PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joe Little (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kiyoshi Tanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Little
vs
Tanabe

158 cm
18
142 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

169 cm
22
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Joe Little!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kiyoshi Tanabe!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanabe circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tanabe misses with a two punch combination.

Little takes the fight into the clinch.
Little could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Come on Little - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Tanabe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Little throws a punch but it's blocked by Tanabe.

Little breaks from the clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Little clinches up against the cage.
Tanabe wants to break free but Little has control.
Tanabe wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Little has him pressed against the cage.
Tanabe is trying to break free.
Little lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A right handed body shot lands from Little.
Tanabe is trying to break the clinch but Little has him pressed against the cage.

Little breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Danga de danga de dang - Tanabe scores with a four punch combination!
Some wild striking there from Tanabe.
Little showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tanabe.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Little takes the fight into the clinch.

Little breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Little looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tanabe throws a nice looking combination but Little bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Little pushes Tanabe up against the cage in a clinch.

Little manages to break the clinch.
Little shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Little doesn't manage to clinch there - Tanabe circles away.
Little misses with a jab, cross combination.
Little tries to clinch but Tanabe moves out of range.
Little tries to clinch there but Tanabe circles away.
Tanabe lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Little moves in looking to clinch but Tanabe pushes him off.
Tanabe throws a left and a right that both miss

and Little moves into the clinch.
Tanabe can't break the clinch.

Little breaks from the clinch.
Little wants to clinch up but Tanabe keeps it at a distance.
Tanabe throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Tanabe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanabe throws a left and a right that both miss

and Little counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Little.
Little misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tanabe is looking to break free of the clinch but Little has double underhooks.

Little escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tanabe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Kiyoshi Tanabe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Little tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tanabe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tanabe will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Little fails in his attempt to clinch.
Little is looking to clinch.
Little throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Little tries to clinch but Tanabe moves out of range.
Tanabe throws a right and a left that Little avoids nicely.
A combination from Tanabe does no damage.
Tanabe throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Little doesn't manage to clinch there - Tanabe circles away.
Tanabe falls off balance throwing a combination

and Little counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Little prevents Tanabe from breaking the clinch.
Tanabe is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanabe is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Little lands an elbow inside.
A short right from Little on the inside.
Little lands a left hand.
Little leaning his opponent against the cage.
Tanabe wants to break the clinch but can't.
Little misses with the head strike.
Tanabe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Tanabe has had enough of the clinch but Little keeps him there for the moment.

Little escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tanabe throws a series of punches but Little avoids them all with ease.
Tanabe misses with the combination.
Little fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tanabe works over Little's head and body with a nice combination.

That's four 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.
Tanabe rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Little moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tanabe throws a series of punches but Little moves out of range.
Tanabe misses with a series of wild punches.
Tanabe throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Little.
Tanabe tries to bum rush Little with a series of wild strikes but Little uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Little is looking to clinch but Tanabe is avoiding it.
Little fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tanabe throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tanabe throws a combination that misses
and Little counters with a slapping leg kick.
Tanabe fails to land with a series of punches.
Tanabe looks gassed!
Tanabe throws a nice looking combination but Little bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tanabe lands a jab-cross combination.
Tanabe misses with a wild combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Little looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Little closes the distance and clinches up with Tanabe, looking for a takedown. Little pushes Tanabe against the cage but Tanabe circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Tanabe misses with a combination

and Little holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Tanabe tries to break the clinch but Little is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Little dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Tanabe throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Little counters by clinching up.
Little stalling the fight.

Little breaks from the clinch.
Tanabe misses with a series of wild punches.

Little clinches with his opponent.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Little takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Little tries to land knees in the clinch but Tanabe avoids the damage to the body.
Little lands a knee to the body.
Little prevents Tanabe from breaking the clinch.
Little swings wildly with an uppercut but Tanabe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Little's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Tanabe can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanabe can't break the clinch.
Little lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Little lands with a short shot to the head.

Little breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Some wild striking there from Little.
Little slips a jab and a cross from Tanabe.
Little takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Tanabe misses with the combination.
Tanabe moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Tanabe misses with the combination.
Tanabe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
No joy there for Tanabe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kiyoshi Tanabe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A punch combination from Tanabe misses.

Little moves into range and clinches up with Tanabe.
Little stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

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.
Little scores with a shot to the side of Tanabe's head.

Little breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tanabe throws a nice looking combination but Little bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tanabe will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tanabe rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Little moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tanabe misses with a few strikes there.

Little fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tanabe, pushing him back against the cage.
Little stalling.
Tanabe wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Little goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Little fails to land.
Little leaning against his opponent.
Little using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Tanabe is breathing heavily.
Tanabe is looking to break free of the clinch but Little has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanabe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Tanabe wants to break the clinch but can't.
Little keeps control of Tanabe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Little lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Little is leaning against Tanabe and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Little content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Little misses with a short punch on the inside.
Little lands a body punch.

Little breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A punch combination from Tanabe misses.
Tanabe misses with a double jab.
Tanabe throws a right and a left that both miss.

Little moves into the clinch.
Tanabe is trying to break free.

Little manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Little tries to close the distance and clinch but Tanabe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Joe Little is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Little throws a right hand that Tanabe ducks under and follows up with a left that Tanabe also avoids with ease.
Little tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Little wants to clinch.
A punch combination from Tanabe misses.
Tanabe stalks Little and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Little's face. Little staggers backwards, shaken.
Tanabe throws a series of punches but Little avoids them all with ease.
Tanabe throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tanabe rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Little moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Little wants to clinch up but Tanabe keeps it at a distance.
Little looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Tanabe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Some wild striking there from Tanabe.
Little is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tanabe throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Little.
Tanabe moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Little dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Tanabe!
Little throws a series of punches but Tanabe moves out of range.
Little misses with a body shot.
Little is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Little tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tanabe swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Little rushes Tanabe and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nice elbow from Little.
Little tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Little throws an elbow that misses.
Tanabe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Little goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tanabe is trying to break the clinch but Little has him pressed against the cage.

Little manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Little tries to clinch but Tanabe moves out of range.
Little is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanabe swinging wilding here.
Tanabe swinging wilding here.
Little lands a lovely overhand right.
Little dodges the punch combination from Tanabe.
Little tries to clinch but Tanabe is having none of it.
Tanabe throws a combination that misses

and Little moves into the clinch.
Tanabe wants to break the clinch but can't.
Tanabe wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Little has him pressed against the cage.

Little breaks from the clinch.
Tanabe looks to land a combination. Little sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Little fails in his attempt to clinch.
Little fails with an attempt to clinch.
A combination from Tanabe does no damage.
Little is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Tanabe.

Little moves into the clinch.
Tanabe can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Little keeps control of Tanabe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Little has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tanabe is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Little escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tanabe misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Tanabe misses with a combination

and Little holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Tanabe is trying to break the clinch but Little has him pressed against the cage.
Tanabe has had enough of the clinch but Little keeps him there for the moment.
A bit of stalling here from Little.

Little breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tanabe throws a right hand that Little ducks under and follows up with a left that Little also avoids with ease.
Tanabe tries to bum rush Little with a series of wild strikes but Little uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tanabe's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Tanabe duly obliges.

Little has Tanabe up against the cage in a clinch.
Joe Little has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Tanabe blocks a body shot from Little.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Little breaks from the clinch.
Tanabe looks to land a combination. Little sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Tanabe misses with the combination.
Tanabe lands a jab-cross combination.
Little tries to clinch up.
Little has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Little looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A punch combination from Tanabe misses.
Little dodges the punch combination from Tanabe.
Tanabe misses with a series of wild punches.
Little throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tanabe.
Little tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tanabe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tanabe throws a combination that misses

and Little counters with a takedown into side control.
Tanabe wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Little trying to control the position but Tanabe is working away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tanabe can do anything to dispel that myth.
Tanabe parries the strikes from Little easily there. Little is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Tanabe to escape.
Tanabe tries to escape but Little is in control.
The ground and pound from Little seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Kiyoshi Tanabe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Little trying to control the position but Tanabe is working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Little showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Little 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Little!