PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Yuki Shojo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jett Armstrong Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yuki Shojo has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Shojo
vs
Armstrong Jr

165 cm
20
140 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

171 cm
21
148 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Last Minute Power Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuki Shojo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jett Armstrong Jr!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shojo throws a chopping leg kick but Armstrong Jr manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Armstrong Jr looks to throw the jab but Shojo is out of range.

Shojo closes the distance and clinches.
Shojo lands a knee to the head.
Shojo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Shojo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Armstrong Jr blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Armstrong Jr has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Armstrong Jr goes for a takedown in the clinch but Shojo prevents it.
Shojo misses with some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Armstrong Jr has had enough of the clinch but Shojo keeps him there for the moment.
Shojo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shojo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shojo misses with a punch on the inside.
Shojo looking to throw knees to the head but Armstrong Jr is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but Armstrong Jr blocks it.
Shojo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shojo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Armstrong Jr.
Shojo looking to throw knees to the head but Armstrong Jr is blocking nicely.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shojo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Armstrong Jr blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but Armstrong Jr blocks it.
Shojo working aggressively here.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but Armstrong Jr blocks it.
Shojo throws a punch but it's blocked by Armstrong Jr.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but Armstrong Jr blocks it.
Shojo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shojo misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong Jr blocks an uppercut.
Armstrong Jr is trying to force a seperation but Shojo has the dominant position.
Armstrong Jr is looking to take this one to the mat.
Armstrong Jr blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Armstrong Jr is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Shojo gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Yuki Shojo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jett Armstrong Jr.
Armstrong Jr is trying to drag Shojo to the mat but Shojo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Shojo prevents a takedown attempt there.
Shojo connects with a knee to the head.
Shojo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Armstrong Jr wants to get back to striking at distance but Shojo won't allow it.
Shojo looking to throw knees to the head but Armstrong Jr is blocking nicely.
Shojo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Armstrong Jr breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shojo tries to close the distance and clinch but Armstrong Jr swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Shojo tries a head kick but it misses.
Shojo looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A swing and a miss from Armstrong Jr.
Shojo wants to land a leg kick but Armstrong Jr is out of range.
Armstrong Jr misses with a straight right.

Oooooh!!! Armstrong Jr has knocked Shojo down with a huge combo! Armstrong Jr steps away and waves a wobbly Shojo back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Shojo is rocked!

It looks like Yuki Shojo has been cut.
Shojo avoids the body shot from Armstrong Jr.
Oh Shojo is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Armstrong Jr looks to land a right hand but Shojo moved out of range.
Shojo seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Shojo seems to have got his legs back now.
Armstrong Jr swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
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!
Shojo shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Armstrong Jr darts in looking for a takedown but Shojo gets double underhooks and turns Armstrong Jr into the cage.

Shojo instigates a clinch.
Shojo lands with a left to the head.
Shojo tries to land a knee to the head but Armstrong Jr blocks with his arms.
Armstrong Jr fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shojo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Armstrong Jr blocks it with crossed arms.
Shojo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shojo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shojo lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Shojo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shojo looking to throw knees to the head but Armstrong Jr is blocking nicely.
Shojo prevents a takedown attempt there.
Shojo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A short right from Shojo on the inside.
Shojo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shojo looking to throw knees to the head but Armstrong Jr is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuki Shojo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Yuki Shojo's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Shojo gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Armstrong Jr connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sloppy strikes from Armstrong Jr. Those never looked like landing.
Shojo tries to counter by clinching up but Armstrong Jr breaks away and moves out of range.
Shojo scores with a spinning back kick!
Jett Armstrong Jr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shojo has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Armstrong Jr finds it's way round the side to connect with Shojo's head.
Shojo wants to clinch up but Armstrong Jr keeps it at a distance.
Shojo throws a right and a left that Armstrong Jr avoids nicely.
Armstrong Jr lands with an overhand left.
Shojo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Armstrong Jr can do to turn this around?
Shojo ducks under a wild hook from Armstrong Jr.
Shojo walks into a left hand.

Shojo clinches with his opponent.
Shojo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Armstrong Jr blocks it with crossed arms.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shojo tries a knee to the head but Armstrong Jr blocks it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Armstrong Jr.
Shojo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Shojo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shojo misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shojo misses with a knee to the head.
Armstrong Jr blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Shojo misses with a knee to the head.
Armstrong Jr is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Shojo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Armstrong Jr has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Shojo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Armstrong Jr blocks it with crossed arms.
Shojo misses with a knee strike.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Armstrong Jr is looking to take this one to the mat.

Armstrong Jr manages to break the clinch.
Shojo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Shojo needs to keep his hands up - Armstrong Jr had a free shot at his head there.
Armstrong Jr lands a really nice looking cross but Shojo seems unphased.
Armstrong Jr throws a right and a left that both miss.
Armstrong Jr wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Armstrong Jr misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shojo takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Armstrong Jr shoots in for a takedown but Shojo shows good takedown defense.
Yuki Shojo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jett Armstrong Jr.
Shojo tries to clinch but Armstrong Jr is having none of it.
Armstrong Jr lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Shojo circles away quickly and effectively.
Shojo seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Yuki Shojo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Shojo tries to clinch but Armstrong Jr is having none of it.

Shojo moves into the clinch.
Shojo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but Armstrong Jr blocks it.

Armstrong Jr turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Shojo is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Armstrong Jr looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Armstrong Jr is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Shojo knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Armstrong Jr tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Armstrong Jr has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Shojo manages to get back to half guard.

Armstrong Jr seems to be working for a kimura but Shojo defends the submission attempt.

Armstrong Jr is working for an americana but Shojo has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Armstrong Jr was thinking about the submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Shojo is looking for a triangle but Armstrong Jr pushes his legs off easily.
Shojo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Armstrong Jr drops back looking for a leg! Shojo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Shojo manages to kick Armstrong Jr off! Armstrong Jr jumps back into Shojo's guard.

Shojo is looking for a triangle but Armstrong Jr pushes his legs off easily.
Armstrong Jr preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jett Armstrong Jr showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Yuki Shojo's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Shojo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Armstrong Jr throws out the jab.
Shojo is looking to clinch but Armstrong Jr is avoiding it.
Shojo connects with a high kick.
A solid body kick from Shojo.
Shojo misses the shot to the body.
Armstrong Jr circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shojo slips a jab and a cross from Armstrong Jr.
Shojo needs to keep his hands up - Armstrong Jr had a free shot at his head there.
A punch combination from Armstrong Jr misses.

Shojo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Armstrong Jr's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shojo stuffs the takedown attempt from Armstrong Jr. Armstrong Jr gets slowly back to his feet.
Armstrong Jr shoots in for a takedown but Shojo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Shojo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Armstrong Jr scores with a sloppy right hand. Shojo should have avoided that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shojo just misses with a punch to the body.
A countering left hand to the body from Armstrong Jr misses.
Armstrong Jr throws a series of punches but Shojo avoids them all with ease.
Shojo seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Armstrong Jr misses with a straight left.
Shojo seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Shojo takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Shojo throws a wild body kick that Armstrong Jr sees coming a mile off.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Shojo misses with a knee strike.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shojo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shojo misses with a knee strike.
Shojo looking to throw knees to the head but Armstrong Jr is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Shojo.
Armstrong Jr blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong Jr tries to score a body lock takedown but Shojo shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Yuki Shojo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jett Armstrong Jr.

Armstrong Jr pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Shojo with a jab.
Armstrong Jr throws out a loose jab but Shojo uses good head movement to avoid it.

Armstrong Jr tries to keep at a distance but Shojo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Shojo scores with an uppercut up the middle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but Armstrong Jr blocks it.
Shojo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Armstrong Jr has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Armstrong Jr.
Armstrong Jr is working for takedown but Shojo is calmly controlling the position for now.
Shojo misses with a knee to the head.
Shojo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Armstrong Jr blocks it with crossed arms.
Yuki Shojo has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Shojo misses with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shojo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Armstrong Jr has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Armstrong Jr takes a knee right on the jaw!
Shojo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shojo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shojo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shojo takes a shot to the head.
Armstrong Jr is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Armstrong Jr pulls guard.
Armstrong Jr keeping moving, preventing Shojo from controlling successfully.

Armstrong Jr looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Armstrong Jr bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Shojo's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong Jr working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Armstrong Jr has gone for a leg lock! Shojo slips out almost immediately though and dives into Armstrong Jr's guard.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Armstrong Jr working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Shojo doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Shojo manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Shojo trying to control the position from guard on top but Armstrong Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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 Yuki Shojo.
I think Shojo 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yuki Shojo!
During a confident post fight interview, Yuki Shojo thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Jett Armstrong Jr spoke after the fight, saying 'The world aint all sunshine & rainbows. Its a mean & nasty place. I dont care how tough you are, it will beat you down to your knees & if you let it. Aint nobody gonna hit as hard as life. But aint about how hard you hit... It's about how hard you can get hit & keep moving forward...'.