PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ichiro Takahashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roque Barretto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takahashi comes to the cage accompanied by 暗殺者. Barretto has chosen Last Man Standing - By 4ft Fingers as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Takahashi
vs
Barretto

180 cm
28
174 lbs
14 - 4 - 1

180 cm
35
166 lbs
32 - 11 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction
Conquer

KAISER
Reaper Combatwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ichiro Takahashi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 32 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Roque Barretto!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takahashi connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Takahashi checks the leg kick.
Barretto throws a leg kick but Takahashi sees it coming and moves out of range.
Barretto loads up on a big right hand but Takahashi slips the punch.
Barretto with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Jab, jab by Takahashi - just one landing.
Barretto lands a front kick.
Barretto tries a low kick but Takahashi avoids it.
Barretto throws a combination that misses
and Takahashi counters with a body kick.
Takahashi throws an off balance right hand
and Barretto counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Barretto bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Takahashi's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takahashi looks for the body kick but Barretto saw that one coming.
Takahashi fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Barretto has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Barretto defending well as Takahashi loads up on a big left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi moves out of range of the leg kick from Barretto.
Barretto feints and then cracks Takahashi's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Takahashi down.

Takahashi fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Barretto to the ground. Takahashi is now in Barretto's guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Barretto looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Barretto keeping full guard, as Takahashi tries to pass.
Takahashi wants to control from the top but Barretto keeps moving.
Barretto looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barretto is pulling down on Takahashi's head. It's preventing any offense from Takahashi, at least for the moment.
Takahashi stopping the sweep attempt from Barretto.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Barretto trying to keep a closed guard but Takahashi is proving a slippery customer.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Takahashi tries to score a power double leg takedown but Barretto sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Takahashi somewhat.
Barretto throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Takahashi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barretto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Takahashi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barretto cracks a nice hook into Takahashi's ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barretto rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Takahashi makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Roque Barretto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Barretto.
Sloppy strikes from Takahashi. Those never looked like landing.
Takahashi takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Takahashi with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Barretto to score with a decent uppercut.
Takahashi catches Barretto with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Barretto scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A clash of legs there as Takahashi blocks the low kick.
Barretto throws a body kick that misses.
Nice shot lands for Takahashi.
Barretto connects with a body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Takahashi takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Barretto.
Takahashi is looking to clinch but Barretto is avoiding it.
Barretto takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Barretto's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Takahashi connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Barretto scrambles back to his feet.
Barretto walks into a straight right hand from Takahashi.
A nice leg kick lands there from Takahashi.
Barretto scoring well with a low kick there.
Barretto pivots, looking for a leg kick but Takahashi is out of range and Barretto settles back down.
A slapping leg kick lands for Barretto.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Takahashi thows a body shot but no joy.
Barretto punishes Takahashi's body with a nice straight punch.
Barretto throws a leg kick but Takahashi checks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roque Barretto dominated that round.
That's time! Takahashi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Barretto fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Jab by Takahashi.
Barretto throws a jab when Takahashi was well out of range.
Barretto moves out of range as Takahashi strikes.
Barretto throws a head kick but Takahashi moves out of range.
Barretto throws the kick towards the body but Takahashi avoids it.
Takahashi throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Barretto is looking to slow Takahashi down with leg kicks.
Takahashi chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Barretto can pounce on him.
Takahashi takes one to the side of the head.
Barretto tries to score with a low kick but Takahashi moves his leg out of the way.
Barretto showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Takahashi.
Barretto thumps Takahashi with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Roque Barretto is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Barretto fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Barretto lands a leg kick that knocks Takahashi off balance momentarily.
Takahashi on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Barretto throws a leg kick

and Takahashi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Takahashi.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takahashi trying to control but Barretto is working from the bottom.
Takahashi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barretto is keeping the position for now.
Takahashi postures up in Barretto's guard and throws a big left but Barretto blocks it.
Takahashi stopping the sweep attempt from Barretto.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Barretto holds on and takes a little breather.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Takahashi trying to control but Barretto is working from the bottom.
Barretto manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Takahashi tries to lock up and control but Barretto gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Takahashi sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Takahashi tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Barretto has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Takahashi is desperately trying to improve his position but Barretto has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barretto tries to control but Takahashi wriggling away.
Barretto prevents Takahashi from getting the reversal.
Barretto tries to control but Takahashi wriggling away.
Takahashi keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Barretto controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi gets back to half guard.
Barretto trying to mount his opponent but Takahashi defends it.
Barretto seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Roque Barretto was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Barretto looks for the body kick but Takahashi saw that one coming.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Takahashi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Barretto swings away with a leg kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Roque Barretto will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Takahashi takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Takahashi takes a jab right on the kisser.
Barretto tries to land a leg kick but Takahashi saw it coming and moves away.
Barretto looks to score with a jab to the body but Takahashi is just out of range.
Roque Barretto seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Takahashi throws a poor cross that misses

and Barretto counters with a shoot takedown. Takahashi fights it but they end up in guard.
Ichiro Takahashi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Takahashi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Barretto!
Barretto tries to hold on but Takahashi postures up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barretto is looking to get to half guard.
Barretto wants to control but Takahashi is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi throws some wild stikes that Barretto manages to avoid easily.
Takahashi throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Barretto is squirming around, avoiding Takahashi's attempts to control the action.

Takahashi is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Barretto can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Barretto wants to hold on but Takahashi pushes him away.
Barretto prevents any damage by holding on tight.
Barretto tries to hold on but Takahashi pushes him away.
Barretto is looking to improve his position but Takahashi isn't that keen on the idea.
Ichiro Takahashi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi working Barretto over with strikes here.
Takahashi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Barretto is looking to escape.
Barretto blocking the ground and pound.
Barretto keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barretto blocking the ground and pound.
Barretto tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi unloads with some shots from mount but Barretto bucks and avoids them well.
Takahashi lands a couple of good shots and Barretto has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Barretto trying to control but not successfully.

Barretto showing good submission defense here.
Takahashi trying to control momentarily.
Barretto tries to break free.

Takahashi is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Barretto is defending well though. Takahashi let's go of the attempt for now.
Takahashi lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Takahashi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi missing with punches from the back.
Takahashi thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barretto tries to escape the position.
Barretto just trying to survive but Takahashi is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Roque Barretto is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Barretto defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Takahashi's arms.

Takahashi goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Barretto escapes and is now in half guard on top.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barretto works his way into full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Ichiro Takahashi showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Barretto 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roque Barretto!
An out of breath Roque Barretto thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.