PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Yoshihiro Tajiri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jin Dragon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Tajiri might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Tajiri Theme. Jin Dragon looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Tajiri
vs
Dragon

175 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshihiro Tajiri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jin Dragon!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice shot lands for Dragon.
Dragon looks to land a right hand but Tajiri moved out of range.
Tajiri shoots in but no luck this time.
The fighters circling - Dragon throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Tajiri shoots for a takedown but Dragon saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tajiri showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Dragon.
Dragon misses with a straight left.
Tajiri tries to close the distance and clinch up but Dragon swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Dragon on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Tajiri dodges the punch combination from Dragon.
A combination from Dragon does no damage.
Dragon takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Dragon takes a swing at Tajiri's ribcage but misses.
An inside leg kick from Dragon misses.
Dragon throws a lazy right hand but Tajiri sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dragon swats away the attempt to clinch by Tajiri.
Tajiri throws a jab but it's blocked by Dragon.
Tajiri fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dragon's corner calls for a 1-2. Dragon obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Dragon fails to land with a series of punches.
Dragon swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Tajiri counters with a straight right hand.
Tajiri connects with a nice looking jab.
Tajiri takes a swing at Dragon's ribcage but misses.
Dragon misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Dragon looks gassed!
Dragon fails with the takedown
and Tajiri makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Tajiri ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Tajiri misses with the combination.

Tajiri shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tajiri seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Dragon is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Tajiri is controlling him.
Tajiri controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Dragon really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tajiri. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Tajiri postures up and lands a big shot to Dragon's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tajiri scoring with punches to the head and body.
Dragon is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Tajiri is controlling him.
Tajiri sitting in guard here, content to control.
Dragon is striking off his back. Tajiri thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Tajiri is keen to just control but Dragon is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Dragon wants to get back to his feet.
Dragon is looking for a sweep. Tajiri is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Dragon is looking to escape.
Tajiri working over Dragon with some ground and pound. Dragon looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Tajiri working Dragon over with strikes.
Tajiri not doing much here.
Dragon has hold of Tajiri's hands but Tajiri slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jin Dragon will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tajiri fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Tajiri drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Tajiri prevents Dragon from getting back to his feet.
Dragon utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tajiri 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.
Tajiri scoring with punches to the head and body.
Dragon is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Tajiri thows a big elbow that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dragon looking to control.
Tajiri content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tajiri accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tajiri shoots for a double leg takedown but Dragon sprawls well. He's pushed Tajiri's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Dragon misses with a wild body shot.
Tajiri swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Dragon counters with a left and a right that stings Tajiri.
Dragon throws a nice looking combination but Tajiri bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tajiri is looking to wear down Dragon with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Dragon keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Dragon moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Tajiri looks to land a right hand but Dragon moved out of range.
Dragon looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Dragon throws a series of punches but Tajiri avoids them all with ease.
Dragon looks to land a combination but Tajiri avoids it well.
Tajiri clobbers Dragon with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Tajiri closes the distance looking to clinch

and Dragon counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dragon stands and throws Tajiri's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Dragon working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Dragon lands a few punches from side control.
Dragon sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Tajiri is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Dragon wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tajiri keeps working.
Tajiri is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragon wants to stand but Tajiri has his arm trapped.
Tajiri is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Dragon trying to control the position but Tajiri is working away.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tajiri swats away the attempt to clinch by Dragon.

Dragon moves into the clinch.
Tajiri goes for a takedown attempt but Dragon pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yoshihiro Tajiri. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dragon scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Dragon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tajiri misses with a shot to the body

and Dragon counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Dragon breaks from the clinch.
A shot to de liver by Dragon. Beautiful body shot.
Dragon misses with a series of wild punches.
Tajiri tries for a takedown but Dragon sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Dragon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Dragon throws a combination that misses

and Tajiri counters with a takedown into side control.
Tajiri throws an elbow but Dragon slips to the side and avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jin Dragon will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're 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.

Tajiri gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Dragon makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Dragon swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Tajiri counters with a straight right hand.
Dragon fails to land the takedown.

Tajiri scores a takedown into full mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tajiri lands a heavy elbow.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Dragon can do anything to dispel that myth.
Tajiri content just to control the position here.
Tajiri unloads with some shots from mount but Dragon bucks and avoids them well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Tajiri there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Tajiri avoids the attempt from Dragon to control.
Tajiri looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Tajiri breaks from Dragon's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Dragon is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
You get the feeling that Dragon really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Tajiri lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Tajiri can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Dragon is looking to escape.
Dragon taking shots to the head.
Dragon is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Dragon is wriggling around trying to escape.
Dragon tries to hold on but Tajiri postures up.
Dragon is looking to improve his position but Tajiri isn't that keen on the idea.
Tajiri wants to control the pace but Dragon is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragon is in all sorts of trouble here.
Tajiri content just to control the position here.
Tajiri trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yoshihiro Tajiri has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yoshihiro Tajiri overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dragon is wriggling around trying to escape.
Tajiri with a couple of short strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tajiri landing punches.
Tajiri blocks Dragon's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Tajiri scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Dragon is bucking up trying to escape but Tajiri cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Tajiri lands with some strikes.
Jin Dragon is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tajiri content just to control the position here.
Dragon tries to lock up and control but Tajiri gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tajiri landing strikes, looking to finish!

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoshihiro Tajiri showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Dragon 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!