PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shoju Bayushi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobby Knuckles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bayushi comes to the ring accompanied by Masta Killa. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Bayushi
vs
Knuckles

170 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

168 cm
22
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 1

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Bad Newz Kennelz Supplementz

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shoju Bayushi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Bobby Knuckles!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Shigeki Fujiwara and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Knuckles gets a takedown into half guard.
Bayushi tries to roll over but Knuckles keeps him under control.

Bayushi looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Knuckles trying to control the pace.

Knuckles decides to stand and escape the position.
Knuckles misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bayushi misses with a takedown

and Knuckles counters with a takedown into side control.
Knuckles throws a strike aimed at the side of Bayushi's head but Bayushi avoids it well.
Bayushi throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Knuckles laying and praying for a moment but Bayushi takes advantage and regains half guard.
Bayushi blocking the ground and pound attempt from Knuckles.
Bayushi tries to roll over but Knuckles keeps him under control.
Knuckles seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Knuckles decides to return to a standing position.

Knuckles closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bayushi to the mat! Bayushi manages to get full guard.

Bayushi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Knuckles gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Bayushi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Knuckles gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Bayushi looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Knuckles puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Knuckles stands up and beckons Bayushi to join him on the feet.

Knuckles forces Bayushi back against the ropes and clinches.

Knuckles drags the fight down to the ground.

Knuckles had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Bayushi is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Knuckles Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Bayushi's back instead.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Bayushi tries to break free.
Bayushi breaks Knuckles's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles has his hands on Bayushi's head, controlling the position.

Knuckles throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Bayushi drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Knuckles manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Bayushi has Knuckles in his guard.

Knuckles drops back, looking for a kneebar! Bayushi looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Bayushi looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Bayushi!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Knuckles dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bayushi tries for a takedown but Knuckles circles away easily

and Knuckles counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Knuckles wants to control from the top but Bayushi keeps moving.

Bayushi looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Knuckles has picked Bayushi up and slammed him! Bayushi can't keep hold of the triangle and Knuckles manages to pass to side control!
Bayushi is trying to improve his position.
You can see the frustration on Bayushi's face as Knuckles controls the position.
Knuckles has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Knuckles looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knuckles won't let Bayushi get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
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.
Bayushi is looking to improve his position but Knuckles isn't that keen on the idea.
Bayushi tries to control the position but Knuckles now has his back.
Bobby Knuckles has got the better of the ground game so far.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Knuckles.
Knuckles is not going to allow Bayushi to sit and survive in this position.
Bayushi covering up well under a series of strikes from Knuckles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Knuckles controlling well, preventing Bayushi from escaping the position.
Bayushi is working hard here to advance position.
Knuckles gets his hands free as Bayushi looks to control.
Knuckles thows a strike but Bayushi uses the opportunity to reverse the position! Great move by Bayushi as he ends up in Knuckles 's guard!
Knuckles wants to sweep here but Bayushi controlling him for the moment.
Knuckles doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Knuckles closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bayushi to the mat! Bayushi manages to get full guard.
Knuckles trying to control the position from guard on top but Bayushi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bayushi has his foot on Knuckles's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Knuckles works his way back into a safe position though.

Bayushi has his foot on Knuckles's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Knuckles works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bayushi wants to sweep but no luck.

Bayushi looking for subs off his back but Knuckles has passed one foot through into half guard.
Knuckles takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bayushi is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Knuckles jumps into side control!
Knuckles wants to control but Bayushi is keeping him busy.
Bayushi regains half guard.
Bayushi avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Knuckles.

Knuckles stands up out of the half guard.

Knuckles shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bayushi's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Knuckles showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Knuckles changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Bayushi looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Bayushi tries to improve position but can't.
Knuckles trying to control the action but Bayushi is working from the bottom.
Knuckles moves into full mount!
Bayushi keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Knuckles looking to secure an arm triangle but Bayushi defends it well.
Knuckles takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Knuckles trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bayushi can't escape the position.

Knuckles stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Knuckles looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bayushi misses with a takedown

and Knuckles counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Bayushi!
Knuckles can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bayushi is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Bayushi kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Bayushi is trying to stand up.
Bayushi is looking to improve his position but Knuckles isn't that keen on the idea.
Bayushi wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Bayushi manages to reverse the position and now he's in Knuckles's guard. Nice work there by Bayushi.
Bayushi prevents Knuckles from getting back to his feet.
Shoju Bayushi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Knuckles closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Bayushi is trying to get back to half guard.
Knuckles wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bayushi keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bayushi is looking to reverse the position.

Knuckles decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bayushi to his feet.
Bayushi fails with the takedown

and Knuckles counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bobby Knuckles comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Knuckles 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bobby Knuckles!