PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jienaro Marfil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shingo Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marfil comes into the arena with New Divide blaring out of the sound system. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Marfil
vs
Tanaka

181 cm
31
183 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

181 cm
34
185 lbs
26 - 13 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jienaro Marfil!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shingo Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Jeff Smith and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marfil swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Marfil drops down looking for a counter takedown but Tanaka sprawls and moves away.

Tanaka gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Marfil is trying to push Tanaka away but Tanaka has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Marfil is trying to break free.
The referee calls for Tanaka to work.
Marfil tries to break free but Tanaka pushes him back against the cage.
Marfil is trying to break the clinch but Tanaka is controlling him.
Marfil misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
A frustrated look appears on Marfil's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka has Marfil pushed against the cage.
Tanaka stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Marfil has had enough of the clinch but Tanaka keeps him there for the moment.
Marfil working hard to break the clinch.

Marfil breaks from the clinch.

Tanaka pushes Marfil up against the cage in a clinch.
Tanaka manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Marfil is trying to force a seperation but Tanaka has the dominant position.
Marfil tries to break the clinch but Tanaka is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Tanaka stalling the fight.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Tanaka displaying some good clinch control by pressing Marfil up against the cage.
Tanaka is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Shingo Tanaka.
No joy there for Marfil, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Jienaro Marfil seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marfil misses with a hook
and Tanaka counters with an inside leg kick.
Marfil misses with a hook to the body
and Tanaka counters with an inside leg kick.
Marfil lands the left hand.
Marfil misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Tanaka counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Marfil will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka pushes Marfil up against the cage in a clinch.
A body shot lands from Marfil.
Marfil tries to break free but Tanaka pushes him back against the cage.

Marfil breaks from the clinch.
Marfil ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tanaka moves away.
Marfil throws a left and a right that both miss
and Tanaka counters with a leg kick.
Marfil throws a combination that misses
and Tanaka makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Marfil falls off balance throwing a combination
and Tanaka counters with a good low kick that Marfil was not able to check.

Tanaka gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Tanaka avoiding damage.
Tanaka just leaning against Marfil, taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marfil wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Marfil is trying to break free.
Marfil is looking to break free of the clinch but Tanaka has double underhooks.
Marfil wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tanaka has him pressed against the cage.
Tanaka is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Marfil goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tanaka stalling against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Marfil fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shingo Tanaka dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Marfil tries to bum rush Tanaka with a series of wild strikes but Tanaka uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Marfil misses with a body shot
and Tanaka counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Marfil rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tanaka moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Marfil throws a sloppy body shot
and Tanaka counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Marfil lands a jab-cross combination.
Marfil tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tanaka was well out of range. Poor timing from Marfil.
Marfil swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Marfil misses the target.
Marfil tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tanaka was well out of range. Poor timing from Marfil.
Marfil misses with a hook
and Tanaka counters with an outside leg kick.
Marfil looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Marfil lands a head shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marfil throws a lazy uppercut
and Tanaka counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Marfil throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Tanaka counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marfil takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Marfil takes a swing at Tanaka's ribcage but misses.
Marfil jabs at Tanaka's body.
Marfil is looking to wear down Tanaka with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Marfil looks to land a combination but Tanaka avoids it well.
Marfil misses with a few strikes there.
Tanaka tries a quick counter leg kick but Marfil is wise to it.
A shot to the body from Marfil misses
and Tanaka counters with a nice low kick that buckles Marfil's knee momentarily.
Tanaka scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Marfil throws a left and a right that both miss
and Tanaka counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Tanaka closes the distance and clinches.
Tanaka prevents a body shot from Marfil.
Tanaka dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Tanaka will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Marfil up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Tanaka prevents Marfil from breaking the clinch.
Tanaka prevents Marfil from breaking the clinch.
Marfil wants to get back to striking at distance but Tanaka won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Marfil's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Tanaka stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Tanaka stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marfil wants to break free but Tanaka has control.
Marfil is trying to break free.
Tanaka blocks an uppercut.
Marfil tries to throw a body punch but Tanaka avoids it by throwing Marfil back against the cage.
Marfil effectively controlling the action here.
Marfil is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Tanaka stalling.
Tanaka is stalling here.
Marfil tries to break free but Tanaka pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Marfil looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Marfil wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Marfil wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Tanaka will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Marfil up against the cage.
Marfil tries to break free but Tanaka pushes him back against the cage.
Marfil is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Shingo Tanaka seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tanaka is stalling here.
Marfil tries to break free but Tanaka pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jienaro Marfil will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marfil swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marfil swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Marfil throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Tanaka moves into the clinch.
Marfil is trying to stall.
Tanaka keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Marfil's efforts to push away.
Marfil looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marfil tries to break free but Tanaka pushes him back against the cage.
Marfil being controlled against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Tanaka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Marfil wants to break the clinch but can't.
Marfil trying to stall but Tanaka improves his position.

Marfil escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Marfil misses with a body shot
and Tanaka makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Marfil really felt that one!
Marfil throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Tanaka counters with an outside leg kick.
Tanaka fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Marfil.
Tanaka dodges the punch combination from Marfil.
Tanaka slips a jab and a cross from Marfil.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marfil throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tanaka.
Marfil misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Tanaka counters with a low kick, right behind Marfil 's knee.
Marfil takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Marfil throws a combination that misses
and Tanaka counters with a good low kick that Marfil was not able to check.

Marfil tries to keep at a distance but Tanaka has taken the fight into the clinch.
Marfil goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Tanaka manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A frustrated look appears on Marfil's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka pressing his opponent against the cage.
Tanaka slows down the pace here.
Marfil wants to break the clinch but can't.
Tanaka is stalling here.
Marfil tries to break the clinch but Tanaka is controlling the position.
Tanaka keeps control of Marfil as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Tanaka taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
A frustrated look appears on Marfil's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Tanaka stalling the fight.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Shingo Tanaka.
Marfil throws a series of punches but Tanaka avoids them all with ease.
Tanaka only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Marfil throws a right hand that Tanaka ducks under and follows up with a left that Tanaka also avoids with ease.
Tanaka throws a nice outside leg kick.
Marfil swings for the body but Tanaka moves out of range.
Marfil misses with a right hand
and Tanaka counters with a leg kick.
Marfil throws a right hand that misses
and Tanaka counters with a good, hard body kick but Marfil shrugs it off.
Marfil looks to score with a jab to the body but Tanaka is just out of range.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Marfil misses with a right hand
and Tanaka counters with a leg kick.
Tanaka throws a leg kick which misses Marfil's front leg but catches the back leg as Marfil tries to avoid it.
Tanaka has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Marfil misses with a body shot
and Tanaka counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shingo Tanaka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tanaka 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shingo Tanaka!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Shingo Tanaka made sure he mentioned 95% Laundry , along with how happy he was to win his fight.