PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kaji Maruo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gary Kang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Maruo might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Hello Kitty. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Maruo
vs
Kang

165 cm
22
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
153 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kaji Maruo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gary Kang!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maruo misses with a takedown attempt - Kang sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jab, jab by Kang - just one landing.
Kang stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kang wants it to stay on the feet.
Maruo has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Kang misses with the combination.
Kang misses with the combination.
Kang moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Sloppy strikes from Kang. Those never looked like landing.

Maruo closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Kang did well to prevent Maruo getting side control.
Kang tries to roll over but Maruo keeps him under control.
Kang is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Maruo is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Kang has managed to free his arm - good work.
Maruo passes into side control, despite Kang's attempt to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maruo trying to control the action but Kang is working from the bottom.
Maruo in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Maruo has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Maruo trying to control the position but Kang is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Kang's face as Maruo controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Kaji Maruo.
Kang throws a one two combo.
Kang looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Kang fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Maruo, pushing him back against the cage.
Maruo lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Kang backwards.

It looks like Gary Kang has been cut.
Maruo lands with a light punch inside.
Maruo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kang pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kaji Maruo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kang misses with a two punch combination.

Maruo moves into the clinch successfully.

Maruo has picked Kang up - he's going for a ride! Maruo dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kang can do anything to dispel that myth.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maruo wants to pass to mount but Kang is defending the position.
Kang trying to control but Maruo postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maruo wants to take a breather but Kang is having none of it.
Maruo frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Maruo tries to control but Kang wriggling away.

Maruo jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Kang manages to avoid the submission attempt.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kang tries to bench press Maruo off him but Maruo keeps the position.
Kang is trying to control Maruo's posture but Maruo avoids it.
Kang is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Kang is trying to control Maruo's posture but Maruo avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maruo is looking to take a break and control but Kang is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kang is trying to control Maruo's posture but Maruo avoids it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kang is looking for a sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maruo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kang swivels and escapes.
Kang misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaji Maruo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gary Kang's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kang misses with a double jab.
Kang stalks Maruo and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Maruo's face. Maruo staggers backwards, shaken.
Kang slaps away a takedown attempt from Maruo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sloppy strikes from Maruo. Those never looked like landing.
Kang fails to land with a series of punches.
Maruo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kang slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Maruo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kang moves out of range of the strikes.
Maruo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kang is fending him off so far but Maruo persists. Nope, Kang circles away and we're back to standing.

Kang has managed to clinch.
Maruo blocks an uppercut.

Maruo turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Maruo moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Maruo trying to control the position but Kang is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Kang's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kang is not content to let Maruo control the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Kang tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Maruo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kang is trying to escape the position but Maruo is controlling the position.
Kang is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maruo moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

We're going to have a standup here because Kaji Maruo wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Kang lands a glancing blow to the side of Maruo's head.
Kang looks to land a combination. Maruo sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Maruo shoots in for a takedown but Kang shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kaji Maruo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kang lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Maruo throws a right and a left that Kang avoids nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Maruo darts in and clinches Kang up against the cage.

Maruo gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kang is looking to control Maruo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kang avoid being mounted?
Kaji Maruo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kang wants to improve his position but Maruo is controlling well.
Kang is still trying to improve position.
Maruo frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maruo controlling from the full mount.
Kang tries to lock up and control but Maruo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Maruo is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Kang can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Maruo fails to move to back control.
Kang is looking to improve his position but Maruo isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kang doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
Maruo controlling from mount.
Kang is controlling an arm, preventing Maruo from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Maruo controlling from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Maruo tries to control but Kang wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaji Maruo dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Gary Kang's cut.
That's time! Maruo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Kang scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Maruo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Maruo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kang lands with an overhand left.
A combination from Kang does no damage.
Maruo doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Maruo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kang but Kang pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Maruo manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Kang on his heels. He'll look to pass Kang's guard now, I'm sure.
Maruo slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Maruo pushes down on Kang's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Maruo perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kang has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Maruo is working away from the top position though.
Maruo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kang does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kang is looking to control Maruo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kang avoid being mounted?
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Maruo is looking to take a break and control but Kang is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Maruo moves nicely into side control.
Kang is not content to let Maruo control the position.
Maruo taking a breather here.
Kang is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Gary Kang has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maruo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kang is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Maruo trying to control the action but Kang is working from the bottom.
Kang tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kang is not content to let Maruo control the position.

Maruo looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Maruo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kang keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maruo tries for a kimura but Kang is defending well.
Kang is looking to reverse the position.
Kang is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Maruo has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Maruo controlling the position.
Maruo is looking to take a break and control but Kang is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maruo controlling the position from side mount.
Kang manages to get back to half guard.
Kang is trying to maintain the position but Maruo is very close to passing his half guard.
Maruo wants to control but Kang is keeping him busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Kaji Maruo wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Maruo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kang defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kaji Maruo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Kang gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Maruo to score an easy takedown into full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kaji Maruo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Maruo, 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kaji Maruo!