PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Howard White (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akihiro Tatsui (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Howard White has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

White
vs
Tatsui

182 cm
25
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

173 cm
23
156 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Cold Blooded Kemists ↑ 5x160Q

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Howard White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Akihiro Tatsui!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Ivan Kurochkin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

White rushes Tatsui and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
White tries to land a knee to the head but Tatsui blocks with his arms.
White throws a knee to the head but misses.
White with an attempt at a knee that misses.
White misses with a knee strike.
Tatsui leaning against his opponent.
White throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tatsui blocks it with crossed arms.
White using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tatsui has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
White throws a knee to the head but misses.
Tatsui using the Thai plumb to throw knees but White has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
White using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tatsui has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
White tries to land a knee to the head but Tatsui blocks with his arms.
White tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
White tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
White with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
White tries to land a knee to the head but Tatsui blocks with his arms.

Tatsui pulls guard effortlessly.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
White trying to control but Tatsui is working from the bottom.
Tatsui looking for a sweep. Not yet Tatsui, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White trying to control but Tatsui is working from the bottom.
White looking to sit in guard and control but Tatsui gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Tatsui stays in close to White's body and controls the position.
Tatsui told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Tatsui passes White's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Well, if Tatsui is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Tatsui tries to pass to full mount but White defends it.
Tatsui looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatsui prevents White from improving his position.

White actively working from the bottom here.

Tatsui is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
White works his way to full guard. Good work.
White trying to control the position.

White escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Tatsui gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Tatsui advances position into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White tries to improve position but can't.
Tatsui working the ground and pound.

Tatsui is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, White has escaped the position, nice work there.
Tatsui in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
White is looking to regain half guard here but Tatsui keeps moving and retains side control.
A lull in the action here.
White struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tatsui working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
White is looking to regain half guard here but Tatsui keeps moving and retains side control.
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.
White gets back to half guard.
White trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
White regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Howard White will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

White connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

White fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tatsui, pushing him back against the ropes.
White using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tatsui has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
White tries a knee to the head but Tatsui blocks it.
White with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
White keeps control of Tatsui as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
White with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
White with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Tatsui has dropped down and is working for a takedown. White is trying to keep an underhook but Tatsui manages to get the takedown into half guard.
White is trying to get back to full guard.

White looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Tatsui slows the pace down in half guard.
White won't allow Tatsui to pass to mount.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatsui passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for White!
White wants to hold on but Tatsui pushes him away.
White is controlling an arm, preventing Tatsui from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
White working to try and regain half guard.
Tatsui wants to take White's back but he can't do it this time.
Tatsui lands with some vicious ground and pound - can White hang on?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatsui lands with some vicious ground and pound - can White hang on?
White is looking to get to half guard.
White has given up his back here. Will Tatsui look for the submission or keep pounding away?
A lull in the action here.

White defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
White is in bad spot here.
White rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Tatsui sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White is not content to let Tatsui control the position.
Tatsui passes to side control.
White trying to remain calm as Tatsui controls from the top position.

Tatsui is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. White knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
White tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
White is trying to control Tatsui's posture but Tatsui avoids it.
Tatsui taking a breather here.
Tatsui scores with a couple of short elbows.
White is looking for a sweep.
Tatsui in side control lands a decent elbow.
We've been hearing good reports from White's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
White sneaks a leg under to get back to half 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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

White is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Tatsui pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

White looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akihiro Tatsui showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

White instigates a clinch.
White tries to land a knee to the head but Tatsui blocks with his arms.
White looking to throw knees to the head but Tatsui is blocking nicely.
Tatsui wants to take the fight to the mat but White manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
White throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tatsui blocks it with crossed arms.
White using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tatsui has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
White tries to land a knee to the head but Tatsui blocks with his arms.
White misses with a knee strike.
White misses with a knee to the head.

Tatsui gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, White regains guard.
Tatsui controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatsui pushing down on White's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Tatsui is taking a breather. White says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

White actively working from the bottom here.
White moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
White can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tatsui controls the pace.
Tatsui must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Tatsui avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tatsui stands and throws White's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatsui in side control lands a decent elbow.
White is not content to let Tatsui control the position.
Akihiro Tatsui has got the better of the ground game so far.

Tatsui in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... White is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Akihiro Tatsui!
A very excited looking Akihiro Tatsui made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.