro Takahashi dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Shimizu.
Shimizu avoids a kick to the body.
Shimizu is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Takahashi.
Shimizu throws a lazy right hand but Takahashi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Takahashi lands a nice looking body shot.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Takahashi here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Takahashi throws a leg kick
and Shimizu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Shimizu throws a hook to the side of Takahashi's head but Takahashi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Shimizu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Takahashi chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Shimizu can pounce on him.
Takahashi wants to clinch up but Shimizu keeps it at a distance.
Takahashi throws a head kick that misses
and Shimizu counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Takahashi scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Takahashi scores with a leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takahashi is looking to land body kicks.
Takahashi shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shimizu gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Takahashi.
Shimizu lands a jab.
Shimizu looks to score with a jab to the body but Takahashi is just out of range.
A slow jab from Shimizu misses its intended target.
Shimizu takes a swing at Takahashi's ribcage but misses.
Takahashi takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Takahashi checks the leg kick.
Takahashi misses with a low kick.
Takahashi connects with an inside leg kick.
Takahashi misses with an uppercut. Shimizu saw that one coming.
Shimizu misses with a looping right.
Shimizu wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Takahashi misses with a low kick.
Takahashi keeps Shimizu at a distance using the push kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shimizu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Takahashi manages to avoid it.
Takahashi looks for the body kick but Shimizu saw that one coming.
Shimizu takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Shimizu misses with an uppercut. Takahashi saw that one coming.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takahashi connects with a leg kick. Shimizu looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Takahashi closes the distance but Shimizu moves to the side
and Shimizu counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Shimizu is looking to chop away at Takahashi's legs.
Takahashi ducks right into an uppercut from Shimizu.
Takahashi lands a nice looking body shot.
Shimizu avoids a punch combination nicely.
A swing and a miss from Shimizu.
Takahashi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shimizu swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A leg kick checked by Takahashi.
Takahashi stalks Shimizu and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Shimizu's face. Shimizu staggers backwards, shaken.
Takahashi misses with a low kick as Shimizu jumps back.
Takahashi ducks under a wild hook from Shimizu.
Shimizu chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Takahashi can pounce on him.
Shimizu moves out of range of the strikes.
Takahashi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shimizu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shimizu lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Shimizu blocks a low kick nicely.
Shimizu misses with a wild body shot.
Takahashi avoids the body shot from Shimizu.
Shimizu throws the left hand but Takahashi avoids the punch easily.
Shimizu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Takahashi moves away.
Shimizu lands with a nice body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi misses with a body kick.
Shimizu just misses with a punch to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Takahashi moves forwards but Shimizu connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Shimizu takes a head kick and keeps coming.

It looks like Kazuyuki Shimizu has been cut.
Shimizu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Takahashi was well out of range. Poor timing from Shimizu.
Kazuyuki Shimizu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Shimizu stuffs the takedown.
Shimizu throws an overhand right that lands on Takahashi's shoulder, as Takahashi tries to avoid the shot.
Shimizu misses with a lunging right hand
and Takahashi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Shimizu throws a leg kick but Takahashi sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Shimizu jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Takahashi lands a nice leg kick that just misses Shimizu's sensitive parts.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A shot to the liver by Shimizu. Beautiful body shot.
Shimizu moves out of range as Takahashi strikes.
Kazuyuki Shimizu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Takahashi moves out of range of the body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kazuyuki Shimizu will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Kazuyuki Shimizu's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Takahashi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Takahashi is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Takahashi fails to land with a series of punches.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Shimizu, right into the meat.
Shimizu comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Shimizu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Takahashi.
Takahashi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Takahashi thows a body shot but no joy.
Takahashi lands with a shot to the body.
Takahashi looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Some bone on bone action there as Takahashi checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Shimizu throws a leg kick but Takahashi sees it coming and moves out of range.
Shimizu moves into range and connects with a jab.
Takahashi fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Shimizu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi misses with a two punch combination.
Takahashi moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Takahashi throws a nice inside leg kick.
Takahashi is looking to clinch but Shimizu is avoiding it.
Takahashi takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Takahashi doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Shimizu swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Takahashi.
Takahashi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A big left from Shimizu misses.
Takahashi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Shimizu.
Shimizu throws out a loose jab but Takahashi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takahashi throws a leg kick but Shimizu checks it.
Takahashi chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Shimizu can pounce on him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
A looping hook to the body misses from Shimizu. Takahashi does a little dance to reset his feet.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Takahashi.
Takahashi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shimizu moves away.
Shimizu will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Shimizu thumps Takahashi with a low kick.
Takahashi moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Shimizu avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kazuyuki Shimizu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Shimizu does it's job there.
Takahashi just misses with a punch to the body.

Takahashi shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Shimizu's guard.
Takahashi throwing strikes from guard but Shimizu blocks nicely.
Takahashi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shimizu works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shimizu is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Shimizu looking for a sweep. Not yet Shimizu, not yet.
Shimizu keeping moving, preventing Takahashi from controlling successfully.

Ichiro Takahashi has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Shimizu lands a lovely overhand right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shimizu on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Takahashi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Shimizu manages to avoid it.
Takahashi misses with a double jab.
Takahashi goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Shimizu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Takahashi.
Shimizu lands with a right hand.
Shimizu catches Takahashi with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Takahashi chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Shimizu can pounce on him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takahashi on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Shimizu lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Takahashi takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Takahashi doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Shimizu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kazuyuki Shimizu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shimizu 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Kazuyuki Shimizu!
An out of breath and clearly excited Kazuyuki Shimizu thanked Popeye’s Spinach - 159 + 158 Proof Supps for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).