PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Wilber Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kojito Yamate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wilber Drake has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Drake
vs
Yamate

183 cm
23
177 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

176 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Wilber Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kojito Yamate!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake shoots in but no luck this time.
Drake avoids the head kick by Yamate.
Drake attempts a counter takedown but Yamate avoids it well and moves away.
Drake misses with a takedown

and Yamate counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Yamate.
Drake content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Drake misses with an elbow strike.
Drake avoiding damage as Yamate throws knees to the body.
Yamate lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Yamate pushes off an throws an elbow but Drake leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Yamate breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Drake has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Yamate.
Yamate fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Drake has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Drake gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Yamate stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Yamate throws an elbow but misses.
Yamate tries to land a knee to the head but Drake blocks with his arms.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Drake.
Yamate just leaning against Drake, taking a breather.
Yamate lands a body shot in the clinch.
Drake jumps guard but Yamate stands there with Drake around his waist. Drake gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wilber Drake. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Yamate.
Yamate prevents Drake from breaking the clinch.
Drake can't break the clinch.
Yamate pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Yamate lands an elbow just above Drake 's eye.

It looks like Wilber Drake has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamate slows down the pace here.
Yamate lands a damaging elbow.
Drake avoids a wild elbow strike from Yamate.
Yamate misses with an elbow strike.

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

Drake tries to keep at a distance but Yamate has taken the fight into the clinch.

Yamate pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Drake fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Yamate avoids it really well and circles away.
Yamate let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamate fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

Yamate drives through and clinches with Drake against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Yamate just misses with a elbow thrown towards Drake's brow.
Yamate will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Drake up against the cage.
Yamate misses with an elbow over the top.
Yamate throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Yamate lands an elbow that stopped Drake in his tracks for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamate digs a right hand into Drake's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Drake's gas tank.
With the fighters up against the cage, Yamate throws an elbow but misses.
Yamate goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yamate lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Drake or not.
Yamate pushes off an throws an elbow but Drake leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Drake prevents a body shot from Yamate.
Yamate throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Yamate breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Drake walks into a left hand.
Yamate misses with a hook.
As Yamate tries to get set, Drake tries to push him back and clinch up but Yamate manages to avoid the attempt.
Yamate lands with a slapping head kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Drake shoots in but no luck this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kojito Yamate dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Wilber Drake's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Yamate scores with the left hand. Drake knows he should have avoided that one.
Yamate tries to land a leg kick but Drake saw it coming and moves away.
A left and a right from Yamate both land. Nice combination.
Yamate throws a head kick that half lands.

Drake is rocked!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Yamate lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Oh Drake is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Yamate's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Drake seems to have got his legs back now.
Yamate scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Drake fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Drake moves into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yamate lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Drake tries to break the clinch but Yamate is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yamate manages to break the clinch.
Kojito Yamate seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Drake tries to clinch but Yamate moves out of range.
Yamate tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Drake manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Wilber Drake is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Drake looks for a takedown but Yamate sprawls well.
Drake keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Yamate throws a low kick but Drake moves out of range easily.
Drake is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Yamate throws a sloppy head kick and Drake moves out of range easily.
Drake circles away from the clinch attempt
and Drake counters with a series of strikes. Yamate will be more careful next time no doubt.
Yamate is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamate lands with a thumping leg kick.
Drake dives in and grabs Yamate's left leg, looking for a takedown. Yamate pushes down on Drake's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wilber Drake. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Drake tries to clinch but Yamate moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Yamate.
Drake with a lazy takedown attempt
and Yamate counters with a straight right hand.
Drake misses with a takedown attempt - Yamate sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Yamate rushes Drake and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Yamate throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Drake avoids the elbow strike from Yamate, against the cage.
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!
Drake wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Yamate has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamate has Drake pressed against the cage.
Yamate pushes off an throws an elbow but Drake leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Drake escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kojito Yamate seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Drake.
Drake doesn't manage to clinch there - Yamate circles away.
Drake misses with a takedown attempt - Yamate sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Yamate ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Drake moves away.
An inside leg kick from Yamate misses.
Drake tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Yamate manages to circle out of the way.
The fight stays on the outside here - Yamate looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Yamate defends well and Drake ends up having to push Yamate into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
And Yamate responds with a good body kick, but Drake manages to step out the way in time.

Drake darts in and clinches Yamate up against the cage.
Yamate tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Yamate's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Drake tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Yamate defends well and Drake ends up having to push Yamate into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Drake closes this distance looking for a takedown but Yamate circles away.

Drake gets tackled into the cage by Yamate. Yamate maintains the clinch.
Yamate lands an elbow inside that Drake shrugs off.
Yamate pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Drake tries to circle away but Yamate has him pinned against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kojito Yamate showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Wilber Drake's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Yamate clinches up against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Yamate just misses with a elbow thrown towards Drake's brow.
Drake tries to break the clinch but Yamate is controlling the position.
Drake dodges an elbow strike from Yamate.
Drake is trying to pull guard but Yamate has him pressed against the cage.
Yamate lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Yamate breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Yamate misses with a two punch combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamate stuffs the takedown.
Yamate throws the kick towards the body but Drake avoids it.
Yamate misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Drake drops his hands momentarily and Yamate takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Yamate takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake goes for a double leg but Yamate avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Yamate continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wilber Drake. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Drake stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Yamate.
Yamate lands a head shot.
Drake fails with an attempt to clinch.
Drake takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Drake wants to clinch.
Drake throws a body punch but Yamate moves out of range.
Yamate fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Drake.
Drake moves in looking to clinch but Yamate pushes him off.
Yamate tries to counter by closing the distance.

Yamate has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake blocks an elbow strike.
Yamate throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Yamate has Drake pressed against the cage, preventing Drake from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Good body shot from Yamate.
Yamate goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nice body punch from Yamate.

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

Yamate closes the distance and pushes Drake back into the cage.
Yamate has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Yamate lands a nice elbow.
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!
Drake blocks an elbow strike from Yamate.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake avoids a wild elbow strike from Yamate.
Yamate with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Drake is trying to break the clinch but Yamate has him pressed against the cage.
Yamate throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Yamate leaning against his opponent.
Drake blocks an elbow strike.
Yamate misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kojito Yamate seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Drake wants to break free but Yamate has control.
Yamate tries to land a knee to the head but Drake blocks with his arms.
Drake is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Drake is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Drake wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Drake tries to break the clinch but Yamate is controlling the position.
Drake is trying to push Yamate away but Yamate has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Drake wants to get back to striking at distance but Yamate won't allow it.
Drake is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Yamate misses with an elbow strike.
Drake blocks an elbow strike.
Kojito Yamate is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Yamate throws an elbow but it misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Drake.
Yamate with an attempt at a knee that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kojito Yamate comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Yamate has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 25:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 25:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kojito Yamate!