PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Phil Leotardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hotaka Yoshida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yoshida has chosen Arsone as his entrance music. Phil Leotardo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Leotardo
vs
Yoshida

177 cm
26
167 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

167 cm
19
156 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Determined

M.O. Fight Wear

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Phil Leotardo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hotaka Yoshida!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Aleksandr Martynov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big left from Leotardo misses.
Yoshida lands a right hook to the body.
Yoshida punishes Leotardo's body with a nice straight punch.
Leotardo takes a swing at Yoshida's ribcage but misses.
Leotardo lands a jab to Yoshida's midsection.
Jab from Leotardo.
Yoshida throws a half hearted mid kick.
The fighters circle momentarily. Leotardo darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

It looks like Hotaka Yoshida has been cut.

Yoshida closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yoshida frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Yoshida content just to control the position here.
Yoshida is looking to work his way around to Leotardo's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshida tries to control but Leotardo wriggling away.
Yoshida controlling the pace for now.

Yoshida has hold of Leotardo's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Leotardo manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Leotardo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Yoshida on the ground.
Yoshida content just to control the position here.

Yoshida moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Leotardo has worked his arm free - good work by Leotardo!

That's two 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.
Yoshida looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Leotardo is avoiding damage well.

Yoshida tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Yoshida trying to control the position but Leotardo is working away.
Leotardo is being controlled here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yoshida is trying to get an arm triangle but Leotardo is defending well.

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

Yoshida working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Yoshida controls the position.

Yoshida is trying to get an arm triangle but Leotardo is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Yoshida prevents Leotardo from escaping the position.

Yoshida is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Leotardo is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Yoshida advances to mount.

Yoshida goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Leotardo turns into him and now he's in Yoshida's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Yoshida working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Leotardo doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Leotardo manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hotaka Yoshida dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hotaka Yoshida's cut.
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.

Yoshida lands a jab to the head.
Yoshida throws an overhand right that lands on Leotardo's shoulder, as Leotardo tries to avoid the shot.
Leotardo avoids the head kick by Yoshida.
Leotardo is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
A big right from Leotardo misses.
Yoshida connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Leotardo's hands.

Yoshida has Leotardo up against the cage in a clinch.
Yoshida is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Leotardo is trying to push Yoshida away but Yoshida has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yoshida lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Leotardo is trying to break the clinch but Yoshida has him pressed against the cage.
Yoshida slows down the pace here.
Leotardo is trying to break the clinch but Yoshida has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Leotardo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Leotardo misses with a head kick.
Leotardo throws a low kick, looking for Yoshida's leg but Yoshida calmly moves out of range.
Yoshida moves out of range as Leotardo strikes.
Yoshida avoids the body shot from Leotardo.
Yoshida lands with an overhand left.
Yoshida scores with a crisp jab that stopped Leotardo in his tracks.
Leotardo's corner calls for a 1-2. Leotardo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Good shot there by Yoshida.
Leotardo takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Leotardo misses with a wild body shot.
Yoshida lands a nice leg kick that just misses Leotardo's sensitive parts.
Yoshida scores with a kick to the midsection.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yoshida looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Leotardo walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leotardo misses with a double jab.
Yoshida ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Leotardo moves away.
Yoshida has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Yoshida throws a leg kick but Leotardo checks it.
Yoshida fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Leotardo has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Yoshida lands a front kick.
Leotardo scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Yoshida throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Yoshida has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Yoshida connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Yoshida lands a really nice looking cross but Leotardo seems unphased.

Yoshida shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Yoshida was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Yoshida goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Leotardo rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Yoshida's guard! Nice work there by Leotardo!

Yoshida is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Leotardo is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yoshida is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Leotardo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Yoshida has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Yoshida is looking for a triangle but Leotardo pushes his legs off easily.
Leotardo won't allow Yoshida to sweep him here.

That's four 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.
Yoshida is trying to control the position but Leotardo postures up.
Leotardo is looking to stand up but Yoshida won't let him.

Yoshida has an active guard here but Leotardo has managed to pass into half guard.

Yoshida actively working from the bottom here.
Leotardo seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Yoshida actively working from the bottom here.
Yoshida wants to improve his position but Leotardo is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hotaka Yoshida showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Hotaka Yoshida's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Leotardo walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Yoshida takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Leotardo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Leotardo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hotaka Yoshida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Leotardo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Yoshida lands a right hook to the body.
Yoshida's jab looks to have found its range, popping Leotardo under the eye.
Leotardo scores with a jab to the head.
Nice body punch from Yoshida.
Yoshida uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Leotardo.
Yoshida wants to counter with a clinch but Leotardo pushes him away.
Yoshida lands with a cross.
Yoshida defending well as Leotardo loads up on a big left hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice uppercut there from Yoshida.
Yoshida keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A head kick misses from Yoshida.
Yoshida fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshida on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Leotardo throws an off balance right hand

so Yoshida counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Yoshida is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Yoshida passes into half guard.
Leotardo pushes Yoshida off looking to stand but Yoshida dives back in and keeps control.
Yoshida trying to control the pace.

Yoshida is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Phil Leotardo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leotardo looks like he's trying to stand up.
Yoshida wants to pass the guard but Leotardo is defending well.

Yoshida seems to be looking for submissions.

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

Leotardo is defending against the submission attempts here by Yoshida.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Yoshida's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Leotardo wants to get back to his feet.

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

Yoshida is working for a submission of some sort.
Yoshida trying to mount his opponent but Leotardo defends it.

Leotardo is defending against the submission attempts here by Yoshida.
Yoshida working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Leotardo's thigh. Leotardo counters though and makes it back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hotaka Yoshida comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Yoshida 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hotaka Yoshida!