PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Arnold Rothstein (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ichi Takeshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ichi Takeshi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rothstein
vs
Takeshi

170 cm
27
140 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

155 cm
28
138 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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RED RHINO PSYCHO CLOTHING

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Arnold Rothstein!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ichi Takeshi!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takeshi swinging wildly here.
Some wild striking there from Rothstein.
Rothstein misses with a wild body shot.

Takeshi shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rothstein manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Takeshi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rothstein swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Takeshi stopping the sweep attempt from Rothstein.
Takeshi has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at St Petersburg MMA Gym. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Takeshi wants to pass the guard but Rothstein is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Takeshi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rothstein not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rothstein keeping full guard, as Takeshi tries to pass.
Takeshi wants to control from the top but Rothstein keeps moving.
Takeshi won't allow Rothstein to sweep him here.
Takeshi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rothstein working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Takeshi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takeshi throwing strikes but missing.
Takeshi is looking to work some ground and pound but Rothstein has wrist control.
Takeshi throws a strike but Rothstein rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Takeshi is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rothstein trying to control but Takeshi is working from the bottom.
Rothstein throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothstein looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Takeshi controlling the position.
Rothstein wants to control from the top but Takeshi keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Arnold Rothstein wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Takeshi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rothstein looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rothstein throws a body punch but Takeshi moves out of range.
Takeshi with a jab.
Takeshi works Rothstein's body with a nice hook.
Rothstein takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Takeshi takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Takeshi connects with a good right hand that stumbles Rothstein. Rothstein circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takeshi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rothstein tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Takeshi was well out of range. Poor timing from Rothstein.
Takeshi checks a low kick from Rothstein.
Rothstein misses with an attempted mid kick.
Rothstein misses the body punch

and Takeshi counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rothstein looking for a sweep. Not yet Rothstein, not yet.
Takeshi stands and throws Rothstein's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Takeshi is chipping away with strikes.
Takeshi misses with the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rothstein regains half guard, as Takeshi was trying to land strikes.
Takeshi tries to pass to full mount but Rothstein defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rothstein misses with a wild body shot.

Rothstein gets the takedown into side control.
Takeshi trying to remain calm as Rothstein controls from the top position.
Takeshi is trying to get back to half guard.
Takeshi keeps trying to improve his position.
Rothstein is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Takeshi manages to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takeshi is refusing to be controlled, as Rothstein sits in half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Rothstein trying to control the pace.
Takeshi is looking for a sweep. Rothstein is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Arnold Rothstein just wasn't active enough.
Left hook, right uppercut from Takeshi.
Rothstein is looking to wear down Takeshi with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rothstein throws a poor cross that misses

so Takeshi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Takeshi slips nicely into half guard.
Rothstein keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takeshi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Takeshi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rothstein is looking for a sweep. Takeshi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Takeshi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Takeshi trying to control the action but Rothstein is working from the bottom.

Takeshi looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Takeshi is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takeshi throwing shots but Rothstein is blocking nicely.
Takeshi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nice strikes from Takeshi there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takeshi is looking to advance position but Rothstein won't allow it.
Rothstein blocking the ground and pound attempt from Takeshi.
Takeshi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Takeshi is trying to work for a kimura but Rothstein is defending well.
Takeshi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Takeshi lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Takeshi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ichi Takeshi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rothstein throws a wild body kick that Takeshi sees coming a mile off.
Rothstein drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Rothstein tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Takeshi was well out of range. Poor timing from Rothstein.
Rothstein swings for the body but Takeshi moves out of range.
Rothstein scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Takeshi lands a right hook to the body.
Rothstein misses with a head kick.
Rothstein connects with a nice looking jab.
Takeshi scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Takeshi throws a series of strikes that have Rothstein backpedaling.
Rothstein throws a nice head kick!
A shot to the body from Rothstein misses

and Takeshi counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rothstein won't be happy with that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Takeshi trying to control the action but Rothstein is working from the bottom.
Rothstein regains half guard, as Takeshi was trying to land strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takeshi slips a nice elbow through Rothstein's hands, connecting with Rothstein's forehead.
Takeshi is trying to control. Rothstein wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rothstein moves into full guard.
Takeshi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Takeshi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rothstein is keeping the position for now.
Rothstein is trying to control the position but Takeshi postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takeshi throws a strike but Rothstein rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Rothstein trying to control the position from guard on top but Takeshi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rothstein looking to sit in guard and control but Takeshi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rothstein is trying to control the position but Takeshi postures up.
Takeshi with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothstein looking to hit a scissor sweep but Takeshi is one step ahead there.
Takeshi trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothstein is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Takeshi connects with a couple of short punches.
Arnold Rothstein has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Takeshi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rothstein is keeping the position for now.
Takeshi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rothstein works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Takeshi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takeshi throws a strike but Rothstein rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Rothstein throws a big right hand that misses.
Ichi Takeshi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Takeshi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Takeshi is controlling Rothstein's posture.
Takeshi controls Rothstein momentarily but Rothstein frees himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rothstein wants to control from the top but Takeshi keeps moving.
Rothstein will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Takeshi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ichi Takeshi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Takeshi 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ichi Takeshi!
Ichi Takeshi took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, RED RHINO PSYCHO CLOTHING for their support in the buildup to the fight.