PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bob Lau (ranked 6382 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takayama Yataro (ranked 5532 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lau
vs
Yataro

169 cm
25
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

163 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bob Lau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Takayama Yataro!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Dillan Fox and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yataro misses with a wild body shot.
Lau avoids the body shot from Yataro.
Lau cracks Yataro with an open hand slap.

Yataro closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Lau quickly recovers to half guard.
Yataro prevents Lau from improving his position.
Lau trying to control here.
Yataro is keen to just control but Lau is a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yataro lands strikes from half guard.
Yataro slips a nice elbow through Lau's hands, connecting with Lau's forehead.
Yataro working Lau over with strikes.
Yataro 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.
Lau is trying to get back to full guard.
Yataro slips a nice elbow through Lau's hands, connecting with Lau's forehead.
Yataro is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yataro scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Lau is looking to control Yataro's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lau avoid being mounted?
Yataro landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Lau is in trouble now - Yataro has advanced to mount!
Yataro looking to control but Lau is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Lau tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Lau knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Yataro on the ground.
Yataro lands a heavy elbow.
Yataro with good strikes from the mount here!
Lau on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Lau tries to get out of the position.
Yataro lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Yataro working the ground and pound effectively.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Yataro cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yataro lands a big elbow.
Yataro working the ground and pound effectively.
Yataro lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Lau hang on?
Yataro lands a heavy elbow.
Yataro dominating with strikes here.
Yataro connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yataro cracks Lau with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Yataro punishing his opponent with strikes.
Yataro controlling the position easily from mount.
Yataro has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Yataro putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Yataro can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lau is looking to escape.
Lau really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yataro has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Lau's face.
Lau really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Yataro punishing his opponent with strikes.
Yataro putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Yataro trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yataro landing strikes from the mount.
Yataro working Lau over with strikes here.
Yataro dominating with strikes here.
Yataro raining down hammerfists from mount.
Yataro wants to control the pace but Lau is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lau is looking to improve his position but Yataro isn't that keen on the idea.
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!
Yataro lands a nice shot to the head.
Yataro lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Lau hang on?
Yataro lands a big elbow.
Lau taking shots to the head.
Yataro wants to control the pace but Lau is squirming around nicely.
Yataro putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Yataro landing strikes, looking to finish!
The referee warns Lau that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lau is in a horrible position here. Yataro smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Yataro postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Lau looks a forlorn figure.
Lau really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takayama Yataro dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lau lands with a hook. Yataro tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Yataro takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Yataro ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lau moves away.

Yataro throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Lau was covering up waiting for the punch and Yataro finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Yataro preventing the sweep.
Yataro's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Yataro cracks Lau with a solid left hand.
Yataro landing some decent shots from guard.
Yataro working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yataro is working Lau over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Yataro with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Yataro content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Yataro with a nice head shot there.
Takayama Yataro has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lau pulls Yataro in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lau working a defensive guard but Yataro manages to pass into side control anyway.
You can see the frustration on Lau's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Lau takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Lau is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Yataro is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Yataro scoring with punches from side control.
Yataro wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lau keeps working.
Lau is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yataro tries for a kimura but Lau is defending well.
Yataro lands a decent elbow from side control.
Yataro creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Lau tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Yataro lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Lau down.
Yataro lands a few punches from side control.
Yataro in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Yataro creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Yataro is putting a hurting on Lau here, landing some big shots from side control.
Yataro is putting a hurting on Lau here, landing some big shots from side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lau takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Yataro lands some shots froms side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yataro controls the position.
Check out the look on Yataro's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Yataro lands a few punches from side control.
Lau taking punishment in the form of punches.
Yataro lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Lau down.
Lau takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Lau tries to improve position but can't.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Yataro working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Yataro lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Lau down.
Yataro lands some shots froms side control.
Yataro connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Lau some visible discomfort.
Yataro wants to control but Lau is keeping him busy.
Yataro landing a few strikes.
Yataro cracks Lau with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Yataro connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Lau some visible discomfort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lau is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Yataro working the ground and pound.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yataro lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Yataro scoring with punches and elbows.
Yataro connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Lau some visible discomfort.
Yataro is putting a hurting on Lau here, landing some big shots from side control.
Lau tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Lau is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Yataro trying to control the position but Lau is working away.
Yataro cracks Lau with a big elbow.
Yataro landing strikes.
Yataro is working Lau over with some ground and pound from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takayama Yataro showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Yataro fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lau manages to avoid it.
Lau scores with a body shot.
Lau dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Yataro walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Yataro has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lau lands with a good body shot.
Lau lands a jab.

Lau gets caught flat footed, as Yataro shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Yataro postures up and lands a big shot to Lau's brow.
Yataro landing some decent shots from guard.
Lau can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Yataro controls the pace.
Yataro lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Lau looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yataro is one step ahead there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yataro lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lau looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yataro is one step ahead there.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Yataro's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Yataro's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Yataro trying to control but Lau is working from the bottom.
Yataro lands a couple of digs.
Yataro is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Lau keeping moving, preventing Yataro from controlling successfully.
Yataro postures up.
Yataro stands up over Lau, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Lau looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Yataro trying to control the position from guard on top but Lau is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lau being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yataro scoring with some ground and pound.
Yataro working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Lau's head.
Yataro lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Lau trying to control the position here.
Yataro postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Yataro lands a couple of digs.
Yataro slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Lau looking for a sweep. Not yet Lau, not yet.
Yataro is working Lau over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Yataro won't allow Lau to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yataro is working Lau over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Yataro is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Yataro is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Yataro lands a couple of elbows.
Yataro postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Yataro stands up over Lau, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Yataro lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Yataro stays in close to Lau's body and controls the position.
Yataro postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Yataro connects with a couple of short punches.
Yataro postures up and lands a big shot to Lau's brow.
Yataro postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Yataro wants to control from the top but Lau keeps moving.
Yataro lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yataro is in close to Lau's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Yataro passes into half guard.
Yataro is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Lau has hold of Yataro's hands but Yataro slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Yataro takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Yataro working Lau over with strikes.
Yataro is nestled in close to Lau, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yataro takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Yataro passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Lau!
Yataro controlling from the full mount.
Bob Lau has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A nice elbow there by Yataro.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takayama Yataro comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Yataro winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 26:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 26:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takayama Yataro!