PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Burer Mutant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yang Xinhai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Xinhai's choice of entrance music: Loco. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Yang Xinhai was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Mutant
vs
Xinhai

178 cm
33
135 lbs
13 - 10 - 0

169 cm
30
143 lbs
17 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Burer Mutant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 15 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yang Xinhai!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Xinhai showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mutant.
Mutant looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Mutant misses with a jab, cross combination.
Xinhai dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Mutant. That did some damage!
Mutant looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Mutant lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Mutant tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Xinhai paws at him with a jab and circles away.
It seemed like Xinhai was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Xinhai throws a sloppy head kick and Mutant moves out of range easily.
Mutant fails with an attempt to clinch.
We've been informed that Xinhai has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Xinhai checks a low kick from Mutant.
Xinhai misses with a head kick.
Xinhai tries a head kick but it misses.
Mutant lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Xinhai circles away quickly and effectively.
Mutant falls off balance throwing a combination
and Xinhai counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A slapping leg kick lands for Xinhai.
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!
Mutant tries to clinch but Xinhai moves away
and Xinhai counters with an outside leg kick.
Mutant misses with a double jab
and Xinhai counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mutant will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A punch combination from Xinhai misses.
Xinhai feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Mutant's calf.
A punch combination from Xinhai misses.
Xinhai throws a body shot but no joy.
Mutant throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Xinhai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mutant misses with a hook.
Xinhai misses with a series of wild punches.
A solid leg kick lands there for Xinhai.
Xinhai walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Mutant checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Mutant tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Xinhai manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Xinhai dodges the punch combination from Mutant.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mutant looks to score with a jab to the body but Xinhai is just out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Mutant. Those never looked like landing.
Xinhai lands with a thumping leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Xinhai dodges the punch combination from Mutant.
Xinhai connects with a crisp jab.
Good shot there by Xinhai.

Mutant is rocked!
Mutant misses with the combination.
Oh Mutant is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Mutant moves in looking to clinch but Xinhai pushes him off.
Mutant seems to have got his legs back now.
Burer Mutant seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mutant gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Xinhai looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Xinhai trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xinhai wants to pass the guard but Mutant is keeping the position.
Xinhai working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Xinhai trying to control but Mutant is working from the bottom.
Xinhai stopping the sweep attempt from Mutant.
Xinhai slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Xinhai missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Xinhai lands a couple of elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Xinhai controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mutant working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Xinhai.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Mutant knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Xinhai on the ground.
Mutant is trying to control the position but Xinhai postures up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mutant tries to clinch there but Xinhai circles away.
A slapping leg kick lands for Xinhai.

Xinhai manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Mutant on his heels. He'll look to pass Mutant's guard now, I'm sure.
Xinhai is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Xinhai lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Xinhai is stalling in the full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Xinhai accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yang Xinhai dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mutant tries to clinch up but Xinhai circles away and keeps his distance.
The fighters circle momentarily. Mutant darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Mutant takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Xinhai uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Mutant.
An inside leg kick lands from Xinhai.
Xinhai avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mutant stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Xinhai.
Good leg kick by Xinhai there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Xinhai closes the distance and clinches up with Mutant, looking for a takedown. Xinhai pushes Mutant against the cage but Mutant circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A little feinted left hand from Mutant on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Yang Xinhai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
That kick from Xinhai tenderised Mutant's leg. Mutant is trying to keep his angry face on.

Xinhai throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Mutant tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Xinhai is in Mutant's guard.
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!
Xinhai slips nicely into half guard.
Mutant keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mutant really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mutant is not content to let Xinhai control the position.
Mutant tries to roll over but Xinhai keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mutant is working hard here to advance position.
Xinhai sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mutant defending well though.
Xinhai throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Yang Xinhai has got the better of the ground game so far.
Xinhai lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Mutant is trying to get back to full guard.
Xinhai thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Xinhai wants to pass the guard but Mutant is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mutant trying to control here.
Xinhai perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Mutant is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mutant trying to control here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Xinhai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Xinhai looks to land a body kick but Mutant moved away.
Xinhai moves out of range of the leg kick from Mutant.
Mutant throws a combination that misses

and Xinhai counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Xinhai has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Xinhai is nestled in close to Mutant, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Mutant won't allow Xinhai to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xinhai looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Mutant trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Xinhai has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Mutant's face.
Mutant wants to control but Xinhai is having none of it.
Xinhai controlling the pace for now.
Mutant on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mutant tries to get out of the position.
Xinhai scoring with strikes but Mutant is staying in there.
Mutant keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Xinhai lands a big elbow - Mutant is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Mutant is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Yang Xinhai!
Yang Xinhai really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Worldwide Nutrition (160q) logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.