PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Takeru Kubota (ranked 305 p4p, 19 weight class) and Elroy Clarks (ranked 1472 p4p, 91 weight class). Kubota's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Devilman No Uta (1972). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Kubota
vs
Clarks

170 cm
26
140 lbs
17 - 3 - 0

163 cm
26
139 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

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 17 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Takeru Kubota!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Elroy Clarks!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Roosa Järviläinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kubota scores with a leg kick.
Kubota throws a body kick that misses.
Clarks moves out of range of the body kick.
Kubota is looking to chop away at Clarks's legs.
Kubota uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Clarks.
Clarks avoids the body shot from Kubota.
Clarks has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Clarks misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kubota.
A counter left hand to the body from Kubota misses its target.
Clarks looks to land a left hand but Kubota moved out of range nicely.
Clarks throws an overhand right that lands on Kubota's shoulder, as Kubota tries to avoid the shot.
Kubota misses with a head kick.
Clarks thows a left - swing and a miss!
Clarks throws a body punch but Kubota moves out of range.
Kubota keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Kubota connects with a body shot.
Kubota scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Clarks misses with a left hand
and Kubota makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Kubota lands a nice hook to Clarks's body. Clarks takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Clarks throws out a loose jab but Kubota uses good head movement to avoid it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kubota blocks a jab.
Kubota looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Kubota walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Kubota scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Clarks.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Kubota.
Kubota swings away with a body shot that misses
and Clarks counters with a nice leg kick.
Kubota keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Clarks checks a leg kick nicely.
Kubota keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Clarks.
Takeru Kubota seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kubota ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Kubota misses with an attempted mid kick.
Kubota lands a nice leg kick that just misses Clarks's sensitive parts.
Clarks takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Takeru Kubota is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kubota tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Clarks is able to avoid easily.
It seemed like Clarks was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Kubota tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Kubota lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Clarks has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Clarks and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
A big right from Kubota misses.
Kubota is looking to wear down Clarks with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Kubota displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Clarks throws out the jab.
Clarks throws a shot from downtown. Kubota moves away and avoids it.
Kubota fires out a quick counter leg kick but Clarks just manages to avoid it.
Clarks might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kubota uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Clarks.
Clarks uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kubota.
Kubota uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kubota looks to land a left hand but Clarks moved out of range nicely.
Clarks changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Clarks dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kubota misses with an uppercut.
Clarks looks to score with a jab to the body but Kubota is just out of range.
Clarks shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Clarks bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Clarks looks for a takedown but Kubota sprawls well.
Takeru Kubota has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Elroy Clarks.
Kubota cracks Clarks with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Clarks lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kubota moves out of range of the strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Clarks looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A counter left hand to the body from Kubota misses its target.
Clarks checks the leg kick.
Clarks checks the leg kick.
Clarks misses the shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeru Kubota dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Kubota misses with a looping left.
Good work by Clarks as he checks the leg kick.
A little jabbing left from Clarks on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Clarks slips under a jab from Kubota.
Clarks jabs Kubota to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Clarks throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kubota jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kubota ducks under a wild hook from Clarks.
Kubota doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Clarks cracks Kubota with a right hand to the side of the head.
Kubota works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Kubota throws a low kick but it's checked well by Clarks.
A countering left hand to the body from Clarks misses.
Clarks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kubota was well out of range. Poor timing from Clarks.
Kubota comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Kubota misses with an uppercut. Clarks saw that one coming.
Kubota lands a body shot.
Clarks throws a jab but it's blocked by Kubota.
Jab from Clarks.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kubota tries a head kick but it misses.
Clarks misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Clarks. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Clarks.
Clarks lands an overhand right.
Good shot there by Kubota.
Clarks misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kubota lands with a nice body punch.
Kubota feints and then cracks Clarks's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Clarks down.
The fighters circling - Kubota throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kubota uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Clarks.
Clarks throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kubota on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Kubota throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Clarks.
Kubota lands with a slapping head kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Clarks takes one to the chin there.
Kubota just misses with a punch to the body.
Kubota scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kubota throws a body kick that misses.
Clarks pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clarks fails with the takedown
and Kubota counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Clarks throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kubota.
A shot to the body from Kubota misses
and Kubota takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Clarks uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kubota.
Kubota lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Clarks has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kubota.
Clarks on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kubota. Kubota obviously looking to wear him down.
Clarks has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Kubota finds it's way round the side to connect with Clarks's head.
Kubota feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Clarkss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Clarks shoots in for a takedown but Kubota shows good takedown defense.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Clarks might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Kubota has got the better of the exchanges.
A swing and a miss from Clarks.
Clarks jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kubota throws an overhand right that lands on Clarks's shoulder, as Clarks tries to avoid the shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kubota misses with a kick to the body.
Clarks misses with a wild combination.
Kubota lands a leg kick that knocks Clarks off balance momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeru Kubota dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Clarks throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Clarks throws a jab when Kubota was well out of range.
Kubota uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Clarks.
Kubota is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Clarks can do to turn this around?
Clarks swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kubota scores with a jab to the head.
Clarks missing with a left hand there. Kubota was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kubota is looking to counter punch.
Kubota waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Clarks.
Kubota throws a head kick but Clarks moves out of range.
Kubota is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Kubota tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Clarks was well out of range. Poor timing from Kubota.
Kubota avoids the body shot from Clarks.
Kubota moves into range and connects with a jab.
Kubota stuffs the takedown attempt from Clarks. Clarks gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kubota looks to land a right hand but Clarks moved out of range.
Clarks throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kubota just misses with a punch to the body.
Kubota works Clarks's body with a nice hook.
Clarks moves out of range as Kubota throws a body kick.
Kubota misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarks throws an overhand right that lands on Kubota's shoulder, as Kubota tries to avoid the shot.
Clarks slips a straight right by Kubota.
The fighters circling - Clarks throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
As Clarks backs away, Kubota returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Kubota takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Clarks avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Clarks fails with a takedown attempt.
Kubota explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Kubota moves out of range of the strikes.
Some bone on bone action there as Clarks checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Clarks looks to land a right hand but Kubota moved out of range.
Clarks fails to land with a series of punches.
Kubota lets loose with a powerful body kick. Clarks will feel that in the morning.
Clarks misses with a body shot.
Nice defenses there by Clarks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clarks takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nice uppercut lands for Kubota. That snapped Clarks's head back.
Clarks ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kubota misses with a leg kick.
Clarks throws a hook but Kubota avoids it easily.
Clarks punishes Kubota's body with a nice straight punch.
A telegraphed right hand from Clarks misses the target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kubota. Clarks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kubota slips under a jab.
Clarks misses with a wild combination.
Kubota moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Clarks. Kubota does a little dance to reset his feet.
It appears Kubota was looking to counter with a kick there.
Kubota misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Clarks.
Clarks is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Kubota with a body shot.
Clarks scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Clarks misses with an uppercut. Kubota saw that one coming.
Elroy Clarks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kubota takes a swing at Clarks's ribcage but misses.

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 Takeru Kubota.
Well Kubota has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Takeru Kubota!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Takeru Kubota!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Takeru Kubota!

Takeru Kubota wins by unanimous decision!
Takeru Kubota tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.