PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Yoshi Yamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jushin Kusanagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yamoto kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genuis that is Blow by Atreyu. Kusanagi has chosen Got The Life as his entrance music. Jushin Kusanagi is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Yamoto
vs
Kusanagi

175 cm
18
162 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
21
150 lbs
6 - 7 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshi Yamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Jushin Kusanagi!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kusanagi lunges at Yamoto with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Yamoto's hand.
Kusanagi swinging wilding here.
Kusanagi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kusanagi throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Kusanagi throws a sloppy head kick and Yamoto moves out of range easily.
Yamoto tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kusanagi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kusanagi lands with a straight right. Yamoto didn't see that one coming.

Yamoto shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Yamoto working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Kusanagi's thigh. Kusanagi counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Kusanagi trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamoto trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Yamoto postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kusanagi is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Yamoto, into his guard.
Yamoto keeping moving, preventing Kusanagi from controlling successfully.
Kusanagi is looking to stand up but Yamoto won't let him.
Yamoto is trying to keep Kusanagi in close.

Yamoto throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Kusanagi is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamoto wants to improve his position but instead Kusanagi has moved into half guard.
Yamoto is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kusanagi's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kusanagi's back!
Yamoto throwing wild punches that miss their target.

Kusanagi defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Yamoto throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Yamoto looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Kusanagi passes into half guard.
Yamoto is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamoto is refusing to be controlled, as Kusanagi sits in half guard.
Kusanagi tries to stand and escape but Yamoto is controlling the position.
Kusanagi prevents Yamoto from improving his position.

Yamoto is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Kusanagi pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Yamoto looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Kusanagi prevents Yamoto from improving his position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Yamoto tries to keep at a distance but Kusanagi has taken the fight into the clinch.
Yamoto tries to pull guard but Kusanagi holds him up against the cage and eventually Yamoto drops back down to his feet.

Kusanagi gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Yamoto has his foot on Kusanagi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kusanagi works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Yamoto shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kusanagi as he jumps to the side.

Kusanagi clinches with his opponent.

Kusanagi gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Yamoto is looking for a sweep. Kusanagi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kusanagi is looking to take a break and control but Yamoto is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Yamoto gets full guard.

Yamoto has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kusanagi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kusanagi throwing strikes from guard but Yamoto blocks nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kusanagi trying to control but Yamoto is working from the bottom.

Yamoto is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kusanagi won't allow Yamoto to sweep him here.
Yamoto not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Yamoto looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Kusanagi puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Kusanagi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yamoto keeps working.
Kusanagi frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Yamoto is working to get back to half guard.
Kusanagi controlling the position easily from mount.
Yamoto is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kusanagi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yamoto working to try and regain half guard.
Yamoto regains half guard.
Yamoto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Yamoto is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kusanagi's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kusanagi's back!

Yamoto looking for the RNC.

Kusanagi won't enjoy being in this position. Yamoto looking for the choke. Oh... he's slipped the arm under the neck - Kusanagi is tapping - it's over boys! Yamoto picks up the submission victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Yoshi Yamoto!