PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Abraham Lincoln (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshi Tajiri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yoshi Tajiri struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 147.7lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Lincoln
vs
Tajiri

180 cm
18
145 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
23
153 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Abraham Lincoln!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yoshi Tajiri!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Reed Andrews and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lincoln shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Tajiri looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Lincoln wants to stand but Tajiri has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Ground and pound from Lincoln.
Lincoln is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Lincoln is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Lincoln seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tajiri does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Lincoln is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lincoln moves into full mount! Tajiri won't be happy about that!
Lincoln cracks Tajiri with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Lincoln landing strikes, looking to finish!
Lincoln tries to control but Tajiri wriggling away.
Lincoln lands a big shot there that rocks Tajiri but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Lincoln with a couple of short strikes.
Lincoln cracks Tajiri with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Tajiri is desperately trying to improve his position but Lincoln has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lincoln is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Lincoln really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lincoln punishing his opponent with strikes.
Lincoln tries to control but Tajiri wriggling away.
Lincoln punishing his opponent with strikes.
Lincoln lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Lincoln controlling from mount.
Lincoln pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Tajiri is squirming around, avoiding Lincoln's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lincoln lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Lincoln raining down hammerfists from mount.
Lincoln breaks from Tajiri's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Lincoln looking to control but Tajiri is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Tajiri takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Lincoln dominating with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lincoln is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Tajiri has managed to escape the submission attempt.

Lincoln working for a submission but Tajiri is keeping him at bay.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lincoln is looking to stand but Lincoln has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
Tajiri is squirming around, avoiding Lincoln's attempts to control the action.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tajiri can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Tajiri avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Lincoln shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Lincoln was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Lincoln tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Tajiri is working to avoid the ground and pound but Lincoln connects with a decent elbow.
Tajiri taking a bit of punishment here - Lincoln scoring with strikes.

Lincoln is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Tajiri has escaped the position, nice work there.
Tajiri is breathing heavily.

Lincoln has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lincoln falls off balance throwing a combination
and Tajiri counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Lincoln darts in and clinches Tajiri up against the cage.
Lincoln is trying to push Tajiri away but Tajiri has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Tajiri is trying to push Lincoln away but Lincoln has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Tajiri keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lincoln's efforts to push away.

Tajiri breaks the clinch.

Lincoln drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tajiri keeping moving, preventing Lincoln from controlling successfully.
Lincoln makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tajiri keeping moving, preventing Lincoln from controlling successfully.
Lincoln works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Lincoln wants to stand up but Tajiri is controlling the position.
Lincoln trying to control the action but Tajiri is working from the bottom.
Lincoln working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lincoln works his way into side control.
Lincoln trying to control the position but Tajiri is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lincoln blocks the strikes from Tajiri.
Tajiri is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Lincoln has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Tajiri is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. Lincoln yanks on the arm and Tajiri is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by Lincoln.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Abraham Lincoln!