PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Masa Mune (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Firnanda Talha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Firnanda Talha enters the cage!

Mune
vs
Talha

160 cm
24
158 lbs
11 - 7 - 1

170 cm
35
154 lbs
21 - 23 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Masa Mune!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 23 - 0, fighting out of New York, Firnanda Talha!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mune bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Mune pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Talha back to the cage. Mune follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Mune defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Talha.
Mune swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Mune lands with a shot to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Mune. No joy for Talha on that attempt.
Mune just misses with a punch to the body.
Mune tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Talha was well out of range. Poor timing from Mune.
Talha blocks a jab.
Talha tries for a takedown but Mune circles away easily
and Mune counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Masa Mune has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Firnanda Talha.
Talha tries to bum rush Mune with a series of wild strikes but Mune uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Talha looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mune changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Masa Mune seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Talha dives in and grabs Mune's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mune pushes down on Talha's head and hops out.

Talha gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mune wants to pass the guard but Talha is keeping the position.
Mune loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mune cracks Talha with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mune slips nicely into half guard.
Talha punching from the bottom.
Mune is looking to take a break and control but Talha is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Talha is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mune scores with a couple of nice shots.
Talha punching from the bottom.
Talha moves into full guard.
Mune postures up in Talha's guard and throws a big left but Talha blocks it.
Mune chips away with some ground and pound.
Talha looking for a sweep. Not yet Talha, not yet.
Mune chips away with some ground and pound.
Talha keeping moving, preventing Mune from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Talha lands a couple of shots from the bottom.
Mune is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Talha has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Talha throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Talha trying to strike off his back.
Talha tries to strike from the bottom.
Talha throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Talha tries to strike from the bottom.
Talha keeping full guard, as Mune tries to pass.
Mune lands a couple of elbows.
Mune working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Mune wants to control from the top but Talha keeps moving.
Talha lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Mune lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Mune is looking to work some ground and pound but Talha has wrist control.
Mune trying to control but Talha is working from the bottom.
Talha trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mune throwing strikes but missing.
Mune scoring with some ground and pound.
Mune trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mune wants to control from the top but Talha keeps moving.
Mune stands up out of Talha's guard for a moment - Talha manages to land a nice upkick.
Mune is working Talha over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Mune working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Talha lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Mune throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Talha throwing strikes but missing.
Talha postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Talha throws a big elbow that misses.

Mune has his foot on Talha's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Talha works his way back into a safe position though.

Mune looking for a guillotine here but Talha defends easily.
Talha postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Talha trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Talha throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mune works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Talha throws a big right hand that misses.
Talha cracks Mune with a solid left hand.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Talha working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Mune 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.
Talha connects with a couple of short punches.
Talha throws a big right hand that misses.
Mune looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Talha throwing strikes but missing.
Mune trying to keep a closed guard but Talha is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masa Mune dominated that round.
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.

Talha shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mune as he jumps to the side.
Mune catches Talha with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Mune just misses with a punch to the body.
Mune is looking to wear down Talha with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Mune scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Mune throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mune looks to land a combination but Talha avoids it well.
A right-left combo lands from Talha.

Talha shoots in and gets a takedown into Mune's guard.
Mune working a defensive guard here.
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!
Talha with a flurry of punches that miss.
Talha throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mune trying to keep a closed guard but Talha is proving a slippery customer.

Mune escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Talha gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mune avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mune looking to control.
Talha landing with the ground and pound.

Mune is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Talha keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Mune's head.

Mune escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Talha gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Mune is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Talha trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mune has momentary wrist control but Talha slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Talha cracks Mune with a solid left hand.
Talha throwing strikes but missing.

Mune had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Talha defends it easily.

Mune throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Talha's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Mune looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Talha stopping the sweep attempt from Mune.
Talha lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Talha works over Mune with some ground and pound from guard.
Talha is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Talha is in close to Mune's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mune is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Talha striking from the bottom.
Talha throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Mune lands strikes from half guard.
Mune throwing shots but Talha is blocking nicely.
Talha flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Talha is looking to improve his position.
Mune not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Mune seems to be looking for submissions.
Mune scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Mune lands strikes from half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mune lands a nice short elbow.
Talha throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Talha slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mune trying to control the position from guard on top but Talha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Talha has momentary wrist control but Mune slips an elbow through the middle.
Talha scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Mune throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Talha works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mune pushing down on Talha's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Talha is trying to get back to full guard.
Mune blocks the strikes from Talha.
Talha is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Mune looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Talha misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Talha gets back to full guard.
Talha thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Firnanda Talha will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Mune drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Talha is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Masa Mune overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mune not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mune slips a nice elbow through Talha's hands, connecting with Talha's forehead.
Mune looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Talha with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Talha punching from the bottom.
Talha tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Mune working over Talha with some ground and pound. Talha looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Mune prevents Talha from improving his position.
Mune throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mune winds up and cracks Talha with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Mune is looking to take a break and control but Talha is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Talha punching from the bottom.
Talha keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Talha wants to get back to full guard.
Mune lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Mune lands strikes from half guard.
Talha striking from half guard on the bottom.
Talha lands with a few short shots to the body.
Talha flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Talha punching from the bottom.
Mune seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Talha flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Talha avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mune.
Mune trying to control from half guard but Talha is working away.
Talha flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Talha is staying active underneath Mune, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Mune missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Talha wants to improve his position but Mune is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mune trying to control the action but Talha is working from the bottom.
Talha moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Talha tries to strike from the bottom.
Talha throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Talha punching from the bottom - just letting Mune know he's still in a fight.
Talha is striking but Mune is not phased and passes to half guard.
Talha manages to get to full guard.
Mune lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Mune trying to control but Talha is working from the bottom.
Mune throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mune postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Talha doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Talha punching to the body, from the bottom.
Mune trying to control but Talha is working from the bottom.
Talha trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Mune keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Talha's head.
Mune wants to pass the guard but Talha is keeping the position.
Talha 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.
Talha keeping moving, preventing Mune from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Talha is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mune sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

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.
Talha darts in looking for a takedown but Mune gets double underhooks and turns Talha into the cage.
Talha takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A thudding body kick lands there by Mune!
Mune defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Talha.
Masa Mune has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Firnanda Talha.
Mune just misses with a punch to the body.
Masa Mune is winning the standup battle so far.
Mune stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mune wants it to stay on the feet.
Mune misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Talha.
Mune throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Talha with the counter takedown but Mune avoids it easily.
Mune keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Talha has a takedown stuffed.

Talha gets caught napping as Mune dives in and scores a takedown. Talha manages to retain guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Talha trying to strike off his back.
Talha striking off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Masa Mune showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mune 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Masa Mune!