PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ichi Yakuza (ranked 13864 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacob Menard (ranked 5683 p4p, 0 weight class). Yakuza comes into the arena with The Legend of Zelda, Overworld blaring out of the sound system. Jacob Menard has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Yakuza
vs
Menard

150 cm
47
104 lbs
4 - 82 - 0

187 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes musicals

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 4 - 82 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ichi Yakuza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jacob Menard!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Trevor Gratis and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Menard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Yakuza looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Yakuza shoots in looking for a takedown but Menard manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Yakuza's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Menard shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Yakuza napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Menard working the ground and pound but Yakuza is defending the strikes.
Menard is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Menard is working Yakuza over with some ground and pound from side control.
Yakuza is letting Menard control him for a moment.

Menard decides to stand up, so the ref orders Yakuza to his feet.

Menard gets a takedown into half guard.
Menard is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menard is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Yakuza won't allow Menard to pass to mount.
Menard is still trying to improve position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Menard in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Menard decides to stand and escape the position.

Menard forces Yakuza back against the cage and clinches.

Menard turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Menard manages to end up in side control.

Menard swings around for an armbar but Yakuza sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Menard's guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Menard holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yakuza stopping the sweep attempt from Menard.
Menard trying to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four 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.
Menard wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Menard had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yakuza defends it easily.
Menard is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Menard bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Menard dominated that round.
That's time! Yakuza's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Menard throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Yakuza tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Menard is in Yakuza's guard.
Menard must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Menard throwing strikes from guard but Yakuza blocks nicely.

Menard decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Menard looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Menard 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Menard's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Menard decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Yakuza, up you get!
A head kick misses from Menard.
Menard misses with a head kick.

Yakuza tries to sprawl but Menard drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Menard sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Menard decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Menard feints and as Yakuza raises his hands in defense, Menard changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Menard content to stall in guard here.
Menard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yakuza swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Menard sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Menard gets to his feet. Yakuza looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Menard closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Yakuza quickly recovers to half guard.

Yakuza is rocked!
Yakuza on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Oh Yakuza is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Menard wants to pass the guard but Yakuza is defending well.
Jacob Menard has got the better of the ground game so far.
Menard scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Menard seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Let's hope that Menard 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.
Menard scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Menard slips a nice elbow through Yakuza's hands, connecting with Yakuza's forehead.
Menard wants to pass the guard but Yakuza is defending well.
Menard working over Yakuza with some ground and pound. Yakuza looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Menard decides to return to a standing position.
Menard fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Menard is looking for a takedown. Wow, that's a brutal slam - Yakuza is in big trouble! Menard is landing strikes from the mount and this one is all over! The ref jumps in to save a confused looking Yakuza. Poor guy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:10 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Slam). Jacob Menard!
A relieved looking Jacob Menard thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
The defeated Ichi Yakuza had this to say: 'This has not been honorable. Seppuku!'.