PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rocco Corleone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akuma Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Akuma Tanaka is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Corleone
vs
Tanaka

175 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
199 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rocco Corleone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akuma Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka throws a low kick but Corleone moves out of range easily.
Corleone appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Tanaka stalks Corleone and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Corleone's face. Corleone staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Rocco Corleone has been cut.
Corleone swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Corleone closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Corleone lands in his opponent's guard.

Tanaka has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Corleone is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Tanaka looking to slow down the pace here.
Tanaka has Corleone pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Corleone manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tanaka is trying to force a seperation but Corleone has the dominant position.

Corleone manages to break the clinch.
Tanaka has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Corleone is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Tanaka throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Corleone counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Corleone stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Tanaka to get to his feet.
Corleone circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Corleone bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Tanaka looks winded!
The referee asks Corleone politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Corleone prefers to stall for the moment though.
Corleone has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Corleone scores with a couple of short elbows.
Tanaka is trying to control Corleone's posture but Corleone avoids it.
Corleone is staying tight to Tanaka's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Corleone lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.

Corleone stands up and beckons Tanaka to his feet.

Corleone shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Corleone wants to pass the guard but Tanaka is defending well.
Corleone is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Corleone drops an elbow to the side of Tanaka's head.

Corleone decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Tanaka keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Tanaka throws a body kick that misses.

Corleone closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Tanaka's guard.
Tanaka looking to hit a scissor sweep but Corleone is one step ahead there.
Corleone knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tanaka on the ground.
Corleone is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Corleone is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Tanaka is trying to keep Corleone in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocco Corleone dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rocco Corleone's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Corleone shoots in and gets a takedown into Tanaka's guard.
Corleone slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Corleone working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Corleone sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Tanaka's guard.
Corleone keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Corleone scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Corleone seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Corleone postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Tanaka to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka misses with an attempted mid kick.

Corleone closes the distance and clinches.

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

Corleone looking to score a takedown here. Tanaka is defending well but Corleone drives through and ends up in Tanaka's guard.
Tanaka is breathing heavily.
Tanaka is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Corleone scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Tanaka is working an open guard so Corleone takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Tanaka gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Corleone to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Tanaka has momentary wrist control but Corleone slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Corleone controls from within his opponent's guard.
Corleone looking to pass the guard.
Tanaka working a defensive guard here.
Corleone controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Corleone drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Tanaka dives on top into guard.

Corleone looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Corleone has his hands on Tanaka's head, controlling the position.
Tanaka pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Corleone is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Corleone is looking for a triangle but Tanaka pushes his legs off easily.

Corleone is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Corleone is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tanaka can do to turn this around?
Corleone has control of Tanaka's left arm, preventing Tanaka from doing any damage.

Corleone isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Tanaka stacks Corleone on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Tanaka!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Corleone sneaks out the side door and pushes Tanaka away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocco Corleone dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rocco Corleone's cut.
That's time! Corleone's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Tanaka lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Corleone swats away the attempt to clinch by Tanaka.
Corleone throws a quick counter kick to the body but Tanaka avoids it.
Corleone takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

Corleone gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Tanaka breaks from the clinch.
Tanaka is looking to land body kicks.
Tanaka is looking to clinch.

Tanaka tries to keep at a distance but Corleone has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A frustrated look appears on Tanaka's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Corleone has clasped his hands together around Tanaka's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Tanaka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Corleone lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Corleone working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Corleone is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Tanaka will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Corleone's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Tanaka manages to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Corleone content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Corleone is nestled in close to Tanaka, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Corleone with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Corleone seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Tanaka for as long as he can get away with.
Tanaka has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Corleone is working away from the top position though.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Corleone dives in and scores a takedown into Tanaka's guard.
Corleone looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Further stalling from Corleone.

Corleone gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Corleone looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rocco Corleone overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Corleone thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rocco Corleone showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Corleone, 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rocco Corleone!
In his post fight interview, Rocco Corleone started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.