PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Florencio Short (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matsui Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Short
vs
Yamamoto

222 cm
18
161 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

172 cm
20
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Florencio Short!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matsui Yamamoto!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Short takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Short misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto scores with a leg kick.
Yamamoto throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Short.

Yamamoto has closed the distance and engaged Short in a clinch.
Short keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Yamamoto's efforts to push away.
Yamamoto is looking to break free of the clinch but Short has double underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee is keeping an eye on Yamamoto - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yamamoto moves into range and clinches up with Short.
Yamamoto looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Yamamoto wants the takedown. Short is fighting it off but Yamamoto persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Short's guard against the cage.
Yamamoto preventing the sweep.
Yamamoto is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Yamamoto's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Short is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Yamamoto trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Short manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Yamamoto utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Yamamoto wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Short manages to pass to side control.
Yamamoto really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Short. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Yamamoto gets back to full guard.
Yamamoto throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Short being controlled here momentarily.

Yamamoto working for submissions but it's allowed Short to get to half guard.

Yamamoto makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Yamamoto misses with a few strikes there.
Short avoids a punch combination nicely.
Short lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yamamoto throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Short tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Yamamoto is in Short's guard.
Yamamoto must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Yamamoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Short is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Short will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Short holds on and takes a little breather.
Short wants to sweep but no luck.
Yamamoto wants to stand and escape but instead Short has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yamamoto looking for a sweep. Not yet Yamamoto, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matsui Yamamoto dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Short avoids a punch combination nicely.
Yamamoto takes a swing at Short's ribcage but misses.
Yamamoto misses with a head kick.
Short drops down looking for a counter takedown but Yamamoto sprawls and moves away.
Short looks for a takedown but Yamamoto sprawls well.
Yamamoto throws a right hand that Short ducks under and follows up with a left that Short also avoids with ease.
Yamamoto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamamoto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Short tries to counter with a takedown but Yamamoto is quick to defend against it.
Yamamoto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Yamamoto misses with a hook. Short ducked under it nicely.
Yamamoto misses with a double jab
and Short counters with an outside leg kick.

Yamamoto looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Yamamoto is breathing heavily.
Yamamoto prevents Short from improving his position.
Yamamoto throwing shots but Short is blocking nicely.
Short really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Yamamoto is looking to take a break and control but Short is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Short gets back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Short bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Yamamoto's guard.

Short loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Yamamoto looking to control.

Short gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
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!
Yamamoto looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Yamamoto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto blocks a head kick by Short.

Short rushes Yamamoto and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Short - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Yamamoto tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Short's elbow.
Yamamoto has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Yamamoto holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Yamamoto prevents a body shot from Short.

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.
Short changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Yamamoto fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Yamamoto throws a half hearted mid kick.
Short seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Matsui Yamamoto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yamamoto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Short dodges the punch combination from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Short misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Matsui Yamamoto seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Short tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Yamamoto manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Yamamoto looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matsui Yamamoto showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

No joy there for Yamamoto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A combination from Yamamoto does no damage.
Yamamoto throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Short avoids a kick to the body.
Yamamoto swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Short appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Yamamoto throws a left and a right that both miss
and Short counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Short keeps the fight on the outside.
As Yamamoto backs away, Short returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Short shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Yamamoto tries to close the distance and clinch but Short swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Yamamoto clinches.
Yamamoto takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Short is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Yamamoto is defending well for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Short letting Yamamoto take a breather here.

Short escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yamamoto throws a series of punches but Short moves out of range.
Short fires out a quick counter leg kick but Yamamoto just manages to avoid it.
Yamamoto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Short avoids a punch combination nicely.
Yamamoto misses with a double jab

and Short counters with a takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto is working to avoid the ground and pound but Short connects with a decent elbow.
Short cracks Yamamoto with a big right hand but Yamamoto just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Yamamoto tries to improve position but can't.
Short tries to score with some ground and pound. Yamamoto controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Yamamoto takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yamamoto wants to control but Short postures up.
Yamamoto is looking to regain half guard here but Short keeps moving and retains side control.
Short gets to mount! Yamamoto was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto is bucking up trying to escape but Short cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Short looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Short lands a big shot there that rocks Yamamoto but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Matsui Yamamoto is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Short jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Yamamoto is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Yamamoto and Short has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Short decides to stand up, so the ref orders Yamamoto to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Short swats away the attempt to clinch by Yamamoto.
Short appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Yamamoto wants to clinch up but Short keeps it at a distance.
Short shoots in looking for a takedown. Yamamoto tries to sprawl out of it but Short keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Yamamoto manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Matsui Yamamoto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
No joy there for Yamamoto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Florencio Short has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yamamoto connects with a jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Florencio Short.
I think Yamamoto has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matsui Yamamoto!