PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Milan Zitska (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matsui Takamatsu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takamatsu has chosen Dogs of War as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Zitska
vs
Takamatsu

167 cm
26
144 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

165 cm
18
135 lbs
5 - 1 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Milan Zitska!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Matsui Takamatsu!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Michael Johnstone and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zitska circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zitska lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Takamatsu circles away quickly and effectively.
Takamatsu looks to clinch
and Zitska counters with a three punch combo that has Takamatsu backing up. Takamatsu nods at Zitska to acknowledge the strikes.
Zitska with a poor takedown

and Takamatsu counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Takamatsu is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Zitska has managed to free his arm - good work.
Zitska trying to control here.

Takamatsu is trying to work for a kimura but Zitska is defending well.
Takamatsu content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Zitska is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Elite Training Facility, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Takamatsu wants to control but Zitska is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zitska is trying to get back to full guard.
Takamatsu content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Takamatsu is looking for a kimura here.
Zitska looks like he's trying to stand up.
Zitska trying to control but Takamatsu postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zitska is defending against the submission attempts here by Takamatsu.
Takamatsu wants to free his trapped foot but Zitska is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Zitska tries to get to full guard but Takamatsu has control of the leg.
Takamatsu is pressing down on Zitska's thigh, looking to free his foot. Zitska is holding on for now.
Takamatsu is trying to control the action in half guard but Zitska is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zitska wants to improve his position but Takamatsu is controlling well.
Takamatsu is keen to just control but Zitska is a slippery customer.
Takamatsu performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Takamatsu stalling away here and it's allowed Zitska to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Takamatsu wants to control from the top but Zitska keeps moving.
We've been informed that Takamatsu has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Zitska pulls Takamatsu in close to prevent any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Matsui Takamatsu.
Zitska keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zitska circles away from the clinch attempt.

Zitska forces Takamatsu back against the cage and clinches.
Zitska fails to pull guard.

Takamatsu manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Zitska is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Zitska trying to stand up but can't free himself from Takamatsu's guard.

Zitska decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Takamatsu, up you get!
Takamatsu darts in trying to clinch

and Zitska counters with a combination of strikes to the head and body that crumple Takamatsu!

Takamatsu is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Zitska decides to stand and escape the position.
Takamatsu doesn't manage to clinch there - Zitska circles away.
No joy there for Zitska, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Milan Zitska dominated that round.
That's time! Zitska's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Zitska fails with an attempt to clinch.
Takamatsu fails with a takedown attempt.
Takamatsu swats away the attempt to clinch by Zitska.
Zitska wants to clinch up but Takamatsu keeps it at a distance.
Zitska tries to clinch up but Takamatsu circles away and keeps his distance.
Zitska tries to clinch up but Takamatsu circles away and keeps his distance.
Zitska with a poor takedown

and Takamatsu counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Zitska makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Zitska.
Takamatsu sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Zitska's guard.
Zitska is looking to improve his position.
Zitska is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takamatsu wants to control but Zitska is keeping him busy.
Zitska trying to control here.

Takamatsu seems to be looking for submissions.
Takamatsu wants to control but Zitska is keeping him busy.

Takamatsu wants to work for an arm triangle but Zitska is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Still in half guard, Takamatsu seems content to control.
Takamatsu is trying to control. Zitska wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Zitska trying to control but Takamatsu postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takamatsu is trying to control the action in half guard but Zitska is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Takamatsu wants to free his trapped foot but Zitska is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Zitska tries to get to full guard but Takamatsu has control of the leg.
Zitska is trying to stand.
Takamatsu sitting and controlling from the half guard.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Matsui Takamatsu hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Takamatsu takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Takamatsu moves into range and clinches up with Zitska.
Takamatsu misses with a punch on the inside.
Takamatsu misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takamatsu misses with a body punch.
Zitska blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Zitska fails to pull guard.
Zitska tries to pull guard but Takamatsu forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Milan Zitska. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zitska is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Takamatsu pulls him back up using the underhooks.
With the fighters up against the cage, Takamatsu throws an elbow but misses.
Zitska tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Takamatsu misses with a punch on the inside.
Takamatsu tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zitska jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Takamatsu walks away with a smile on his face. Zitska gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Zitska.
Matsui Takamatsu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takamatsu tries to clinch up but Zitska circles away and keeps his distance.

Takamatsu gets a clinch.
Takamatsu struggles to land a body shot inside as Zitska controls his hands.
Zitska tries to pull guard but Takamatsu forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Takamatsu manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zitska passes into half guard.

Zitska seems to be working for a kimura but Takamatsu defends the submission attempt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Takamatsu is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Zitska pulls his head out easily.
It looks like Zitska is going to stand back up.

Takamatsu actively working from the bottom here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zitska wants to pass to mount but Takamatsu is defending the position.
It looks like Zitska is going to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matsui Takamatsu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Zitska swats away the attempt to clinch by Takamatsu.
Zitska tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Takamatsu paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Takamatsu moves into the clinch.
Takamatsu tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Zitska manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Takamatsu controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Zitska is looking for a triangle but Takamatsu pushes his legs off easily.
Zitska keeping moving, preventing Takamatsu from controlling successfully.
Zitska is trying to control the position but Takamatsu postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Takamatsu looking to pass the guard.
Takamatsu postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Milan Zitska wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Takamatsu tries to clinch but Zitska moves out of range.

Zitska forces Takamatsu back against the cage and clinches.

Takamatsu gets control of Zitska's arms and successfully pulls guard. Takamatsu will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Zitska gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Zitska lands a body shot.
Zitska throws a series of punches but Takamatsu moves out of range.
Takamatsu tries to clinch but Zitska is having none of it.
Zitska misses with a series of wild punches.
Milan Zitska is winning the standup battle so far.
Zitska swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Zitska is looking to clinch.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Zitska enables Takamatsu to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Zitska manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takamatsu pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zitska is keeping the position for now.
Takamatsu being controlled here momentarily.
Takamatsu trying to control but Zitska is working from the bottom.
Takamatsu controlling from the top position.
Takamatsu pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zitska is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Zitska lands a head shot.

Takamatsu closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Zitska breaks from the clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Zitska. Those never looked like landing.
Zitska tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Takamatsu manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Zitska jabs Takamatsu right on the nose. Takamatsu blinks but takes it well.
Zitska cracks Takamatsu with a good jab.
Takamatsu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Takamatsu circles away from the clinch attempt.
Takamatsu tries to clinch but Zitska moves out of range.
Takamatsu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Zitska paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zitska swats away the attempt to clinch by Takamatsu.
Milan Zitska is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Takamatsu circles away from the clinch attempt.
Takamatsu wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Takamatsu darts in and clinches Zitska up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Takamatsu is working for takedown but Zitska is calmly controlling the position for now.
Zitska tries to score a body lock takedown but Takamatsu shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Takamatsu misses with a short punch on the inside.
Takamatsu drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Zitska goes for a takedown in the clinch but Takamatsu prevents it.
Takamatsu swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Takamatsu lands an elbow that stopped Zitska in his tracks for a moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Zitska pulls guard successfully.
Takamatsu trying to control the position from guard on top but Zitska is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Takamatsu controls from within his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Milan Zitska.
I think Zitska has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 David Hoff scores the fight 29:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Milan Zitska!