PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kenshin Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Bariga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Yamamoto
vs
Bariga

169 cm
29
147 lbs
12 - 1 - 0

167 cm
21
144 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

//buriedALIVE// Fight Gear

Alpha Male

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kenshin Yamamoto!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mark Bariga!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Sosuke Kotani and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yamamoto takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Bariga stuffs the takedown attempt from Yamamoto. Yamamoto gets slowly back to his feet.
Bariga loads up on a big right hand but Yamamoto slips the punch.
Bariga stuns Yamamoto with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Yamamoto staying out of range there.
Bariga thows a left - swing and a miss!
Yamamoto moves in looking to clinch but Bariga pushes him off.
Yamamoto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bariga throws out a powerful jab.
Bariga staying out of range there.
Bariga swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bariga displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yamamoto throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto looks to land a right hand but Bariga moved out of range.
Bariga loads up on a big right hand but Yamamoto slips the punch.
Yamamoto throws an overhand right that lands on Bariga's shoulder, as Bariga tries to avoid the shot.

Yamamoto drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Bariga controls Yamamoto momentarily but Yamamoto frees himself.
Yamamoto works over Bariga with some ground and pound from guard.
Yamamoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Bariga is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bariga throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Yamamoto wants to control from the top but Bariga keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto is looking to work some ground and pound but Bariga has wrist control.
Bariga is trying to control the position but Yamamoto postures up.
Bariga wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Yamamoto is now in half guard.
Bariga trying to control from the bottom.

Bariga looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Yamamoto seems to be working for a kimura but Bariga defends the submission attempt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bariga avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Bariga is staying active underneath Yamamoto, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Bariga won't allow Yamamoto to pass to mount.

Bariga actively working from the bottom here.

Yamamoto is working for a kimura but Bariga is defending it quite comfortably.
Bariga tries to roll over but Yamamoto keeps him under control.
Bariga has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Yamamoto is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bariga tries to get to full guard but Yamamoto has control of the leg.
Yamamoto wants to pass the guard but Bariga is defending well.
Well, if Yamamoto 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.
Yamamoto is thwarting Bariga's attempts to control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bariga gets back to full guard.
Bariga is pulling down on Yamamoto's head. It's preventing any offense from Yamamoto, at least for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mark Bariga will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Bariga swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yamamoto misses the jab.
Yamamoto fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bariga avoids it really well and circles away.
Yamamoto avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick misses from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bariga manages to avoid it.

Yamamoto scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Bariga is looking for a sweep. Yamamoto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto tries to pass to full mount but Bariga defends it.
Bariga manages to get to full guard.
Yamamoto scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Yamamoto postures up.
Yamamoto with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bariga has Yamamoto pulled in close to control his posture.
Yamamoto trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bariga controls Yamamoto momentarily but Yamamoto frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bariga keeping moving, preventing Yamamoto from controlling successfully.

Yamamoto got a little sloppy there for a moment and Bariga has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Yamamoto has managed to get both his arms back between Bariga's legs - danger averted.
Yamamoto throwing strikes from guard but Bariga blocks nicely.
Kenshin Yamamoto overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yamamoto landing with the ground and pound.
Bariga keeping full guard, as Yamamoto tries to pass.
Yamamoto looking to sit in guard and control but Bariga gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Yamamoto seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bariga trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamamoto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yamamoto bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bariga's guard.
Bariga is trying to keep Yamamoto in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yamamoto wants to control from the top but Bariga keeps moving.
Yamamoto stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bariga swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Yamamoto sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Bariga's guard.
Bariga keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto wants to control but Bariga is keeping him busy.
Bariga is pressing down on Yamamoto's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Bariga looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yamamoto is one step ahead there.
Yamamoto stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bariga swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Bariga is looking for a triangle here but Yamamoto uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Bariga tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Yamamoto presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bariga can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenshin Yamamoto dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Yamamoto swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Bariga cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Yamamoto throws a head kick that misses.
Bariga lands a right hook to the body.
Yamamoto bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Yamamoto uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bariga.
Bariga misses with a jab, cross combination.
Yamamoto moves out of range as Bariga strikes.
Bariga takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Yamamoto shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bariga as he avoids it easily.
Bariga lands with a shot to the body.
Bariga dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto just misses with a punch to the body.
Bariga with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Bariga tries to sprawl but Yamamoto drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Yamamoto missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Yamamoto is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Bariga is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Kenshin Yamamoto!
Kenshin Yamamoto retains his bantamweight title!
Kenshin Yamamoto seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
The defeated Mark Bariga had this to say: 'I think I'm done with 135 division so I'm going to 145 I guess!?'.