PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jean Pierre Laurent (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hiro Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Pierre Laurent
vs
Tanaka

185 cm
18
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
25
164 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jean Pierre Laurent!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hiro Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Dillan Fox and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka slips under a jab from Laurent.

Tanaka shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Laurent manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Tanaka 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.
Tanaka throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tanaka not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Tanaka wants to pass the guard but Laurent is keeping the position.
Tanaka must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
It looks like Tanaka might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Tanaka trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Laurent scores with a hook to the body. Tanaka takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Tanaka looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Tanaka misses with a head shot. Laurent uses the momentum to regain guard.
Tanaka throwing strikes from guard but Laurent blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laurent looking to control.
Tanaka engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Tanaka drops back, looking for a kneebar! Laurent looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Laurent looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Laurent!

Tanaka bucks up and tries to throw Laurent off but instead Laurent has got his back!
Tanaka has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laurent is trying to stand.
Tanaka breaks Laurent's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tanaka stopping the sweep attempt from Laurent.
Tanaka trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Laurent is trying to keep Tanaka in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka throwing strikes from guard but Laurent blocks nicely.
Tanaka wants to pass the guard but Laurent is keeping the position.
Tanaka controlling from the top position.
Tanaka with a flurry of punches that miss.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tanaka is looking to work some ground and pound but Laurent has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hiro Tanaka will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Laurent throws a looping overhand right but Tanaka ducks down to avoid it.

Tanaka shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Laurent not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tanaka is stalling in the full guard.
Tanaka trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tanaka trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laurent is looking to stand up but Tanaka isn't so interested in that idea.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tanaka tries to free his leg and advance position but Laurent is retaining full guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Laurent looks to throw the jab but Tanaka is out of range.
Laurent moves in looking to clinch but Tanaka pushes him off.
Tanaka moves in looking to clinch but Laurent pushes him off.
Laurent throws a hook but Tanaka blocks it.
Tanaka blocks a jab.

Tanaka shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Laurent won't allow Tanaka to pass to mount.
Laurent moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Tanaka stands up and waves to Laurent to follow him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laurent circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch but Laurent swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tanaka swats away the attempt to clinch by Laurent.
Tanaka wants to clinch.
Tanaka lands a nice shot to the body.
Tanaka lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Jean Pierre Laurent has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Laurent wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka moves in looking to clinch but Laurent pushes him off.
Laurent throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Laurent misses with a left hand
and Tanaka counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Tanaka shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Tanaka is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Tanaka not doing much here.

Tanaka decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Laurent throws an overhand right that lands on Tanaka's shoulder, as Tanaka tries to avoid the shot.

Tanaka shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Tanaka was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiro Tanaka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jean Pierre Laurent's cut.
That's time! Laurent's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Laurent misses with a left hand

and Tanaka counters with a nice double leg into side control. Laurent won't be happy with that.

Tanaka working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Laurent is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Tanaka tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Tanaka has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laurent gets back to half guard.
Tanaka controlling the action here.
Let's hope that Tanaka has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Jean Pierre Laurent has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Laurent throws a shot from downtown. Tanaka moves away and avoids it.
Laurent misses with a double jab.

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

Tanaka decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Tanaka closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Laurent quickly recovers to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tanaka performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Tanaka is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Laurent doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Tanaka.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Tanaka in particular looking to stall.

Tanaka is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Tanaka thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Laurent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tanaka works his way into side control.
Tanaka throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Laurent defending against the ground and pound.
Tanaka misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Tanaka working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Hiro Tanaka is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tanaka is staying tight to Laurent's torso, preventing him from escaping.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hiro Tanaka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tanaka 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hiro Tanaka!