PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jonny Donay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuki Hagiwara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Donay
vs
Hagiwara

170 cm
20
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

167 cm
24
138 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jonny Donay!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuki Hagiwara!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donay fails with a takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Donay.
Donay shoots in looking for a takedown. Hagiwara tries to sprawl out of it but Donay keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hagiwara manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jonny Donay. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hagiwara moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hagiwara lands a takedown into guard.
Hagiwara seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Donay tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hagiwara stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Donay swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Donay throws his legs up looking for a submission but Hagiwara uses it to pass to side control.
Hagiwara tries to advance to mount but can't.
Hagiwara controls the position.
It looks like Hagiwara might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Donay wants to control but Hagiwara postures up.
You can see the frustration on Donay's face as Hagiwara controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hagiwara is continuing to stall.
Hagiwara lands a decent elbow from side control.
You can see the frustration on Donay's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hagiwara tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hagiwara has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Donay is not content to let Hagiwara control the position.
Hagiwara working away.
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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Donay fails with a takedown attempt.
Donay changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hagiwara tries to avoid it but Donay manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hagiwara to the ground. Hagiwara escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Hagiwara feints the counter takedown.

Hagiwara shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hagiwara showed some decent athleticism there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Donay is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hagiwara pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Donay is trying to maintain the position but Hagiwara is very close to passing his half guard.
Donay is breathing heavily.
Hagiwara looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Donay wants to control but Hagiwara is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hagiwara uses his free foot to push down on Donay's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Donay.
Hagiwara looking to control and managing it successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hagiwara's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuki Hagiwara dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Donay shoots in but no luck this time.
Hagiwara is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

Hagiwara rushes Donay and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hagiwara prevents the takedown attempt.

Hagiwara has Donay pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Hagiwara pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Donay tumbling to the mat - Hagiwara dives into Donay's guard.
Donay is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Hagiwara has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hagiwara looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Donay can't keep his opponent in guard - Hagiwara advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hagiwara perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Hagiwara landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Hagiwara is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Donay on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Hagiwara with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Hagiwara lands strikes from half guard.

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.
Hagiwara is trying to control. Donay wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Hagiwara wants to work for an arm triangle but Donay is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Donay is trying to maintain the position but Hagiwara is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Still in half guard, Hagiwara seems content to control.
Donay wants to control but Hagiwara passes into side.
Hagiwara happy to just control the position for now.
Hagiwara tries to move to mount but Donay blocks the move with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hagiwara looks up at the clock and then as Donay takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Hagiwara smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Hagiwara tries to stand but Donay is controlling his head.

Hagiwara tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hagiwara has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Donay is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Donay can't do much from the bottom here.
Donay takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Hagiwara is staying tight to Donay's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hagiwara working away.
Yuki Hagiwara has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Let's hope that Hagiwara has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Hagiwara advances to full mount.
Hagiwara lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hagiwara lands a nice shot to the head.
Hagiwara landing punches.
Hagiwara controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuki Hagiwara showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Donay tries to sprawl but Hagiwara drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Hagiwara moves into full mount! Donay won't be happy about that!
Donay is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Hagiwara raining down shots from the mount!
Hagiwara tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hagiwara connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Hagiwara with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Hagiwara controlling from the full mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hagiwara avoids the attempt from Donay to control.
Hagiwara trying to control but Donay is having none of it.
Hagiwara avoids the attempt from Donay to control.
Hagiwara fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's two 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.
Hagiwara sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Hagiwara breaks from Donay's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Donay is rocked!
Hagiwara with good strikes from the mount here!
Oh Donay is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hagiwara postures up and throws a couple of big shots that have Donay in real trouble here! The ref calls for Donay to improve his position which he doesn't do, so the referee has no choice but to end the fight due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Yuki Hagiwara!
An out of breath Yuki Hagiwara thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.