PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Koji Yano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Talbert (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yano's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Fleur de Lis - Jucifer. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Yano
vs
Talbert

179 cm
28
206 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

185 cm
29
220 lbs
21 - 13 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

The Empire Clothing and Laundry

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 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Koji Yano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Sam Talbert!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, William Peck and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yano slips a straight right by Talbert.
Yano throws a head kick that misses.
Yano lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Talbert misses with a looping right.
A jab from Yano misses.
Yano slips a jab and a cross from Talbert.
Talbert lands with an uppercut that bounces Yano off the cage and back into range.
Yano with a poor takedown
and Talbert counters with a stiff right hand.
Yano throws a head kick but Talbert moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Talbert connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Yano momentarily.

It looks like Koji Yano has been cut.
Talbert throws a hook but Yano blocks it.
A counter left hand to the body from Yano misses its target.
Yano takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Talbert scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yano scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yano takes a swing at Talbert's ribcage but misses.
Talbert misses with a body shot.
Yano tried to counter with a leg kick but Talbert avoided it.
Yano scores with a nice strike.
Yano wants to clinch up but Talbert keeps it at a distance.
Talbert misses the jab.
Sam Talbert seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yano lands a nice hook to Talbert's body. Talbert takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Yano throws a sloppy head kick and Talbert moves out of range easily.
Yano looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Talbert is fending him off so far but Yano persists. Nope, Talbert circles away and we're back to standing.
Yano throws a leg kick but Talbert sees it coming and checks it nicely.
A head kick by Yano misses
and Talbert counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Talbert displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Yano.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Koji Yano. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circle momentarily. Talbert darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Yano drops his hands momentarily and Talbert takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Talbert keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yano ducks under a wild hook from Talbert.
Talbert works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Talbert misses with a lunging right hand
and Yano counters with a good low kick that Talbert was not able to check.
Yano misses the shot to the body.
Talbert is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Yano had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Yano uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Talbert.
Talbert scores with a sloppy right hand. Yano should have avoided that one.
Yano ducks right into an uppercut from Talbert.
A jab from Talbert finds it's way through Yano's defenses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yano fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Talbert looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Yano darts in trying to clinch
and Talbert counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Talbert shoots in and drives through. Yano sprawls well.
Talbert loads up on a big right hand but Yano slips the punch.
Talbert throws an overhand right that lands on Yano's shoulder, as Yano tries to avoid the shot.
Yano digs a good body shot into Talbert's ribs.
Talbert throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Talbert scores with a sloppy right hand. Yano should have avoided that one.
A jab from Talbert finds it's way through Yano's defenses.
Yano moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Talbert loads up on a big right hand but Yano slips the punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Yano, right into the meat.
Talbert might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

Yano has closed the distance and engaged Talbert in a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Talbert gets underhooks to prevent Yano's takedown attempt.
Our sources have told us that Yano has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Talbert has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Yano is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Yano lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Yano crunches a lovely knee into Talbert's ribcage.
A shot in the inside from Yano.
Talbert wants to take the fight to the mat but Yano manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Talbert managing to block the knees to the body from Yano.
Come on Yano - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Stalling in the clinch from Yano.
Yano seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Yano utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Talbert dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Koji Yano's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Yano closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Yano lands in his opponent's guard.
Yano postures up in Talbert's guard and throws a big left but Talbert blocks it.
Talbert is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Yano 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.
Yano trying to control but Talbert is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Talbert looking to control.
Yano wants to control from the top but Talbert keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yano throws a big right hand that misses.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Yano throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Talbert keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Yano tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Talbert swivels and escapes.
A little jabbing left from Talbert on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Yano avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Talbert misses with a looping left.
A little feinted left hand from Yano on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Yano tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Talbert cracks Yano with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Talbert.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Talbert throws a lazy uppercut
and Yano counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Talbert throws a jab but it's blocked by Yano.
Yano throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Talbert counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Talbert throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Yano thinks about countering with a body kick.

Yano moves into the clinch successfully.

Talbert gets a trip takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Talbert wants to take a breather but Yano is having none of it.
Talbert throws a strike but Yano avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Talbert with a flurry of punches that miss.
Yano wants to improve his position but instead Talbert has moved into half guard.

Yano is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Talbert pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yano wants to control but Talbert is keeping busy.
Yano landing a few short strikes.
Talbert trying to mount his opponent but Yano defends it.
Talbert is looking to take a break and control but Yano is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Yano is looking to control Talbert's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Yano avoid being mounted?
Yano is staying active underneath Talbert, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Talbert prevents Yano from improving his position.
Talbert seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Yano does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Talbert tries to pass the half guard into mount. Yano knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Talbert winds up and cracks Yano with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Yano has hold of Talbert's hands but Talbert slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Yano keeping hold of Talbert's head, controlling as best he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Talbert sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Talbert is thwarting Yano's attempts to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Talbert showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Koji Yano's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Talbert throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Yano counters with a good low kick that Talbert was not able to check.

Yano manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Talbert on his heels. He'll look to pass Talbert's guard now, I'm sure.
Yano throws a strike but Talbert rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Yano tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Talbert wants to control from the top but Yano keeps moving.
Talbert passes Yano's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Yano is trying to control but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Talbert working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Talbert is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Yano is not content to let Talbert control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yano looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Yano slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Yano is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Yano is striking off his back. Talbert thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Talbert is keen to just control but Yano is a slippery customer.
Yano is trying to get back to full guard.
Yano flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Yano looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Talbert missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Talbert controlling the action here.
Yano avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Talbert.

Yano is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Talbert pulls his head out easily.
Talbert throwing shots but Yano is blocking nicely.
Talbert is trying to control. Yano wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Yano moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yano looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Yano is trying to control the position but Talbert postures up.
Talbert is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Talbert accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sam Talbert has got the better of the ground game so far.
Talbert advances position into side control!
Yano is working to avoid the ground and pound but Talbert connects with a decent elbow.
Talbert wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yano keeps working.
Yano struggling a bit here.
Talbert has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Yano 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 four minutes gone in the round.
Talbert wants to control but Yano is keeping him busy.
Yano tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Talbert wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Talbert working away.
Talbert cracks Yano with a big right hand but Yano just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Yano struggling a bit here.
Talbert cracks Yano with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yano gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Yano is pressing down on Talbert's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Yano keeping moving, preventing Talbert from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sam Talbert comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Talbert winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sam Talbert!