PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ippo makunouchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenshiro Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ippo makunouchi had a look across the ring there at his opponent. He definitely means business

makunouchi
vs
Yamamoto

200 cm
20
192 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

183 cm
22
190 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ippo makunouchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenshiro Yamamoto!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yuuki Gou and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
makunouchi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Yamamoto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

makunouchi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Yamamoto!
makunouchi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Yamamoto's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Yamamoto tries to hold on but makunouchi pushes him away.
makunouchi landing strikes from the mount and Yamamoto is in trouble!
makunouchi lands with some strikes.
makunouchi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Yamamoto looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
makunouchi really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
makunouchi has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Yamamoto's face.
makunouchi pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Yamamoto taking shots to the head.
makunouchi controlling the pace for now.
makunouchi trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
makunouchi working the ground and pound effectively.
makunouchi lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
makunouchi will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, makunouchi cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
makunouchi connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
makunouchi wants to control the pace but Yamamoto is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto is bucking up trying to escape but makunouchi cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Yamamoto tries to hold on but makunouchi postures up.
makunouchi content just to control the position here.
makunouchi has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Yamamoto's face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
makunouchi wants to control the pace but Yamamoto is squirming around nicely.
makunouchi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ippo makunouchi just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
makunouchi misses with a takedown attempt

so Yamamoto counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
makunouchi is pulling down on Yamamoto's head. It's preventing any offense from Yamamoto, at least for the moment.

makunouchi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Yamamoto can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
makunouchi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ippo makunouchi dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

makunouchi shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than makunouchi was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
makunouchi mounts Yamamoto! Really nice guard pass there!

makunouchi is working for a guillotine from mount but Yamamoto frees his head quite easily.
makunouchi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Yamamoto is breathing heavily.
makunouchi with a couple of short strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
makunouchi controlling the position easily from mount.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
makunouchi lands a big shot there that rocks Yamamoto but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
makunouchi pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
makunouchi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ippo makunouchi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yamamoto wants to control but makunouchi is having none of it.

That's two 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.
makunouchi tries to control but Yamamoto wriggling away.

makunouchi jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Yamamoto manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
makunouchi tries to move to mount but Yamamoto blocks the move with his legs.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Yamamoto takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

makunouchi clinches up against the ropes.
makunouchi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
makunouchi is trying to maintain a safe position but Yamamoto gets an underhook and turns makunouchi into the ropes.
makunouchi is working Yamamoto over against the ropes.
Yamamoto is working for takedown but makunouchi is calmly controlling the position for now.
makunouchi tries to pull guard but Yamamoto won't allow it.
Yamamoto misses with a shot to the kidneys.
makunouchi has Yamamoto pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Yamamoto manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Yamamoto wants to get back to striking at distance but makunouchi won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. makunouchi smiles and moves away.
Ippo makunouchi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Yamamoto doesn't succeed with the takedown

and makunouchi counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Ippo makunouchi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kenshiro Yamamoto.
makunouchi throwing strikes from guard but Yamamoto blocks nicely.
makunouchi postures up in Yamamoto's guard and throws a big left but Yamamoto blocks it.
makunouchi is looking to work some ground and pound but Yamamoto has wrist control.
makunouchi sitting in guard here, content to control.
Yamamoto is looking to stand up but makunouchi isn't so interested in that idea.
makunouchi trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamamoto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ippo makunouchi dominated that second round.
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!

Yamamoto looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for makunouchi!
makunouchi tries to hold on but Yamamoto pushes him away.
makunouchi is trying desperately to improve position.
makunouchi sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
makunouchi moves into full guard.
Yamamoto takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
makunouchi controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

makunouchi has his foot on Yamamoto's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yamamoto works his way back into a safe position though.
Yamamoto postures up.
Yamamoto wants to control from the top but makunouchi keeps moving.
Yamamoto wants to pass the guard but makunouchi is keeping the position.
Yamamoto is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Yamamoto connects with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
makunouchi with a lazy takedown attempt

and Yamamoto counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Yamamoto.

Yamamoto stands and steps away. makunouchi gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Yamamoto looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Yamamoto wants to control from the top but makunouchi keeps moving.
Yamamoto passes makunouchi's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Yamamoto wants to pass to mount but makunouchi is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto controlling the action here.
makunouchi is looking to control Yamamoto's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can makunouchi avoid being mounted?
makunouchi is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Yamamoto is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Yamamoto scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Yamamoto is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
makunouchi wants to sweep but Yamamoto has passed to side control!
Yamamoto in the domination position with makunouchi hanging on.
Yamamoto trying to control the action but makunouchi is working from the bottom.
makunouchi is looking for a sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kenshiro Yamamoto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well makunouchi 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ippo makunouchi!