PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Yusuke Kanehara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and nick BULL (ranked 0 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.

Kanehara
vs
BULL

179 cm
22
189 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yusuke Kanehara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, nick BULL!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Ren Mimura and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kanehara scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
BULL wants to get back to his feet.
Kanehara seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but BULL does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kanehara content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Kanehara is thwarting BULL's attempts to control the position.
Kanehara not doing much here.
Kanehara passes to full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanehara raining down shots from the mount!
Kanehara scoring with strikes but BULL is staying in there.
BULL is trying to reverse the position but instead Kanehara has taken his back - oops!
Kanehara lands punches and elbows.
BULL is trying to stand back up.
Kanehara loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can BULL hold on?
Kanehara 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.
You can see the frustration on BULL's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Kanehara looking to soften up his opponent with punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanehara trying to control momentarily.
Kanehara lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
BULL trying to control but not successfully.
Kanehara controls the position.
BULL turns into Kanehara and is now in his guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kanehara is on top in guard.
BULL wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Kanehara manages to pass to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kanehara slows the pace down in half guard.

Kanehara stands up out of the half guard.
Horrible takedown by Kanehara or perhaps it was just good defense by BULL which made him look bad.

Kanehara shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Kanehara was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Kanehara scoring with strikes but BULL is staying in there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanehara wants to control the pace but BULL is squirming around nicely.
BULL is in all sorts of trouble here.
BULL is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Kanehara landing strikes from the mount.
Kanehara can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as BULL is looking to escape.
BULL tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yusuke Kanehara dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kanehara shoots in and drives through. BULL sprawls well.
BULL lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kanehara circles away quickly and effectively.

Kanehara shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
BULL really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kanehara. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
BULL is trying to get back to full guard.
BULL throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Kanehara sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. BULL defending well though.
BULL is staying active underneath Kanehara, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kanehara stands up and beckons BULL to join him on the feet.
Kanehara closes this distance looking for a takedown but BULL circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

BULL pushes Kanehara up against the cage in a clinch.
Kanehara wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kanehara is pushing BULL up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Kanehara's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kanehara tries a knee to the head but BULL blocks it.
Kanehara lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of BULL backwards.

BULL manages to break the clinch.
Kanehara circles away from the clinch attempt.
BULL fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
No joy there for BULL, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanehara keeps the fight on the outside.
Kanehara misses with a body kick.
Yusuke Kanehara is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
BULL misses with a double jab.
Kanehara doesn't manage to clinch there - BULL circles away.
Some wild striking there from BULL.
Kanehara throws a wild body kick that BULL sees coming a mile off.
BULL tries to bum rush Kanehara with a series of wild strikes but Kanehara uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
BULL swinging wilding here.
BULL looks to land a combination but Kanehara avoids it well.
Kanehara shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yusuke Kanehara. That's going to take a lot out of him.
BULL throws a series of punches but Kanehara avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanehara misses with a combination

and BULL moves into the clinch.
Kanehara is working for takedown but BULL is calmly controlling the position for now.

Kanehara pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
BULL misses with a few strikes there.
Kanehara misses with a takedown attempt

and BULL counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kanehara is looking to control BULL's arms but BULL gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kanehara has his back to the cage.
Kanehara stops a takedown attempt from BULL.

Kanehara's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kanehara shoots for a takedown but BULL saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
BULL misses with a series of wild punches.
Kanehara attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BULL tries to clinch but Kanehara moves away

and Kanehara counters with a nice double leg into side control. BULL won't be happy with that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kanehara stands up and beckons BULL to his feet.
BULL closes the distance looking to clinch

and Kanehara counters with a takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
BULL is not content to let Kanehara control the position.
A lull in the action here as Kanehara stalls from top position.
Kanehara trying to control the action but BULL is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yusuke Kanehara dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Kanehara throws a head kick but BULL moves out of range.
Kanehara tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but BULL swivels and escapes.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
BULL jumps guard but Kanehara stands there with BULL around his waist. BULL gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kanehara wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
BULL scores with a hook to the body.
BULL stops a takedown attempt from Kanehara.

BULL pulls guard effortlessly.
Kanehara trying to control but BULL is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
BULL trying to keep a closed guard but Kanehara is proving a slippery customer.
Kanehara passes into half guard.
Kanehara is trying to control the action in half guard but BULL is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
BULL wants to improve his position but Kanehara is controlling well.
Kanehara sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Kanehara trying to pass the guard but BULL defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kanehara is thwarting BULL's attempts to control the position.
Yusuke Kanehara overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
BULL might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Kanehara kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
BULL tries to get to full guard but Kanehara has control of the leg.
Kanehara controlling the action here.

That's three minutes 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.
Kanehara tries a head kick but it misses.

BULL instigates a clinch.
BULL blocks a body shot from Kanehara.

Kanehara manages to break the clinch.
Kanehara clinches but BULL breaks the clinch
and BULL counters with a three punch combo that has Kanehara backing up. Kanehara nods at BULL to acknowledge the strikes.
BULL tries to clinch but Kanehara moves away

and Kanehara counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for BULL!
Kanehara can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as BULL is looking to escape.
BULL is trying to reverse the position but instead Kanehara has taken his back - oops!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BULL trying to get back to his feet but Kanehara is in full control for now.
Despite being in a bad position, BULL is controlling the hands, preventing any submission attempts.
Kanehara connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for BULL to escape the position.
Kanehara is not going to allow BULL to sit and survive in this position.
I would not like to be BULL right now.

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 Yusuke Kanehara.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kanehara, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yusuke Kanehara!