PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rick Vasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yi Xuan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rick Vasquez has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Vasquez
vs
Xuan

221 cm
21
214 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

180 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rick Vasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yi Xuan!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Sosuke Kotani and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice jab there from Vasquez.
Vasquez fails to land the takedown.

Vasquez has taken the fight to the clinch.

Xuan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Xuan shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Vasquez manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Xuan controls from within his opponent's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vasquez looking to control.
Xuan is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Vasquez trying to keep a closed guard but Xuan is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vasquez looking for a guillotine here but Xuan defends easily.
Xuan controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vasquez fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Vasquez tries to sprawl but Xuan drives through with a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Vasquez won't allow Xuan to pass to mount.
Vasquez is pressing down on Xuan's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Vasquez trying to control the position.
Xuan sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Vasquez is pulling down on Xuan's head to control his posture.
Xuan stays in close to Vasquez's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez is trying to keep Xuan in close.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Vasquez closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Xuan's guard.
Vasquez trying to control the position from guard on top but Xuan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vasquez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Vasquez 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xuan tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Vasquez trying to control but Xuan is working from the bottom.
Vasquez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Xuan 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 fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Xuan is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Vasquez is aware though and is defending well.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Xuan clinches with his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Xuan misses with a punch to the body.
Vasquez taking a breather.
Vasquez can't get the takedown.
A frustrated look appears on Xuan's face as he tries to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yi Xuan dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Xuan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Vasquez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Vasquez appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Vasquez throws an overhand right that lands on Xuan's shoulder, as Xuan tries to avoid the shot.
Vasquez wants to clinch up but Xuan keeps it at a distance.

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

Xuan is looking for a kimura here.
Xuan passes into side control, despite Vasquez's attempt to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vasquez keeps Xuan under control for a moment.
Xuan passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Vasquez!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasquez tries to lock up and control but Xuan gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Vasquez blocking the ground and pound.
Vasquez tries to hold on but Xuan pushes him away.
Vasquez tries to improve his position but instead Xuan has taken his back!
Xuan tries to get the hooks in deep but Vasquez pushed the leg off.
Vasquez is in bad spot here.
Xuan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Xuan working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Xuan controlling well, preventing Vasquez from escaping the position.
Xuan missing with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xuan is not going to allow Vasquez to sit and survive in this position.

Xuan is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Vasquez defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Xuan is looking to control Vasquez but Vasquez is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Xuan trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Vasquez doesn't escape.
Xuan tries to get the hooks in deep but Vasquez pushed the leg off.
Vasquez just trying to survive but Xuan is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Vasquez is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez can't escape the position.
Vasquez staying busy and making it hard for Xuan to control.
Vasquez trying to control but not successfully.
Even with his hooks in, Xuan manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Vasquez is keeping busy.
Yi Xuan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vasquez can't escape the position.

Vasquez is trying to shake Xuan off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Xuan won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.
Vasquez shoots in for a takedown but Xuan shows good takedown defense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xuan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Vasquez.

Vasquez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Xuan!
Vasquez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Xuan regains half guard.
Xuan is breathing heavily.
Vasquez trying to control the action but Xuan is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Xuan manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Vasquez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yi Xuan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Vasquez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vasquez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Xuan backs up against the cage.
A shot to the liver by Xuan. Beautiful body shot.
Xuan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Xuan clinches with his opponent.
Vasquez tries to work over Xuan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vasquez is looking for a takedown.
Xuan lands a body punch in the clinch.
Vasquez trying to control the position but instead, Xuan has worked for underhooks and has pushed Vasquez into the cage.
Xuan lands a right hand that snaps the head of Vasquez backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xuan pressing his opponent against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Xuan - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Xuan manages to break the clinch.
Vasquez tries to close the distance and clinch but Xuan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Xuan throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Vasquez was covering up waiting for the punch and Xuan finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Xuan wanted to stand there but Vasquez had control of the position.
Vasquez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez is trying to control the position but Xuan postures up.
Vasquez seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Xuan sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vasquez is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Xuan 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.
Vasquez wants to stand but Xuan is controlling the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Xuan fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xuan throws a sloppy head kick

and Vasquez counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Xuan!
Xuan is trying to control Vasquez's posture but Vasquez avoids it.
Xuan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Vasquez decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Xuan displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Vasquez.
Xuan wants to clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Xuan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xuan taking a breather here.
Vasquez can't do much from the bottom here.
Vasquez wants to get back to his feet.
Xuan is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Let's hope that Xuan 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yi Xuan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Xuan has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yi Xuan!