PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Eta Knox (ranked 956 p4p, 52 weight class) and Takayama Yataro (ranked 1180 p4p, 71 weight class). Knox kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is David Dallas | Runnin'. Yataro is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Misoji Misaki. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Takayama Yataro was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Knox
vs
Yataro

172 cm
27
146 lbs
13 - 10 - 0

163 cm
24
143 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Sportivité
KAISER Nutrition - Q160

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 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Eta Knox!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Takayama Yataro!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Richard Clark and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knox avoids the body shot from Yataro.
Yataro drops his hands momentarily and Knox takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Knox connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Knox takes one on the button.
Knox throws a hook to the side of Yataro's head but Yataro sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Knox closes the distance and clinches.
Yataro blocking some punches.
Yataro misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Knox lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Yataro backwards.
Knox throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Yataro tries a body shot but Knox blocks it.
Yataro tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Knox's elbow.
Yataro working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Yataro tries to throw a body punch but Knox avoids it by throwing Yataro back against the cage.

Yataro escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Knox has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Knox throws a nice looking combination but Yataro bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Knox smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yataro misses with a right hand

and Knox counters by moving into the clinch.
Good body shot from Yataro.
A short right from Yataro.
Knox throws a head punch that misses.
Knox tries to work over Yataro's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Yataro has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Yataro tries to work over Knox's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Yataro makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Yataro misses with a hook to the ribs.
Knox tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yataro misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yataro has a couple of punches blocked by Knox.
Knox tries to throw a body punch but Yataro avoids it by throwing Knox back against the cage.
Knox misses with a body punch.
Knox doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Knox displaying some good clinch control by pressing Yataro up against the cage.

Yataro breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yataro listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Knox uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Yataro.
Knox is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Yataro.
A jab from Yataro misses.
Yataro misses the shot to the body.
Yataro swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Knox seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Knox keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yataro.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yataro with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Knox keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Knox takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Knox keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yataro throws a right hand that misses
and Knox counters with a right hand to the body.
Knox slips a jab from Yataro.
Yataro throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Knox sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Yataro just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knox swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yataro throws a shot to the body.
Knox takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Knox slips under a jab.
Yataro throws an off balance right hand
and Knox connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Knox on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Takayama Yataro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yataro throws a lazy uppercut
and Knox counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Knox scores with a nice strike.
Knox uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Yataro.
Yataro lands a nice hook to Knox's body. Knox takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Knox misses with a left hand
and Yataro counters with a nice body shot.
A big right from Knox misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yataro looks to score with a jab to the body but Knox is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yataro.
Knox keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Knox is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Yataro.
Knox connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Yataro's hands.
Yataro throws out a loose jab but Knox uses good head movement to avoid it.
Left hook, right uppercut from Yataro.
Yataro throws a jab but it's blocked by Knox.
A jab lands there for Knox.
Knox slips a straight right by Yataro.
Knox keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yataro.
Yataro throws a jab when Knox was well out of range.
Yataro throws the left hand but Knox avoids the punch easily.
Knox tries to counter by clinching up but Yataro breaks away and moves out of range.
Knox is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Knox, as that shot connected.
Yataro is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Knox slips under a jab.
Yataro takes one on the chin but seems OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Takayama Yataro will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Yataro avoids a punch combination nicely.
Knox misses with a straight right.
Yataro throws a hook to the side of Knox's head but Knox sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Yataro throws a poor cross that misses
and Knox cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Knox jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Knox connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Knox blocks a jab.
Knox keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yataro.
Knox is looking to counter punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yataro is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Knox.
Knox wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Knox thuds his right hand into Yataro's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Yataro misses with an uppercut.
Knox is looking to counter the offense by Yataro and move into the clinch.
A combination from Knox does no damage.
Yataro throws a shot from downtown. Knox moves away and avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yataro is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Knox.
Knox tries to clinch up.
Knox avoids the body shot from Yataro.
Yataro ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Yataro keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Knox misses with an uppercut.
A slow jab from Yataro misses its intended target.
Yataro fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Knox manages to avoid it.
Knox avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A telegraphed right hand from Yataro misses the target.
Yataro misses with an uppercut. Knox saw that one coming.
Knox appears to be looking for a big counter.
Yataro misses with a left hand
and Knox counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Yataro misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Knox.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knox scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Yataro thuds a left hand into Knox's body.
Yataro misses with a looping left.
Yataro misses with a straight right.
Yataro throws a jab but it's blocked by Knox.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yataro throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Knox jabs Yataro to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Yataro throws a big shot that misses.
Knox keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yataro stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Nice defenses there by Yataro.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Yataro! But no joy.
Yataro just misses with a punch to the body.
Takayama Yataro seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Knox throws a body shot but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yataro looks to land a left hand but Knox moved out of range nicely.
Yataro throws a jab but it's blocked by Knox.

Yataro has Knox up against the cage in a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Knox.
Knox lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Yataro misses with a short punch on the inside.
Knox struggles to land a body shot inside as Yataro controls his hands.
Yataro letting Knox take a breather here.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Yataro.
Knox is trying to stall.
Knox taking a breather.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Knox is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Knox throws a head punch that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox tries to work over Yataro's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Yataro struggles to land a body shot inside as Knox controls his hands.
Yataro throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Knoxs head.
Knox misses with some punches.
Yataro blocks a body shot from Knox.
Yataro has a couple of punches blocked by Knox.
A hook to the body from Yataro.
Yataro tries to throw a body punch but Knox avoids it by throwing Yataro back against the cage.
Knox content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Knox blocks an uppercut.
Yataro lands a body shot in the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yataro tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Yataro lands with a light punch inside.
Yataro scores with a hook to the body.
Yataro lands with a short shot to the head.
Yataro throws a punch but it's blocked by Knox.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Takayama Yataro will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Knox scores with a jab. Yataro acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Knox displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yataro throws out the jab.
Yataro works Knox's body with a nice hook.
Yataro connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Knox momentarily.
Yataro on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Yataro takes a swing at Knox's ribcage but misses.
Knox is looking to counter punch.
Yataro throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A big left from Knox misses.
Yataro thows a left - swing and a miss!
Knox is looking to counter the offense by Yataro and move into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knox throws a body punch but Yataro moves out of range.
Yataro swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yataro throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Yataro misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Knox.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Yataro stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Yataro takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Yataro on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Knox connects with a nice looking jab.
Knox getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Yataro misses with a shot to the body
and Knox cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Yataro lands a nice shot to the body.
Jab, jab by Knox - just one landing.
Knox uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yataro.
Yataro on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Yataro throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yataro works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Yataro swings widly with a right hand

and Knox holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Yataro.
Yataro tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Knox's elbow.
Yataro has a couple of punches blocked by Knox.
Knox content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Yataro.
Yataro lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Yataro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Yataro throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Yataro fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Knox manages to avoid it.
Yataro lands a nice shot that snaps Knox's head back.
Knox lands with a shot to the body.
Yataro throws a jab but it's blocked by Knox.
A quick step to the side and Knox tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yataro throws a hook but Knox avoids it easily.
Knox is looking to counter the offense by Yataro and move into the clinch.
Jab from Knox.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Yataro.
Yataro moves out of range as Knox strikes.
Knox sizes up Yataro with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Knox avoids the body shot from Yataro.
Yataro throws a hook but Knox blocks it.
Knox moves away from the strike by Yataro.
Eta Knox has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Knox pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Yataro! But no joy.
Knox looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Yataro swings for the body but Knox moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Knox. Yataro does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yataro throws out a counter right but Knox avoids it with no problem.
Yataro lands with a straight right. Knox didn't see that one coming.
Knox slips under a jab from Yataro.
Yataro misses with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox misses with a wild body shot.
It seemed like Yataro was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Yataro avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Knox takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Yataro is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Knox.
Yataro misses with an uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Knox doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Yataro connects with a right hand. Knox shakes it off.
Yataro misses with a straight left.
Good standup being displayed there by Knox as he connects with a hook.
Yataro keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Knox.
The fighters circling - Yataro throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Knox displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yataro throws out the jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Takayama Yataro.
Well Yataro has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takayama Yataro!
Takayama Yataro seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.