PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Soon Do (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshihiro Imanari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Soon Do has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Soon Do seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Do
vs
Imanari

175 cm
29
165 lbs
17 - 9 - 1

172 cm
29
165 lbs
16 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Fury Nutrition Inc.
Milwaukee's Best 160

Sparta Fightware
Milwaukee's Best 160

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 17 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Soon Do!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yoshihiro Imanari!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Igor Prikhodko and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Do closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Imanari's guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Do with a flurry of punches that miss.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Do accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Imanari trying to keep a closed guard but Do is proving a slippery customer.
Do throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Imanari works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Do has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Do stands up over Imanari, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
We've been hearing good reports from Do'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.
Imanari working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Do.
Do is working Imanari over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Imanari wants to sweep but no luck.
Imanari is pulling down on Do's head to control his posture.
Do trying to control but Imanari is working from the bottom.
Imanari tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Do looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Imanari is on top in guard.
Imanari distracts Do with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Do looking to hit a scissor sweep but Imanari is one step ahead there.
Imanari is looking to advance position but Do has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Do can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Imanari is looking to escape.
Imanari is looking to improve his position but Do isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Do lands with some strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Imanari wants to control but Do is having none of it.
Imanari might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Do haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Do with good strikes from the mount here!
Imanari slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Do throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Do not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Imanari is concentrating on defense, preventing Do from advancing position.
Do throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Imanari to regain full guard.
Imanari looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Imanari has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Do can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Imanari working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Do.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Do's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Do is looking to work some ground and pound but Imanari has wrist control.
Do loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Imanari avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Do throws an elbow that misses. Imanari uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Do's guard. Nice move by Imanari!
Do is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Do wants to sweep here but Imanari controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Imanari trying to control the position from guard on top but Do is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Imanari looking to pass the guard.
Imanari looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Do wants to get back to his feet but Imanari is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Do keeping moving, preventing Imanari from controlling successfully.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Imanari throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Soon Do dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Do fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Imanari sprawls well initially but Do persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Imanari gets full guard.
Do throwing strikes from guard but Imanari blocks nicely.
Do trying to control but Imanari is working from the bottom.
Imanari is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Do wants to improve his position but Imanari is controlling well.
Do is not content to let Imanari control the position.
Do moves into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari throwing strikes from guard but Do blocks nicely.
Do is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Do manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Imanari manages to get himself to full guard.
Do in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Imanari pulls Do in to control the position.
Do with a flurry of punches that miss.
Do stopping the sweep attempt from Imanari.
Imanari is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Imanari wants to sweep but no luck.
Do with a flurry of punches that miss.
Imanari is trying to keep Do in close.

Yoshihiro Imanari has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Imanari clinches up with Do and pushes him back against the cage.
Do goes for a takedown in the clinch but Imanari prevents it.
Imanari fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Imanari is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Do lands with a left to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Imanari.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Imanari.
Imanari working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Imanari's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Imanari moves into range and clinches up with Do.
Imanari is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Do is keeping busy.
Imanari pushes Do back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Imanari.
Do scores with a nice hook to the head.
Do is pressed up against the cage. Imanari has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Do down to the mat. Do avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Imanari uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Do.
Do walks into a stiff left hand from Imanari.

Do closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Imanari did well to prevent Do getting side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Do is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Imanari has managed to free his arm - good work.
Do misses with a head shot. Imanari uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Do throws a strike but Imanari rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Imanari stopping the sweep attempt from Do.
Imanari throws a strike but Do rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Do trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Soon Do will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Do throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Imanari was covering up waiting for the punch and Do finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Do passes Imanari's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Do thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Imanari controlling the position well.
Imanari manages to get to full guard.
Imanari manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Imanari lands a big shot there that rocks Do but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Soon Do overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari throws some wild stikes that Do manages to avoid easily.
Do tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Do is bucking up trying to escape but Imanari cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Imanari is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Do can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Do is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Do is desperately trying to improve his position but Imanari has a good base and remains in mount.
Imanari controlling from the full mount.
Do working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Imanari wants to control the pace but Do is squirming around nicely.
Imanari avoids the attempt from Do to control.
Do working to try and regain half guard.
Do taking shots to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Do wants to hold on but Imanari pushes him away.
Imanari tries to control but Do wriggling away.
Do is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imanari lands with some strikes.
Imanari landing strikes from the mount and Do is in trouble!
Imanari looking to finish Do with some ground and pound. This is bad for Do!

Do is rocked!
Imanari lands a couple of good shots and Do has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Oh Do is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Do rolls, trying to escape but Imanari keeps control of the position.
Imanari throwing damaging strikes from the back! Do could be in trouble here!
Imanari avoiding Do 's attempts to control his hands.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Imanari is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Do knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Do for a finish.
Imanari connects with a couple of big shots that have Do covering up! Oh, this looks bad for Do! Imanari fires away with several more unanswered shots and the referee has no choice but to step in! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Yoshihiro Imanari!
Yoshihiro Imanari decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.