PBP Commentary

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

Atkins
vs
Yang

173 cm
24
140 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

178 cm
25
135 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Malik Atkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kevin Yang!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Atkins moves to clinch but Yang breaks away

and Yang counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Yang.
Yang has Atkins pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Atkins manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Atkins stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Yang tries to score a body lock takedown but Atkins shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A head punch on the inside from Yang fails to land.

Yang has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Atkins uses from the top position.
Yang trying to control the position.

Yang escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Atkins gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Atkins postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atkins lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Atkins thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Atkins landing with the ground and pound.
Atkins trying to control the position from guard on top but Yang is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yang is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Yang not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Yang really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Atkins. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Yang looking to control but Atkins passes into half guard.
Atkins 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.
Atkins lands strikes from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yang wants to get back to his feet.
Yang wants to improve his position but Atkins is controlling well.

Atkins is looking for a kimura but Yang is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Atkins to get the leverage.
Atkins working the head and body with strikes.
Atkins is trying to control. Yang wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Atkins lands with a punch from half guard.

Atkins is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Yang doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Atkins.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Atkins with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Yang trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atkins avoids the attempt from Yang to control.
Yang can't escape the position.

Atkins working for a submission but Yang is keeping him at bay.
Yang tries to lock up and control but Atkins gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Yang is wriggling around trying to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Atkins looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Yang tries to lock up and control but Atkins gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yang tries to reverse the position but Atkins maintains control.
A nice elbow there by Atkins.
Yang has given up his back here.
Atkins gets his hands free as Yang looks to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Atkins working for a choke but Yang is defending well.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yang rolls, trying to escape but Atkins keeps control of the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Yang is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Atkins is punishing Yang with strikes - can he finish him?!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Atkins wants to clinch but Yang slips to the side
and Yang counters with a body kick that stops Atkins in his tracks momentarily.
Yang misses with a two punch combination.
Yang circles away from the clinch attempt.
Atkins tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Yang shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Yang has a takedown stuffed.
Yang avoids the head kick by Atkins.
Yang fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Malik Atkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Yang.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atkins is looking to clinch.
A big left from Yang misses.
Malik Atkins is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Yang dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Yang has a takedown stuffed.
Atkins lets loose with a powerful body kick. Yang will feel that in the morning.
Atkins tries a head kick but it misses.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Atkins misses with a punch to the body.
Atkins is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Yang to keep the fight standing.
Yang is trying to force a seperation but Atkins has the dominant position.
Yang jumps guard but Atkins stands there with Yang around his waist. Yang gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Yang misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yang is trying to pull guard but Atkins has him pressed against the cage.

Yang jumps guard and drags Atkins to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atkins lands a couple of digs.

Atkins is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Yang is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Yang has escaped and now he's on top!

Atkins working for a triangle but Yang defends it easily.
Yang missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yang is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Atkins throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Atkins is looking for a triangle but Yang pushes his legs off easily.
Yang must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Atkins keeping moving, preventing Yang from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Malik Atkins will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Yang forces Atkins back against the cage and clinches.

Yang's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Yang throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Atkins's waist but Atkins gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Yang off to one side.

Atkins clinches up with Yang and pushes him back against the cage.
Atkins misses with a hook to the ribs.
Atkins jumps guard but Yang turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Yang jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Atkins walks away with a smile on his face. Yang gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Atkins defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Yang.
Malik Atkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Yang.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atkins takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Atkins is rocked!

It looks like Malik Atkins has been cut.

Yang closes the distance and clinches.
Oh Atkins is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Yang lands a left hand that snaps the head of Atkins backwards.
Yang taking a breather.
Atkins gets underhooks to prevent Yang's takedown attempt.
Yang jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Atkins walks away with a smile on his face. Yang gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
No joy there for Yang, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yang takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Yang shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Atkins sprawls well. Atkins wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Yang gets slowly back to his feet.
No luck for Yang with that takedown attempt.
Yang fails with the takedown

and Atkins counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Atkins seems to have got his legs back now.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Atkins drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Atkins jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Atkins landing with the ground and pound.

Atkins drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Atkins jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Atkins postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Atkins thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Atkins's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Atkins stops Yang from standing up.
Atkins wants to control from the top but Yang keeps moving.
Atkins connects with a couple of short punches.
Yang keeping moving, preventing Atkins from controlling successfully.
Yang wants to stand but Atkins is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yang throws his legs up looking for a submission but Atkins uses it to pass to side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Yang can do anything to dispel that myth.
Atkins controlling the position from side mount.

Atkins is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Yang has escaped the position, nice work there.

Atkins wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Yang, who protects the arm well.
Atkins scoring with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Atkins is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Yang knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Yang tries to escape but Atkins is in control.
Malik Atkins overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Atkins tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Atkins scores with punches from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Malik Atkins showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Atkins, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Malik Atkins!