PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pedro Jon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akuma Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jon comes to the cage accompanied by Animal I Have Become. Akuma Tanaka acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Jon
vs
Tanaka

185 cm
24
211 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
199 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

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, Pedro Jon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akuma Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shigeki Fujiwara and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jon closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Tanaka did well to prevent Jon getting side control.
Jon working over Tanaka with some ground and pound. Tanaka looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Jon decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Jon circles away from the clinch attempt
and Jon counters with a thumping low kick.
Tanaka's coach down at Hard Knocks Training was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Tanaka's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Tanaka tries to bum rush Jon with a series of wild strikes but Jon uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
As Tanaka looks to move away, Jon throws a big counter combo but Tanaka just gets out of the way.

Jon drops Tanaka with a right and a left! Jon comes rushing in but Tanaka regains his composure and manages to keep Jon in guard.

It looks like Akuma Tanaka has been cut.
Tanaka looks winded!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Jon is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jon working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Jon is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Jon postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Jon makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jon chips away with some ground and pound.
Jon scoring with some ground and pound.
Jon won't allow Tanaka to sweep him here.
Jon scoring with some ground and pound.
Jon advances position into side control!
Jon controlling the position.

Jon working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Jon trying to control the position but Tanaka is working away.

Jon tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jon content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Tanaka is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Jon thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Jon looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jon is trying to get an arm triangle but Tanaka is defending well.
Jon landing a few strikes.

Jon working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Jon has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Jon works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Jon working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Tanaka on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jon decides to stand back up. Jon steps back and let's Tanaka get back to his feet.
Tanaka tries a low kick but Jon avoids it.
Jon misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Tanaka fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tanaka stuffs the takedown attempt from Jon. Jon gets slowly back to his feet.
Tanaka lands with a nice combination. Jon backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Pedro Jon has been cut.
Tanaka rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Jon moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tanaka pulls out of a head kick attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Jon dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Jon blocks a head kick by Tanaka.
A jab from Tanaka misses.
Jon swats away the attempt to clinch by Tanaka.
A little feinted left hand from Jon on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Tanaka throws a body kick that misses.
Jon throws a big counter combination but Tanaka scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Jon tries for a takedown but Tanaka sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tanaka scores with a kick to the body.
Tanaka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Jon circles away quickly and effectively.
As Tanaka looks to move away, Jon throws a big counter combo but Tanaka just gets out of the way.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Jon closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Tanaka did well to prevent Jon getting side control.

Jon looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Still in half guard, Jon seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jon is working for a submission of some sort.
Jon wants to pass the guard but Tanaka is defending well.
Jon content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tanaka is trying to get back to full guard.
Jon trying to mount his opponent but Tanaka defends it.
Jon is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Jon scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka wants to get back to his feet.
Jon working the head and body with strikes.
Jon is thwarting Tanaka's attempts to control the position.

Jon decides to return to a standing position.
Tanaka throws a leg kick but Jon moved away.
Tanaka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Jon feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Jon cracks Tanaka with a solid left hand.
Jon controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Jon pushes down on Tanaka's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jon is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Jon is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Jon decides to stand up.
Tanaka is looking to clinch but Jon is avoiding it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jon tries to score a power double leg takedown but Tanaka sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Jon somewhat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Jon dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Tanaka is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Jon.

Tanaka shoots in and gets a takedown into Jon's guard.

Jon pushes Tanaka off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jon paws at him with a jab and circles away.
It looked like Jon was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Tanaka tries to clinch there but Jon circles away.
It looked like Jon wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Akuma Tanaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Jon closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Jon lands in his opponent's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tanaka looking to control.
Tanaka looking for a sweep. Not yet Tanaka, not yet.

Jon stands up from Tanaka's guard - Jon perhaps looking for a knockout.
The fighters circle momentarily. Tanaka darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Tanaka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jon closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Tanaka did well to prevent Jon getting side control.
Tanaka really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Jon. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Tanaka taking some punishment here, with Jon in his half guard.
Jon lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Tanaka on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Jon keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Tanaka taking some punishment here, with Jon in his half guard.

Jon seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Tanaka is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Pedro Jon!
Pedro Jon thanked the fans post fight for their support.