PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mitsuaki Inose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shinya Kawajiri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shinya Kawajiri has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Inose
vs
Kawajiri

195 cm
21
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

175 cm
22
155 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Prefers ground

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Mitsuaki Inose!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinya Kawajiri!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Sano and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kawajiri closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Kawajiri looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Inose is trying to control but can't.
Inose holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Inose has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Inose is looking to control Kawajiri's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Inose avoid being mounted?
Inose holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mitsuaki Inose just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Inose misses with a takedown

and Kawajiri counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Inose is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Inose has control of Kawajiri's left arm, preventing Kawajiri from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Inose looking to control.
Inose has his hands on Kawajiri's head, controlling the position.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mitsuaki Inose just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Inose bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Inose content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Kawajiri tries to improve position but can't.
Inose wants to control but Kawajiri is keeping him busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Inose in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Inose really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kawajiri can do anything to dispel that myth.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mitsuaki Inose just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Inose doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Kawajiri counters with a single leg into guard. Inose didn't expect that.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Inose holds on and takes a little breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Inose controls Kawajiri momentarily but Kawajiri frees himself.
Inose will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Inose working a defensive guard but Kawajiri manages to pass into side control anyway.
Inose manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Inose is trying to maintain the position but Kawajiri is very close to passing his half guard.

Kawajiri wants to work for an arm triangle but Inose is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Inose fails with the takedown

and Kawajiri counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Inose!
Kawajiri tries to control but Inose wriggling away.
Inose tries to hold on but Kawajiri postures up.
Inose prevents any damage by holding on tight.
Kawajiri avoids the attempt from Inose to control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mitsuaki Inose just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Inose shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Inose trying to control from half guard but Kawajiri is working away.
Shinya Kawajiri has got the better of the ground game so far.
Inose sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Kawajiri is not content to let Inose control the position.

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.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mitsuaki Inose just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Kawajiri decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Kawajiri is thwarting Inose's attempts to control the position.

Kawajiri is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Kawajiri is looking for a kimura but Inose is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kawajiri to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Inose is trying to maintain the position but Kawajiri is very close to passing his half guard.

Kawajiri is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kawajiri throws a right and a left that Inose avoids nicely.

Inose darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kawajiri is refusing to be controlled, as Inose sits in half guard.

That's four 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.

Kawajiri actively working from the bottom here.
Inose is looking to stall here but Kawajiri recovers full guard.
Inose trying to control but Kawajiri is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinya Kawajiri 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!

Inose feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Inose wants to control from the top but Kawajiri keeps moving.
Inose controlling from the top position.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mitsuaki Inose just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

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

Kawajiri has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Inose can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Inose looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Inose wants to control from the top but Kawajiri keeps moving.
Inose is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

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

Kawajiri has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Inose can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Inose showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Inose trying to control the position from guard on top but Kawajiri is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mitsuaki Inose just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Inose tries for a takedown but Kawajiri circles away easily

and Kawajiri counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Inose's guard now.
Shinya Kawajiri is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kawajiri being controlled here momentarily.
Inose trying to keep a closed guard but Kawajiri is proving a slippery customer.

Inose is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kawajiri trying to control but Inose is working from the bottom.
Inose trying to keep a closed guard but Kawajiri is proving a slippery customer.
Kawajiri is fighting to break Inose's control of his arms but Inose is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Inose working a defensive guard but Kawajiri manages to pass into side control anyway.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mitsuaki Inose.
Well Kawajiri 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shinya Kawajiri!