PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between XViper The Shadow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenjiro Yoshinobi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yoshinobi has chosen Light It Up as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Kenjiro Yoshinobi is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

The Shadow
vs
Yoshinobi

170 cm
20
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
23
155 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, XViper The Shadow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenjiro Yoshinobi!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Sosuke Kotani and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yoshinobi doesn't manage to clinch there - The Shadow circles away.
Yoshinobi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

The Shadow shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. The Shadow showed some decent athleticism there.
Yoshinobi trying to control from the bottom.
Yoshinobi tries to roll over but The Shadow keeps him under control.
The Shadow not doing much here.
Yoshinobi is looking for a sweep. The Shadow is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The Shadow is thwarting Yoshinobi's attempts to control the position.

The Shadow is trying to work for a kimura but Yoshinobi is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshinobi is looking to control The Shadow's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Yoshinobi avoid being mounted?

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Yoshinobi tries to keep at a distance but The Shadow has taken the fight into the clinch.

The Shadow drags the fight down to the ground.
The Shadow wants to hit a switch here but Yoshinobi passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for The Shadow there!
The Shadow is squirming around, avoiding Yoshinobi's attempts to control the action.
The Shadow tries to hold on but Yoshinobi postures up.
The Shadow really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yoshinobi looking to control but The Shadow is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
BOOM! Yoshinobi connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The Shadow tries to lock up and control but Yoshinobi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Yoshinobi lands a heavy elbow.
Yoshinobi trying to control but The Shadow is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshinobi looks gassed!
The Shadow is in all sorts of trouble here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The Shadow is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Yoshinobi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The Shadow is desperately trying to improve his position but Yoshinobi has a good base and remains in mount.
The Shadow is working hard here to advance position.
The Shadow taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The Shadow tries to lock up and control but Yoshinobi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The Shadow is trying to escape the mount.
Yoshinobi looking to control but The Shadow is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The Shadow is desperately trying to improve his position but Yoshinobi has a good base and remains in mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The Shadow is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.
The Shadow sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Yoshinobi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Yoshinobi shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and The Shadow counters with a nice double leg into side control. Yoshinobi won't be happy with that.
Yoshinobi wants to control but The Shadow postures up.
The Shadow tries to move into full mount but can't pass Yoshinobi's legs.
The Shadow happy to just control the position for now.
Yoshinobi on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Yoshinobi trying to remain calm as The Shadow controls from the top position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The Shadow stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Yoshinobi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
XViper The Shadow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

The Shadow looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

The Shadow is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Yoshinobi defends it well.
Yoshinobi moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoshinobi looking to control.
Yoshinobi 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.
The Shadow is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The Shadow stops Yoshinobi from standing up.
The Shadow pushes down on Yoshinobi's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The Shadow passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Yoshinobi!
Yoshinobi wants to control but The Shadow is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshinobi is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but The Shadow is staying active.
Yoshinobi is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
The Shadow controlling the pace for now.
Yoshinobi tries to reverse the position but The Shadow maintains control.
Yoshinobi tries to lock up and control but The Shadow gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The Shadow controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Yoshinobi is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Yoshinobi is trying desperately to improve position.
Yoshinobi is trying to escape the mount but The Shadow keeps good control and instead manages to take Yoshinobi's back.

Yoshinobi defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of The Shadow's arms.
Yoshinobi is trying to break free.
The Shadow just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

XViper The Shadow dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

The Shadow with a lazy takedown attempt

and Yoshinobi counters by clinching up.
Yoshinobi missing with knees to the body.
Yoshinobi avoiding damage.
The Shadow slows down the pace here.
Yoshinobi lands a hook that snaps the head of The Shadow backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The Shadow controlling the action here for a moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The Shadow wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshinobi misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from The Shadow.
The Shadow tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Yoshinobi just stands there and leans against the cage.
Yoshinobi tries to land knees in the clinch but The Shadow avoids the damage to the body.
The Shadow on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Yoshinobi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Yoshinobi gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Yoshinobi trying to control the position.

The Shadow is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The Shadow is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoshinobi working a defensive guard here.
Yoshinobi is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The Shadow stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yoshinobi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The Shadow scoring with some ground and pound.
Yoshinobi being controlled here, momentarily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

The Shadow has closed the distance and engaged Yoshinobi in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from The Shadow.
Yoshinobi is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
The Shadow tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

The Shadow works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
The Shadow distracts Yoshinobi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Yoshinobi looking for a sweep. Not yet Yoshinobi, not yet.
The Shadow slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Yoshinobi wants to stand but The Shadow is controlling the position.
The Shadow postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoshinobi trying to keep a closed guard but The Shadow is proving a slippery customer.
Yoshinobi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Yoshinobi is trying to control the position but The Shadow postures up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

The Shadow clinches up with Yoshinobi and pushes him back against the cage.

The Shadow breaks from the clinch.

Yoshinobi gets caught flat footed, as The Shadow shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The Shadow controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Yoshinobi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The Shadow loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kenjiro Yoshinobi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
XViper The Shadow is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Yoshinobi thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
XViper The Shadow showed his dominance in that final round.
Well The Shadow has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... XViper The Shadow!