PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rip James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy John (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John has chosen Peace Minus One by Rorschach Test as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

James
vs
John

194 cm
24
270 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

200 cm
23
274 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

TFP Graphics
Crippler's Corner

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rip James!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tommy John!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Fujiwara and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
John moves in looking to clinch but James pushes him off.
John throws a head kick that misses.
John tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but James paws at him with a jab and circles away.
James fails to land with a series of punches.
John misses with a series of wild punches.
John tries to clinch up.
John dodges the punch combination from James.
Nice straight punches there by James. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of James.
James shoots in but John avoids the takedown attempt easily.

James changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. John looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
James working the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

James thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
James wants to control but John is keeping him busy.
John parries the strikes from James easily there. James is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable John to escape.

James is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, John has escaped the position, nice work there.

James swings around for an armbar but John sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into James's guard.
John preventing the sweep.
James is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
John wants to stand but James is controlling his posture from full guard.

James has his foot on John's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. John works his way back into a safe position though.
James is trying to control the position but John postures up.

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

James looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
James tries to pass to full mount but John defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James stalling away here and it's allowed John to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
James missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
James pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. John is keeping the position for now.
James trying to control but John is working from the bottom.
James in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
John keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
James stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from John.
James looks for a takedown but John sprawls well.
James looks to land a combination but John avoids it well.
Nice sprawl there from John as James shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rip James. That's going to take a lot out of him.
John wants to clinch up but James keeps it at a distance.
James looks to land a right hand but John moved out of range.
John moves in looking to clinch but James pushes him off.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
John swinging wilding here.
John throws a front kick aimed at James's knee but James avoids it well.
A left and a right from James both land. Nice combination.
James lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
John wants to clinch.
James keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from John.
James looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

James closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - James lands in his opponent's guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
John can't keep his opponent in guard - James advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
James is nestled in close to John, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
John is in trouble now - James has advanced to mount!
This has been an exciting period of action!
The referee warns John that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
James tries to control but John wriggling away.

James is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, John has managed to escape the submission attempt.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
James can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as John is looking to escape.

James jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… John is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by John and James has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
James misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

James tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no James has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's eight 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.
James wants to control but John is keeping him busy.
James in side control lands a decent elbow.

James is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, John has escaped the position, nice work there.

James looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
An elbow from James crashes against the mat.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
An elbow from James crashes against the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

James is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. John knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
John keeps James under control for a moment.
James trying to control the position but John is working away.
James landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rip James dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

John throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
James fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

James looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
James trying to control the position from guard on top but John is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
James 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.
James postures up and lands a big shot to John's brow.
James trying to control but John is working from the bottom.
James stands and throws John's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

James tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no James has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
John is not content to let James control the position.
John dodges the ground and pound from James.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
James working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's two 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.

James working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
John struggling a bit here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

James has hold of John's arm. He's looking for a kimura. John seems comfortable defending it but James has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! John is real pain and he's forced to tap out! John is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but James couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:38 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Rip James!
Rip James retains his heavyweight title!