PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Steven Vilkas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shinju Yoshida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Vilkas
vs
Yoshida

185 cm
26
150 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

178 cm
24
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent knees
Determined

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steven Vilkas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shinju Yoshida!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Joseph Jones and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yoshida fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vilkas tries to clinch there but Yoshida circles away.
Shinju Yoshida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yoshida tries to clinch but Vilkas is having none of it.
Vilkas throws a lazy right hand but Yoshida sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Vilkas really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Vilkas misses with a head kick.
Yoshida tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Yoshida has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Vilkas is landing a low percentage of strikes.

Vilkas drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Vilkas slips nicely into half guard.
Vilkas is thwarting Yoshida's attempts to control the position.
Vilkas blocks the strikes from Yoshida.

Vilkas stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Yoshida to get to his feet.
Yoshida throws a head kick that misses.
Yoshida tries to close the distance and clinch but Vilkas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vilkas throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Yoshida was covering up waiting for the punch and Vilkas finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Yoshida can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Vilkas controls the pace.
Yoshida 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.
Vilkas passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Yoshida is looking to regain half guard here but Vilkas keeps moving and retains side control.

Vilkas tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida is trying to get back to half guard.
Yoshida is still trying to improve position.
Yoshida being controlled for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Check out the look on Vilkas's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Vilkas is looking to take a break and control but Yoshida is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vilkas has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Vilkas keeps the fight on the outside.
Yoshida tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Vilkas changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Yoshida looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Vilkas working the head with strikes.
Yoshida wants to control but Vilkas postures up.
Yoshida is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Vilkas slows the pace down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Vilkas wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Vilkas has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Yoshida is looking to clinch but Vilkas is avoiding it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vilkas keeps the fight on the outside.
Yoshida tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Vilkas paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Yoshida forces Vilkas back against the cage and clinches.
Yoshida is trying to stall.
Vilkas fails to pull the fight into his guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vilkas throws a head punch that misses.
Vilkas avoiding damage as Yoshida throws knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Vilkas dominated that 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.

Yoshida tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Yoshida tries to clinch but Vilkas is having none of it.
Vilkas keeps the fight on the outside.
Vilkas misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yoshida.

Yoshida tries to sprawl but Vilkas drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Steven Vilkas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Yoshida actively working from the bottom here.
Vilkas wants to free his trapped foot but Yoshida is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Vilkas blocks the strikes from Yoshida.

Yoshida looking for submissions off his back.
Yoshida is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vilkas keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Vilkas is working for a kimura but Yoshida is defending it quite comfortably.

Yoshida looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Vilkas keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Vilkas postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Yoshida to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida tries to clinch up.
Yoshida moves in looking to clinch but Vilkas pushes him off.
Yoshida moves to clinch but Vilkas breaks away

and Vilkas counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Vilkas has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Yoshida is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Yoshida pulls guard effortlessly.
Vilkas stays in close to Yoshida's body and controls the position.
Yoshida throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Yoshida keeping moving, preventing Vilkas from controlling successfully.
Vilkas is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Steven Vilkas wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Vilkas keeps the fight on the outside.
Yoshida doesn't manage to clinch there - Vilkas circles away.
Yoshida tries to close the distance and clinch up but Vilkas swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Vilkas shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Vilkas was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Vilkas advances to full mount.
Yoshida is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Vilkas tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Vilkas trying to control but Yoshida is having none of it.
Yoshida bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Yoshida stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vilkas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vilkas pulls Yoshida in to control the position.
Vilkas is trying to keep Yoshida in close.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Steven Vilkas wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Yoshida looks to clinch

and Vilkas decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Yoshida's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Vilkas dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - 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.

Vilkas tries to clinch but Yoshida moves out of range.
Vilkas closes the distance and clinches up with Yoshida, looking for a takedown. Vilkas pushes Yoshida against the cage but Yoshida circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Yoshida tries to close the distance and clinch up but Vilkas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Yoshida is looking to clinch.

Vilkas gets tackled into the cage by Yoshida. Yoshida maintains the clinch.
Vilkas tries to break free but Yoshida pushes him back against the cage.
Yoshida utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Vilkas tries to pull guard but Yoshida holds him up against the cage and eventually Vilkas drops back down to his feet.
Vilkas tries to pull guard but Yoshida forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steven Vilkas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yoshida putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Vilkas in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Yoshida using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vilkas tries to stall but Yoshida uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Yoshida landing knees to the body.
Yoshida crunches a lovely knee into Vilkas's ribcage.
Vilkas wants a takedown.
Yoshida lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Vilkas throws an elbow that misses.
Vilkas takes a knee to the side of the body.
Yoshida tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vilkas avoids it.
Yoshida lands a body punch in the clinch.
Yoshida unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Yoshida breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Yoshida tries to clinch up

and Vilkas decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Yoshida's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vilkas trying to control the position from guard on top but Yoshida is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vilkas sitting in guard here, content to control.

Yoshida looking for subs off his back but Vilkas has passed one foot through into half guard.
Vilkas scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Vilkas in particular looking to stall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Vilkas decides to stand up.

Yoshida takes the fight into the clinch.
Yoshida stalling in the clinch but Vilkas improves position.
Yoshida putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Vilkas in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida misses with a punch to the body.
Vilkas managing to block the knees to the body from Yoshida.
Yoshida landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Yoshida takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Yoshida missing with knees to the body.
Vilkas jumps guard but Yoshida turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Knees to the body from Yoshida.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yoshida tries to land knees in the clinch but Vilkas avoids the damage to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Yoshida.
Shinju Yoshida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steven Vilkas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
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!
Yoshida landing some nice looking knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shinju Yoshida comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Vilkas 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Vilkas!