PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kenshiro Kitase (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yohihiro Mishima (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mishima has chosen Olympic Flame as his entrance music. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Kitase
vs
Mishima

170 cm
18
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
23
140 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenshiro Kitase!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yohihiro Mishima!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mishima blocks a head kick by Kitase.

Kitase moves into the clinch successfully.
Mishima manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Kitase stops a takedown attempt from Mishima.

Kitase pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kitase thuds his shin into the meat of Mishima's side.
Kitase thows a body kick. Mishima tries to catch it but that hurt him.

Kitase has Mishima up against the cage in a clinch.
Mishima manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Mishima drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kitase pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kitase lands with a kick to the ribs.
Kitase shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Kitase has managed to clinch.
Kitase wants to break free but Mishima has control.
Kitase tries for a takedown but Mishima manages to get underhooks.
Mishima can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kitase avoiding damage.
Kitase wants to break free but Mishima has control.

Kitase pulls guard.
Kitase wants to sweep here but Mishima controlling him for the moment.
Kitase trying to control the position.

Mishima drops back looking for a leg! Kitase is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kitase manages to kick Mishima off! Mishima jumps back into Kitase's guard.
Mishima looks gassed!
Kitase is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kitase keeping moving, preventing Mishima from controlling successfully.
Kitase wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Kitase looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kitase seems keen to control Mishima's posture.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Kitase throws a quick inside leg kick.

Kitase darts in and clinches Mishima up against the cage.
Kitase can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenshiro Kitase. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kitase lands a nice knee to the body.

Kitase breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kitase lands a head kick. Mishima smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Kitase pushes Mishima up against the cage in a clinch.
Kitase is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mishima pulls him back up using the underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenshiro Kitase dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kitase throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Kitase connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kitase.
Kitase looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mishima is fending him off so far but Kitase persists. Nope, Mishima circles away and we're back to standing.
Mishima takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Kenshiro Kitase is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kitase ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mishima moves away.
Kitase fails with a takedown attempt.
A solid leg kick lands there for Kitase.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kitase misses with a hook. Mishima ducked under it nicely.
Mishima tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Kitase misses with a wild combination.
Kitase thumps Mishima with a low kick.
Mishima is breathing heavily.
Good leg kick by Kitase there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Kitase throws a leg kick which misses Mishima's front leg but catches the back leg as Mishima tries to avoid it.
Kenshiro Kitase seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kitase just misses with a punch to the body.
Kitase lands a nice looking body kick.
Kitase tries to clinch there but Mishima circles away.
Kitase throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Kitase closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Kitase wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Kitase manages to break the clinch.
Kitase moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Mishima is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Kitase.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kitase shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mishima but Mishima pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenshiro Kitase. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kitase tries for a takedown but Mishima sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Mishima rushes Kitase and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Kitase manages to break the clinch.

Kitase clinches with his opponent.
Kitase prevents Mishima from breaking the clinch.
Mishima prevents the takedown attempt.
Mishima wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kitase has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kitase escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mishima thows a leg kick but Kitase checks it

and Kitase counters by moving into the clinch.
Mishima gets underhooks to prevent Kitase's takedown attempt.
Kitase wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mishima has him pressed against the cage.
Mishima goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Mishima keeps control of Kitase as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mishima tries for a takedown but Kitase manages to get underhooks.
Mishima wants to stall.
Kitase looking for a takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenshiro Kitase dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kitase misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mishima shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kitase throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mishima's head.

Kitase rushes Mishima and presses him up against the cage.

Kitase's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Kitase has managed to clinch.
Mishima wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kitase has him pressed against the cage.

Kitase breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mishima takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kitase misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kitase with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Mishima's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Kitase throws a head kick but Mishima moves out of range.
Kitase throws a nice head kick!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mishima is trying to stall.
Mishima is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Kitase breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kitase closes the distance and pushes Mishima back into the cage.

Kitase escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kitase tries to clinch up.

Kitase clinches.
Mishima trying to control the position but instead, Kitase has worked for underhooks and has pushed Mishima into the cage.

Kitase breaks the clinch.
Kitase throws a head kick but Mishima moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kitase with a lazy takedown attempt

so Mishima counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Mishima stopping the sweep attempt from Kitase.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kitase manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Mishima avoids the head kick by Kitase.

Kitase pushes Mishima up against the cage in a clinch.

Kitase's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mishima takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

Kitase clinches up against the cage.
Kenshiro Kitase is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kitase stops a takedown attempt from Mishima.

Kitase breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kitase wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Kitase moves into the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Kitase escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yohihiro Mishima has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kenshiro Kitase showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kitase, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenshiro Kitase!