PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Haruki Tao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jada Mbaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jada Mbaa has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Tao
vs
Mbaa

175 cm
22
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
18
162 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 Tokyo, Haruki Tao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jada Mbaa!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Hirohito Nitta and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tao rushes Mbaa and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mbaa wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mbaa is trying to force a seperation but Tao has the dominant position.
Mbaa is looking to break free of the clinch but Tao has double underhooks.

Mbaa manages to break the clinch.
Tao swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Mbaa counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Haruki Tao seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mbaa lands a two punch combo.
Nice jab there from Mbaa.
Mbaa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tao on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Tao is rocked!
Mbaa misses with a low kick as Tao jumps back.
Mbaa thumps Tao with a low kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mbaa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tao misses with a takedown attempt
and Tao takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Oh Tao is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Tao closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Mbaa to the mat! Mbaa manages to get full guard.
Tao seems to have got his legs back now.
Tao wants to control from the top but Mbaa keeps moving.
Tao pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mbaa is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mbaa wants to get back to his feet but Tao passes into half guard.
Mbaa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tao.
Mbaa pushes Tao off looking to stand but Tao dives back in and keeps control.
Tao is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Mbaa is looking to escape.
Tao throwing shots but Mbaa is blocking nicely.
Mbaa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mbaa is looking to escape.
Tao 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.
Tao throwing shots but Mbaa is blocking nicely.
Tao is pressing down on Mbaa's thigh, looking to free his foot. Mbaa is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mbaa is trying to stand up here but Tao is controlling him well.
Tao not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mbaa is looking to escape.
Tao trying to control from half guard but Mbaa is working away.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mbaa scores with a push kick.
Tao shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mbaa as he jumps to the side.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tao looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tao is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tao with a lazy takedown attempt
and Mbaa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Haruki Tao. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fighters circling - Mbaa throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Tao.

Mbaa drops Tao with a beautiful combination! Tao stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Mbaa is looking for the KO!

It looks like Haruki Tao has been cut.
A nice leg kick lands there from Mbaa.
Tao goes for a double leg but Mbaa avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mbaa continues to drive forward.
Mbaa cracks Tao with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Tao drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Tao throwing strikes from guard but Mbaa blocks nicely.
Mbaa wants to stand up but Tao is controlling him.
Tao throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mbaa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mbaa wants to stand up but Tao is controlling him.
Mbaa working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tao.
Mbaa working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tao.
Tao loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mbaa wants to stand and escape but Tao is having none of it.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Tao throwing strikes but missing.
Tao stops Mbaa from standing up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Tao doesn't manage to clinch there - Mbaa circles away.
A solid body kick from Mbaa.
Mbaa goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Tao is looking to clinch but Mbaa is avoiding it.
Tao has his takedown stuffed
and Mbaa counters with a nice leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jada Mbaa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Haruki Tao's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Mbaa connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Tao momentarily.
Tao tries to clinch but Mbaa is having none of it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Mbaa! But no joy.
Nice body kick from Mbaa.
Mbaa thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Tao if he has to take too many more of those.
Tao gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Mbaa throws a big shot that misses.
Tao misses with a double jab.
Mbaa scores with a kick to the body.
Tao has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Mbaa.
Mbaa getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Mbaa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tao closes the distance but Mbaa moves to the side
and Mbaa counters with a huge uppercut, hook combination that drops Tao! The ref has seen enough - he's dived in to stop the fight! Brutal strikes by Mbaa!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jada Mbaa!