PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Akio Masaru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuuri Yushima (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Yushima's choice of entrance music: Funktasztikus - Exodus. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Masaru
vs
Yushima

175 cm
23
142 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

172 cm
22
130 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akio Masaru!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuuri Yushima!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Hirohito Nitta and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yushima wants to clinch.
Masaru throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Yushima.
Yushima takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Masaru shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Masaru shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Masaru fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A left lands for Masaru.
Yushima pivots, looking for a leg kick but Masaru is out of range and Yushima settles back down.
Masaru misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yushima.
Masaru scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Masaru scores with a one two! Yushima had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
No joy there for Yushima, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
No joy there for Masaru, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yushima tries to close the distance and clinch up but Masaru swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Masaru connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Yushima avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Yushima throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Yushima wants to clinch up but Masaru keeps it at a distance.
Yushima throws a leg kick but Masaru sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Yushima throws a combination that misses
and Masaru counters with a three punch combo that has Yushima backing up. Yushima nods at Masaru to acknowledge the strikes.
Masaru scores with a jab to the head.
Masaru throws a series of punches but Yushima moves out of range.
Yushima changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Masaru tries to avoid it but Yushima manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Masaru to the ground. Masaru escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Masaru lands with a hook. Yushima tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Masaru throws a series of punches but Yushima moves out of range.
Yushima tries to move into range but Masaru moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yushima throws a combination that misses
and Masaru counters with a nice uppercut.

Yushima is rocked!
Yushima throws a left and a right that both miss
and Masaru counters with a left to the body.
Masaru is looking to score with low kicks.
Yushima keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Masaru cracks Yushima with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Masaru misses with a straight right.
Nice takedown defense from Yushima. No joy for Masaru on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akio Masaru. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Masaru changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Yushima tries to avoid it but Masaru manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Yushima to the ground. Yushima escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Yushima takes one to the side of the head.
Masaru showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Yushima.
Masaru throws a hook but Yushima blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Yushima misses.
Masaru waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Yushima.
Masaru lands a jab to the nose.
Masaru fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Yushima on the side of the head.

Masaru scores with a takedown into Yushima's guard.
Masaru passes Yushima's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Yushima wants to improve his position but Masaru is controlling well.
Yushima looks gassed!

Masaru is looking for a kimura but Yushima is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Masaru to get the leverage.
Yushima works his way to full guard. Good work.
Masaru is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Masaru tries to free his leg and advance position but Yushima is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yushima wants to sweep here but Masaru controlling him for the moment.
Masaru pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yushima is keeping the position for now.
Masaru is working hard here to advance position.
Masaru trying to control the position from guard on top but Yushima is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Yushima with a hook.
Masaru shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Yushima but Yushima pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Masaru throws a hook but Yushima blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akio Masaru dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A swing and a miss from Masaru.
Yushima swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Masaru counters with a left and a right that stings Yushima.
Yushima keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Masaru misses with a hook. Yushima ducked under it nicely.
Masaru throws a combination. Yushima tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Yushima is looking to clinch.
Yushima tries to clinch
and Masaru counters with a two punch combo.
Yushima looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Yushima throws a series of punches but Masaru avoids them all with ease.
Masaru misses with an uppercut.
Masaru throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Yushima sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masaru jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Masaru takes a swing at Yushima's ribcage but misses.
Masaru waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Yushima.
No joy there for Masaru, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yushima ducks under a wild hook from Masaru.
A combination from Masaru does no damage.
Masaru throws a series of strikes that have Yushima backpedaling.
Yushima tries to bum rush Masaru with a series of wild strikes but Masaru uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Yushima tries to clinch but Masaru moves away
and Masaru counters with a two punch combo.
Yushima rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Masaru moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Masaru fails to land with a series of punches.
Yushima throws a left and a right that both miss
and Masaru counters with a left and a right that stings Yushima.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Yushima misses with a jab, cross combination.
Masaru throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Yushima takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Masaru swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Masaru keeps the fight on the outside.
A swing and a miss from Masaru.
Yushima closes the distance looking to clinch
and Masaru counters with a nice uppercut.
Masaru misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yushima.
Masaru scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Masaru with a nice cross.
Yushima is still on wobbly legs! Can Masaru finish him?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yushima wants to clinch but Masaru slips to the side
and Masaru cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Yushima has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Masaru throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Yushima.
Masaru throws a left and a right that both miss
and Yushima counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Yushima uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Masaru.
Yushima seems to have recovered his senses.
Masaru throws a series of punches but Yushima moves out of range.
Masaru missing with a left hand there. Yushima was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Akio Masaru is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Masaru lands with a shot to the body.
Yushima is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Masaru.
Masaru misses with a series of wild punches.
Masaru is working the combinations to good effect here.
Masaru scores with the left hand. Yushima knows he should have avoided that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masaru misses with a looping left.
Yushima throws a wild body kick that Masaru sees coming a mile off.
Yushima keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Masaru.
Masaru lands with a right hand.
Masaru throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Masaru throws a big shot that misses.
Yushima steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Masaru.
Masaru shoots in but Yushima avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Masaru throws a lazy right hand but Yushima sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Masaru is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Yushima.
Masaru circles away from the clinch attempt
and Masaru counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akio Masaru dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Masaru throws an overhand right that lands on Yushima's shoulder, as Yushima tries to avoid the shot.
Masaru looks to land a combination but Yushima avoids it well.
Masaru misses with a hook.
Masaru throws the left hand but Yushima avoids the punch easily.
A combination from Masaru does no damage.
Akio Masaru seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yushima throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Yushima Rushes Masaru and starts throwing punches like they are going out of style! Masaru is up against the cage and has nowhere to go. Yushima Piles on the pressure and Masaru crumples to the floor! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Yuuri Yushima!