PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kenji Yomata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ruud De Groot (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). De Groot has chosen "Just Dropped In" by Kenny Rogers as his entrance music. Ruud De Groot has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Yomata
vs
De Groot

166 cm
25
147 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

173 cm
25
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kenji Yomata!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ruud De Groot!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Bart Greer and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yomata drives through with a takedown into De Groot's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
De Groot has Yomata pulled in close to control his posture.
De Groot 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.
Yomata scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
De Groot wants to stand but Yomata is controlling the position.
Yomata wants to control from the top but De Groot keeps moving.
Yomata trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
De Groot utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Yomata is looking to work some ground and pound but De Groot has wrist control.
Yomata won't allow De Groot to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yomata won't allow De Groot to get back to his feet.
Yomata wants to pass the guard but De Groot is keeping the position.
Yomata stays in close to De Groot's body and controls the position.
Yomata passes into half guard.
Yomata is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Yomata not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Yomata scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yomata not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Yomata working De Groot over with strikes.
Yomata content to control rather than advance.
De Groot wants to get back to full guard.
Yomata throwing shots but De Groot is blocking nicely.
Yomata is controlling the pace.
Yomata wants to take a breather but De Groot is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Groot wants to get back to full guard.
De Groot avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Yomata.
Yomata frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
De Groot really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Yomata. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
De Groot working to try and regain half guard.
Yomata unloads with some shots from mount but De Groot bucks and avoids them well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if De Groot can do anything to dispel that myth.
De Groot working to try and regain half guard.
Yomata punishing his opponent with strikes.
Yomata lands with some vicious ground and pound - can De Groot hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De Groot tries to hold on but Yomata pushes him away.
Yomata cracks De Groot with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
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!
Yomata trying to control but De Groot is having none of it.
Yomata in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
De Groot blocking the ground and pound.
Yomata 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.
Yomata landing strikes from the mount and De Groot is in trouble!

Yomata is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but De Groot is surviving well by controlling Yomata's body position as best he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yomata landing shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenji Yomata dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A looping hook to the body misses from De Groot. Yomata does a little dance to reset his feet.
De Groot stuffs the takedown attempt from Yomata. Yomata gets slowly back to his feet.
We've been informed that De Groot has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
The crowd cheers as De Groot lands an impressive looking overhand right. Yomata doesn't seem phased though.
De Groot connects with a nice looking jab.
De Groot bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Yomata falls off balance throwing a combination
and De Groot counters with a thumping low kick.
De Groot closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Some wild striking there from Yomata.
Kenji Yomata is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
De Groot pulls out of a head kick attempt.
De Groot connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Yomata closes the distance and clinches up with De Groot, looking for a takedown. Yomata pushes De Groot against the cage but De Groot circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from De Groot, right into the meat.
De Groot misses with a double jab.
Yomata fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenji Yomata. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yomata shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in De Groot's guard.
Yomata trying to control but De Groot is working from the bottom.
De Groot not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Yomata pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. De Groot is keeping the position for now.
Yomata throwing strikes from guard but De Groot blocks nicely.
De Groot is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Yomata trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yomata throws a big elbow that misses.
De Groot preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Yomata trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Yomata trying to control but De Groot is working from the bottom.
Yomata loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Yomata trying to control but De Groot is working from the bottom.
Yomata lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yomata is looking to work some ground and pound but De Groot has wrist control.
De Groot controls Yomata momentarily but Yomata frees himself.
Yomata working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of De Groot's head.
Yomata trying to control the position from guard on top but De Groot is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
De Groot looking to control.
Yomata passes De Groot's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Yomata throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Yomata thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Yomata wants to lay and pray for a moment but De Groot keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yomata working De Groot over with strikes.
Yomata works his way into full mount!

Yomata looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Yomata is going oldschool here, as he tries to force De Groot to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so De Groot shrugs it off.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yomata trying to control but De Groot is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenji Yomata dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get 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.

De Groot throws a right and a left that Yomata avoids nicely.
A nice inside leg kick there by De Groot. That's going to slow Yomata down.

Yomata darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Yomata missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
De Groot keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
De Groot avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Yomata.
Yomata is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Yomata is landing with some decent strikes but De Groot is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yomata breaks from De Groot's wrist control and lands an elbow.
De Groot holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Yomata tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yomata wants to control the pace but De Groot is squirming around nicely.

Yomata working for a guillotine from mount but De Groot is in no mood to give up.
Yomata scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Yomata lands with some strikes.
Yomata throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yomata with shots to the head and body - De Groot looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
De Groot is trying desperately to improve position.
Yomata is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that De Groot can do to turn this around?
Yomata is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. De Groot can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Yomata landing strikes from the mount.

Yomata jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but De Groot manages to avoid the submission attempt.
De Groot is trying to improve his position.
Yomata scoring with punches and elbows.
Yomata works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Ruud De Groot has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kenji Yomata overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Groot parries the strikes from Yomata easily there. Yomata is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable De Groot to escape.
Yomata landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

Yomata is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. De Groot knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Yomata working away.
Yomata working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Yomata scoring with punches from side control.
De Groot tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Yomata wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Yomata scoring with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yomata in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
De Groot dodges the ground and pound from Yomata.
De Groot tries to improve position but can't.
De Groot takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
De Groot gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Yomata cracks De Groot with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Yomata takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
De Groot really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Yomata with good strikes from the mount here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Kenji Yomata showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Yomata, 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 30:26
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenji Yomata!
In defeat, Ruud De Groot stepped up to the mic, saying 'That loss sucked. Back to the gym. My opponent had a good fight, unfortunately for me.'.