PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Travis Bickle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bo Taka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Bickle
vs
Taka

185 cm
28
201 lbs
8 - 2 - 1

187 cm
28
189 lbs
13 - 8 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Max Octane Fight Wear
Highland Clothing

Highland Clothing
Sun-Tzu

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Travis Bickle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bo Taka!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Sano and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bickle darts in and clinches Taka up against the ropes.
Bickle wants a takedown.

Taka manages to break the clinch.

Bickle looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Bickle wants to take a breather but Taka is having none of it.
Taka looks like he's trying to stand up.
Taka has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Bonsai Club MMA. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taka keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Taka tries to kick Bickle off but Bickle keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Bickle is working for a submission of some sort.
Taka is not content to let Bickle control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bickle thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bickle lands a nice short elbow.

Bickle wants to work for an arm triangle but Taka is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Taka looks like he's trying to stand up.
Bickle working the head and body with strikes.
Taka pushes Bickle off looking to stand but Bickle dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taka blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bickle.
Bickle stops Taka from getting back to his feet.

Bickle is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Taka has managed to free his arm - good work.
Bickle is looking to take a break and control but Taka is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Well, if Bickle is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Bickle is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Taka looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bickle sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Taka defending well though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Taka can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bickle prevents Taka from standing back up.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Bickle sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Taka defending well though.
Bickle is trying to control. Taka wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Bickle has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Bickle scores with a takedown into Taka's guard.
Taka is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bickle loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Bickle content to stall in guard here.
Taka really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bickle. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bickle drops back looking for a leg! Taka is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Taka manages to kick Bickle off! Bickle jumps back into Taka's guard.
Bickle is looking to work some ground and pound but Taka has wrist control.
Bickle throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Taka works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Bickle stops Taka from standing up.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bickle distracts Taka with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bickle pushes down on Taka's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Bickle is trying to work for a kimura but Taka is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travis Bickle dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Taka connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Taka ducks under a wild hook from Bickle.
Bickle throws a right hand that Taka ducks under and follows up with a left that Taka also avoids with ease.
Bickle misses with a looping right.
Taka fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Bickle clinches with his opponent.
Taka has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Bickle is looking for a takedown.
Taka can't break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bickle tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Taka just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Taka wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bickle has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Taka after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Travis Bickle. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taka tries to circle away but Bickle has him pinned against the ropes.
Bickle goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Taka breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nice defenses there by Bickle.
A cross from Taka lands.
Bickle walks into a left hand.

It looks like Travis Bickle has been cut.
Taka misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Taka avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Nice body punch from Bickle.
Taka uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bickle.
Despite the aggression on Taka's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Taka thuds his right hand into Bickle's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Taka digs a good hook to Bickle's body.
Taka connects with a good right hand that stumbles Bickle. Bickle circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Taka buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bickle slips a jab from Taka.
A big right from Bickle misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taka defending well as Bickle loads up on a big left hand.

Bickle feints and as Taka raises his hands in defense, Bickle changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Bickle in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Bickle is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Taka can do to turn this around?

Bickle is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Taka is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Taka pushes Bickle off and gets back to his feet.
Taka bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A little jabbing left from Taka on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Taka lands a really nice looking cross but Bickle seems unphased.
Bickle misses with an uppercut
and Taka counters with a stiff right hand.
Bickle swinging wildly here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taka cracks Bickle with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A punch lands to the side of Taka 's head but he takes it in his stride.

It looks like Bo Taka has been cut.
Taka bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Bickle's head.
Taka throws a hook but Bickle blocks it.
Bickle tried to counter with a leg kick but Taka avoided it.
Taka misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nice straight punches there by Taka. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Taka.
Taka ducks under a wild hook from Bickle.
Taka scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A cross from Bickle lands.
Bickle misses with an uppercut.
Taka connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Bickle fails to land the takedown.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A big right from Taka misses.
Bickle tries to clinch up but Taka circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taka stuffs the takedown.
Taka connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Taka cracks Bickle with an open hand slap.
Bickle defending well as Taka loads up on a big left hand.
A swing and a miss from Taka.
Bickle swinging wildly here.
Taka throws an overhand right that lands on Bickle's shoulder, as Bickle tries to avoid the shot.
Bickle is looking for a counter combo.
Taka dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Taka works the jab nicely.
Bickle misses with a straight left.
Taka takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Taka scores with a nice right hand.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bickle.
Bickle blocks a head kick by Taka.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bo Taka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Bickle lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Bickle loads up on a big right hand but Taka slips the punch.
Taka smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Taka connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Bickle's hands.
Bickle has his takedown stuffed
and Taka counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Taka lands a nice shot that snaps Bickle's head back.
Bickle shoots for a takedown but Taka saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Taka tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bickle was well out of range. Poor timing from Taka.
Taka cracks the inside of Bickle's front leg.
Taka throws a sloppy head kick and Bickle moves out of range easily.
Bickle throws a big counter combination but Taka scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Taka scores with a head kick. Bickle tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
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!

Taka gets caught flat footed, as Bickle shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Taka working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bickle.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bickle accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Taka is looking to stand up but Bickle isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taka is looking to stand back up but Bickle counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Taka.
Bickle passes to side control.
Travis Bickle overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bickle tries to move into full mount but can't pass Taka's legs.
Bickle trying to control the action but Taka is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Bickle lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Taka down.

Bickle thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Bickle landing strikes.

Bickle working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Bickle lands an elbow.

Bickle tries for a kimura but Taka is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Taka is trying to buck Bickle off.
Bickle lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Bickle tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bickle has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Bickle is putting a hurting on Taka here, landing some big shots from side control.
Taka wants to get back to his feet but Bickle drags him back down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bickle trying to control the action but Taka is working from the bottom.
Taka is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Bickle tries to move to mount but Taka blocks the move with his legs.
Bickle in side control, throwing shots but Taka defends.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taka bucks up and tries to throw Bickle off but instead Bickle has got his back!
Taka is trying to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Travis Bickle showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bickle has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight for Travis Bickle!
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight for Bo Taka!
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight for Bo Taka!

Bo Taka wins by split decision!
Bo Taka gave a mention to Highland Clothing in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).