PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Shawn Roth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ichi Yakuza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yakuza has chosen The Legend of Zelda, Overworld as his entrance music. Shawn Roth has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Roth
vs
Yakuza

181 cm
19
140 lbs
4 - 1 - 1

150 cm
25
113 lbs
4 - 10 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

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 4 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Shawn Roth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ichi Yakuza!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yuuki Gou and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yakuza gets a clinch.
Yakuza is trying to force a seperation but Roth has the dominant position.

Yakuza manages to break the clinch.
Roth really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Roth looking to score a takedown here. Yakuza is defending well but Roth drives through and ends up in Yakuza's guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Roth thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Roth stands and steps away. Yakuza gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Yakuza closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Roth tries to break free but Yakuza pushes him back against the cage.
Roth has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Yakuza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Roth has him pressed against the cage.
Roth keeps control of Yakuza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Yakuza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yakuza closes the distance and pushes Roth back into the cage.
Yakuza is trying to break free.
Roth keeps control of Yakuza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Roth is trying to break the clinch but Yakuza is controlling him.
Yakuza is trying to push Roth away but Roth has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Roth ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Roth no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Roth has his foot on Yakuza's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yakuza works his way back into a safe position though.
Roth will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Roth with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Yakuza can't handle though.

Roth is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Yakuza defends well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Roth trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Yakuza would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Roth throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roth throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Roth throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Roth throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Roth pushes Yakuza off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Ichi Yakuza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Yakuza darts in and clinches Roth up against the cage.
Yakuza is trying to break the clinch but Roth is controlling him.
Roth tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yakuza is looking to break free of the clinch but Roth has double underhooks.
Roth tries to break free but Yakuza pushes him back against the cage.

Yakuza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Yakuza clinches with his opponent.
Yakuza is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Roth keeps control of Yakuza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roth has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Yakuza wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Yakuza tries to break the clinch but Roth is controlling the position.
Roth is trying to break the clinch but Yakuza is controlling him.
Roth wants to break the clinch but can't.
Yakuza is trying to push Roth away but Roth has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Yakuza has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Roth leaning his opponent against the cage.
Yakuza wants to get back to striking at distance but Roth won't allow it.
Roth is working for takedown but Yakuza is calmly controlling the position for now.
Yakuza is trying to push Roth away but Roth has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Yakuza tries to break the clinch but Roth is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roth stalling the fight.
Roth prevents Yakuza from breaking the clinch.
Yakuza tries to break free but Roth pushes him back against the cage.
Yakuza is trying to break free.
We've been informed that Yakuza has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Yakuza is trying to force a seperation but Roth has the dominant position.
Yakuza is trying to break the clinch but Roth is controlling him.
Yakuza tries to break free but Roth pushes him back against the cage.
Yakuza tries to break the clinch but Roth is controlling the position.
Yakuza wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Yakuza can't break the clinch.
Yakuza has had enough of the clinch but Roth keeps him there for the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Roth keeps control of Yakuza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Yakuza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Roth has him pressed against the cage.
Roth wants to get back to striking at distance but Yakuza won't allow it.
Yakuza has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Shawn Roth will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Yakuza rushes Roth and presses him up against the cage.
Roth is trying to break free.
Roth is trying to break free.
Yakuza tries to break free but Roth pushes him back against the cage.
Yakuza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Roth has him pressed against the cage.
Roth is trying to force a seperation but Yakuza has the dominant position.
Roth tries to break free but Yakuza pushes him back against the cage.
Yakuza tries to break the clinch but Roth is controlling the position.
Yakuza wants to break free but Roth has control.

Roth pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Yakuza clinches with his opponent.
A frustrated look appears on Roth's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Yakuza is looking to break free of the clinch but Roth has double underhooks.
Yakuza looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Roth keeps control of Yakuza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Roth wants to get back to striking at distance but Yakuza won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Roth gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Yakuza regains guard.
Roth sitting in guard here, content to control.

Shawn Roth has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Roth gets a takedown into half guard.
Roth working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yakuza is defending against the submission attempts here by Roth.
Shawn Roth overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Roth seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roth throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Roth seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Shawn Roth.
Roth misses with an uppercut. Yakuza saw that one coming.

Yakuza has taken the fight to the clinch.
Roth is trying to break the clinch but Yakuza has him pressed against the cage.
Roth wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Roth tries to circle away but Yakuza has him pinned against the cage.
Yakuza can't break the clinch.
Yakuza is trying to push Roth away but Roth has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Roth has had enough of the clinch but Yakuza keeps him there for the moment.
Yakuza has had enough of the clinch but Roth keeps him there for the moment.
Roth tries to pull guard but Yakuza won't allow it.
Roth prevents Yakuza from breaking the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Roth dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Yakuza clinches up against the cage.
Roth is trying to force a seperation but Yakuza has the dominant position.
Roth tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Roth has Yakuza pressed against the cage, preventing Yakuza from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Yakuza is trying to break the clinch but Roth has him pressed against the cage.
Ichi Yakuza seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Yakuza can't break the clinch.
Yakuza is trying to break the clinch but Roth is controlling him.
Yakuza wants to break the clinch but can't.
The referee is keeping an eye on Roth - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A frustrated look appears on Yakuza's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Yakuza wants to break the clinch but can't.
Roth wants to get back to striking at distance but Yakuza won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Yakuza's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Yakuza is looking to break free of the clinch but Roth has double underhooks.
Roth prevents Yakuza from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yakuza working hard to break the clinch.
Yakuza wants to break the clinch but can't.
Roth tries to break the clinch but Yakuza is controlling the position.
Yakuza is trying to force a seperation but Roth has the dominant position.
Roth keeps control of Yakuza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Roth tries to circle away but Yakuza has him pinned against the cage.
Roth has had enough of the clinch but Yakuza keeps him there for the moment.
Yakuza has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Roth tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Yakuza is trying to push Roth away but Roth has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Yakuza has had enough of the clinch but Roth keeps him there for the moment.
Yakuza tries to break free but Roth pushes him back against the cage.
Roth is trying to force a seperation but Yakuza has the dominant position.

Roth breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ichi Yakuza is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yakuza uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Roth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Roth gets tackled into the cage by Yakuza. Yakuza maintains the clinch.
Yakuza is trying to push Roth away but Roth has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Roth stalling against the cage.
Yakuza is trying to break the clinch but Roth has him pressed against the cage.
Yakuza wants to get back to striking at distance but Roth won't allow it.
Roth is trying to push Yakuza away but Yakuza has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Roth stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Yakuza manages to break the clinch.

Yakuza clinches up against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yakuza is looking to break free of the clinch but Roth has double underhooks.
Roth working hard to break the clinch.
Roth has had enough of the clinch but Yakuza keeps him there for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roth has had enough of the clinch but Yakuza keeps him there for the moment.
Roth has Yakuza pressed against the cage, preventing Yakuza from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Yakuza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ichi Yakuza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Yakuza clinches up with Roth and pushes him back against the cage.
Yakuza is trying to force a seperation but Roth has the dominant position.
Yakuza looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Roth prevents Yakuza from breaking the clinch.
Yakuza is trying to push Roth away but Roth has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Roth wants to break the clinch but can't.
Yakuza wants to break free but Roth has control.
Roth looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Roth can't break the clinch.
Yakuza is trying to force a seperation but Roth has the dominant position.
Roth has Yakuza pressed against the cage, preventing Yakuza from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Roth wants to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Roth has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Yakuza uses from the top position.
Roth throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Roth tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Roth will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yakuza wants to stand but Roth is controlling his posture from full guard.
Yakuza takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Roth looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Yakuza is defending well. Roth quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Yakuza has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Roth celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Shawn Roth!
In defeat, Ichi Yakuza stepped up to the mic, saying 'This has not been honorable. Seppuku!'.