PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joseph Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ikuo Hitigaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Ikuo Hitigaki enters the cage!

Lee
vs
Hitigaki

189 cm
18
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
187 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joseph Lee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ikuo Hitigaki!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Hirohito Nitta and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hitigaki closes the distance and clinches.
Our sources have told us that Lee has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Hitigaki misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lee blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hitigaki is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Lee pressing his opponent against the cage.
Hitigaki misses with a knee strike.
Lee blocks an elbow strike.
Hitigaki pushes off an throws an elbow but Lee leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hitigaki missing with knees to the body.
Lee blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee tries to pull guard but Hitigaki won't allow it.
Hitigaki taking a breather.
Hitigaki has a couple of punches blocked by Lee.
Hitigaki goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hitigaki misses with some punches.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Lee blocking some punches.
Lee tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hitigaki just stands there and leans against the cage.
Lee has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hitigaki avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joseph Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Hitigaki.
Lee wants a takedown but no success here.
Lee is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Hitigaki stalling the fight.
Lee is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hitigaki pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hitigaki throws a punch but it's blocked by Lee.
Hitigaki is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Lee is breathing heavily.
Lee stalling in the clinch but Hitigaki improves position.
Lee fails to pull guard.
Hitigaki prevents the takedown attempt.
Hitigaki tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Lee avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hitigaki pressing his opponent against the cage.
Lee blocks an elbow strike from Hitigaki.
Hitigaki tries to work over Lee's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hitigaki is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Hitigaki tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Lee blocks an uppercut.
Hitigaki misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hitigaki is stalling here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hitigaki pulls his leg out and moves away.
Lee keeps the fight on the outside.

Hitigaki fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Lee, pushing him back against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Hitigaki trying to land knees to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hitigaki stalling in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ikuo Hitigaki dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hitigaki fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hitigaki is looking to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hitigaki taking a breather.
Lee is trying to break the clinch but Hitigaki is controlling him.
Lee tries to pull guard but Hitigaki won't allow it.
Lee blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Lee tries to land knees in the clinch but Hitigaki avoids the damage to the body.
Hitigaki tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hitigaki keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lee's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee blocks an elbow strike from Hitigaki.
Lee avoiding damage as Hitigaki throws knees to the body.
Hitigaki pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Hitigaki misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A head punch on the inside from Hitigaki fails to land.
Hitigaki stalling the fight.
Hitigaki misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lee.
Hitigaki throws a punch but it's blocked by Lee.
Hitigaki pushes off an throws an elbow but Lee leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hitigaki working aggressively here.
Stalling in the clinch from Hitigaki.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hitigaki misses with a knee to the head.
Lee tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hitigaki is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Lee is defending well for now.
Hitigaki has a couple of punches blocked by Lee.
Hitigaki lands a shoulder strike.
Hitigaki throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Hitigaki looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Lee is looking to control Hitigaki's arms but Hitigaki gets an underhook and turns him. Now Lee has his back to the cage.
Lee being controlled against the cage.
Hitigaki receives a warning from the referee for stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hitigaki swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hitigaki content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Hitigaki lands a nice uppercut.
Lee blocks a body shot from Hitigaki.
Lee tries to pull guard but Hitigaki forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joseph Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hitigaki pushes off an throws an elbow but Lee leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Lee can't get the takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hitigaki throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Lee blocks it with crossed arms.
Hitigaki gets underhooks to prevent Lee's takedown attempt.
Lee being controlled against the cage.
Hitigaki tries a body shot but Lee blocks it.
Hitigaki looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Lee trying to control the position but instead, Hitigaki has worked for underhooks and has pushed Lee into the cage.
Lee tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hitigaki throws a punch but it's blocked by Lee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ikuo Hitigaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Hitigaki forces Lee back against the cage and clinches.
Lee misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hitigaki.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Hitigaki throws a head punch that misses.
Hitigaki blocks a body shot from Lee.
Hitigaki stalling the fight.
Lee is trying to force a seperation but Hitigaki has the dominant position.
Hitigaki misses with the head strike.
Hitigaki misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lee misses with a body punch.
Lee tries to pull guard but Hitigaki won't allow it.
Lee fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hitigaki pushes off an throws an elbow but Lee leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hitigaki lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Lee backwards.
Lee tries to break the clinch but Hitigaki is controlling the position.
Hitigaki misses with an elbow over the top.
Stalling in the clinch from Hitigaki.
Lee tries to score a body lock takedown but Hitigaki shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joseph Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lee manages to pull guard.
Lee is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lee is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Hitigaki trying to stand up but can't free himself from Lee's guard.
Lee not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hitigaki showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hitigaki tries to clinch up but Lee circles away and keeps his distance.
Hitigaki tries a head kick but it misses.
Lee keeps the fight on the outside.

Hitigaki darts in and clinches Lee up against the cage.
Hitigaki taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Hitigaki missing with knees to the body.
Hitigaki lands a damaging elbow.
Hitigaki is pressed up against the cage. Lee has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hitigaki down to the mat. Hitigaki avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hitigaki wants to clinch up but Lee keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hitigaki tries to clinch up.
Lee shoots in for a takedown but Hitigaki shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hitigaki tries to clinch up.

Hitigaki has Lee up against the cage in a clinch.
Hitigaki misses with a knee to the head.
Hitigaki holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Lee blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hitigaki holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Joseph Lee has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hitigaki.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ikuo Hitigaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Hitigaki winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ikuo Hitigaki!