PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Yuki Shojo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Segey Taranin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yuki Shojo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Shojo
vs
Taranin

165 cm
24
140 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

166 cm
25
146 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Aspire Nutrition

Urban Fighter
Project Mayhem

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 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuki Shojo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Segey Taranin!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Taro Takaoka and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shojo misses with a kick to the body.
Shojo with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Taranin swings widly with a right hand
and Taranin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Shojo wants to clinch.
Shojo gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Nice defenses there by Shojo.
Taranin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Taranin's coach down at Russian Bears Elite Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Taranin's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Shojo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shojo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Shojo just misses with a punch to the body.
Taranin throws out a loose jab but Shojo uses good head movement to avoid it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Taranin.
Shojo misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shojo tries to clinch up.
Shojo just misses with a punch to the body.
Shojo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Taranin was well out of range. Poor timing from Shojo.
Shojo pivots, looking for a leg kick but Taranin is out of range and Shojo settles back down.
Taranin takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Shojo definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Taranin blocks a head kick by Shojo.
Taranin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Shojo misses with a body shot.
Taranin feints the counter takedown.
Taranin throws a big shot that misses.

Taranin shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Shojo is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Taranin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Shojo's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shojo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Taranin.
Shojo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Taranin on the ground.

Taranin is looking for a kimura but Shojo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Taranin to get the leverage.
Shojo is pressing down on Taranin's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Shojo has his foot on Taranin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Taranin works his way back into a safe position though.
Taranin is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Taranin trying to control but Shojo is working from the bottom.

Shojo is looking for a triangle but Taranin pushes his legs off easily.
Shojo is trying to control the position but Taranin postures up.
Taranin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Taranin scoring with some ground and pound.
Taranin scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taranin lands a couple of digs.
Taranin trying to control but Shojo is working from the bottom.

Shojo is looking for a triangle but Taranin pushes his legs off easily.
Taranin postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Taranin scoring with some ground and pound.

Shojo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Taranin defends well.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Taranin lands a couple of digs.
Taranin working some strikes from top position.
Taranin makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taranin scoring with punches to the head and body.

Shojo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Taranin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Taranin preventing the sweep.
Taranin trying to control the position from guard on top but Shojo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taranin chips away with some ground and pound.
Taranin trying to control the position from guard on top but Shojo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taranin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Taranin landing some decent shots from guard.
Shojo trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Segey Taranin dominated that round.
That's time! Shojo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Taranin closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Shojo quickly recovers to half guard.
Shojo is looking to get back to is feet but Taranin passes into side control.
Taranin lands some shots froms side control.
Taranin cracks Shojo with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Shojo is rocked!
Segey Taranin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Shojo is working to avoid the ground and pound but Taranin connects with a decent elbow.
Oh Shojo is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Shojo is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Taranin asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Shojo seems to have got his legs back now.
Taranin is chipping away with strikes.
Shojo is not content to let Taranin control the position.
Shojo takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shojo manages to get back to half guard.
Taranin working the head and body with strikes.

Shojo looking for submissions off his back.

Taranin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Still in half guard, Taranin seems content to control.
Shojo is trying to stand.
Taranin stalling.
Taranin lands strikes from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shojo wants to get back to full guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Taranin connects with a nice short shot to Shojo's temple.
Taranin working Shojo over with strikes.
Taranin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Taranin drops an elbow to the side of Shojo's head.
Taranin 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.
Ground and pound from Taranin.
Taranin landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Taranin lands a big elbow from half guard. That looks like it's hurt Shojo quite badly. Shojo pulls Taranin in close trying to recover. Taranin postures up and lands two really hard shots that put Shojo on queer street! The ref takes a look and decides to call an end to the fight! Possibly an early stoppage but Shojo doesn't seem to be complaining too much.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Segey Taranin!
After the big win, Segey Taranin made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Urban Fighter and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.