PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cleo Vasquez (ranked 5018 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yen Yang (ranked 5017 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.

Vasquez
vs
Yang

151 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

155 cm
23
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Solid 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 Tokyo, Cleo Vasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yen Yang!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Sosuke Kotani and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Decent striking displayed by Vasquez there.

Vasquez closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Vasquez lands in his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vasquez postures up in Yang's guard and throws a big left but Yang blocks it.
Vasquez throws an elbow that misses. Yang uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Vasquez's guard. Nice move by Yang!

Yang is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yang won't allow Vasquez to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yang is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Vasquez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Yang forces his way into half guard.
Vasquez could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yang controlling the pace.
Vasquez is looking to escape.
Vasquez missing with punches from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Vasquez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Yang, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez stops a takedown attempt from Yang.
Yang tries for a takedown but Vasquez manages to get underhooks.
Yang is working for takedown but Vasquez is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cleo Vasquez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yen Yang.
Yang is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Vasquez gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Vasquez manages to pull guard.
Yang slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Vasquez.
Yang perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Yang is thwarting Vasquez's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yang looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Yang controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Cleo Vasquez 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.

Vasquez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Yang!
Vasquez working away.

Vasquez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Yang is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Vasquez goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Yang rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Vasquez's guard! Nice work there by Yang!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yang controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Yang has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Vasquez will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Yen Yang has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Yang sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Yang passes into half guard.

Yang is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Vasquez has managed to free his arm - good work.
Yang sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Yang is continuing to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Yang scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Vasquez wants to get back to his feet but Yang is dominant here and he's now got Vasquez's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yen Yang showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! 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.

Vasquez has Yang up against the cage in a clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Vasquez gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Yang regains guard.

Yang wriggles free and stands up.

Yang gets tackled into the cage by Vasquez. Vasquez maintains the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Vasquez manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Yang engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yang works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Yang is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Vasquez defends it well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Yang in particular looking to stall.

That's two 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.
Vasquez is looking for a sweep. Yang is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Yang is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Vasquez defends it well.

Yang seems to be working for a kimura but Vasquez defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Yang in particular looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Yang.
Yet more stalling tactics from Yang.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Vasquez shoots in and bounces Yang off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Yang looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Yen Yang.
I think Yang 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Yen Yang!