PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hitoshi Yoshida (ranked 4325 p4p, 317 weight class) and Takeshi Yamada (ranked 6850 p4p, 379 weight class). Takeshi Yamada struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 146.1lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Yoshida
vs
Yamada

170 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

167 cm
22
155 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Hitoshi Yoshida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takeshi Yamada!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yuuki Gou and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yamada doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Yoshida holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Yamada tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Yamada goes for a takedown attempt but Yoshida pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Hitoshi Yoshida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Takeshi Yamada.
Yoshida avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Yoshida swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Yamada.
We've been hearing reports that Yoshida has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Yamada takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Yoshida lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Yamada at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Yoshida rushes Yamada and presses him up against the ropes.

Yoshida gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yoshida content to control rather than advance.
Yoshida works his way into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshida wants to take Yamada's back but he can't do it this time.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Yoshida is working for a guillotine from mount but Yamada frees his head quite easily.

Yoshida looking for a guillotine from mount but Yamada is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yoshida wants to finish this one by submission but Yamada is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Yoshida.
Yamada is controlling an arm, preventing Yoshida from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Yoshida forces the positional change into back control.

Yoshida working from the back looking to end the fight with a rear naked choke. Yamada is doing well to defend. Yoshida seems to have got his hand under the chin though and he's sunk the choke in! Yamada is forced to tap and this one is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:53 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Hitoshi Yoshida!
A very excited looking Hitoshi Yoshida made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
In defeat, Takeshi Yamada stepped up to the mic, saying 'みんなさんごめんなさい！すぎのファイトもと強いになる！'.