PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ephram Urani (ranked 231 p4p, 218 weight class) and Toshi Hijikata (ranked 31 p4p, 28 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Urani
vs
Hijikata

165 cm
34
158
27 - 16 - 1

178 cm
33
159
24 - 12 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Core Combat

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 16 - 1, fighting out of New York, Ephram Urani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 12 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Toshi Hijikata!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Taro Takaoka and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Urani throws a body kick that misses.
Urani slips under a jab.
Hijikata misses with a hook.
Hijikata feints and then cracks Urani's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Urani down.
Urani has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Crassus in the buildup to the fight.
Toshi Hijikata seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hijikata throws a shot from downtown. Urani moves away and avoids it.
A left lands for Urani.
Urani throws a lazy uppercut
and Hijikata counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A solid body kick from Hijikata.
Hijikata misses with an uppercut. Urani saw that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hijikata misses with a hook. Urani ducked under it nicely.
Hijikata smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Hijikata lands a body shot.
Hijikata throws a low kick, looking for Urani's leg but Urani calmly moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hijikata avoids the body shot from Urani.
Hijikata dips to his left and cracks Urani with an uppercut!
Urani throws a hook to the side of Hijikata's head but Hijikata sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hijikata ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Hijikata tries to work over Urani's front leg with a kick but Urani checks it.
Urani is looking to counter punch.
Hijikata throws a combination. Urani tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Hijikata lands a jab to Urani's midsection.
Nice defenses there by Hijikata.
Urani lands a nice leg kick that just misses Hijikata's sensitive parts.
Hijikata throws a body punch but Urani moves out of range.
Hijikata throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hijikata throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Urani stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hijikata lands with a straight right. Urani didn't see that one coming.
Urani lands with a cross.

It looks like Toshi Hijikata has been cut.
A slapping body kick lands there for Hijikata.
Urani missing with a left hand there. Hijikata was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Urani steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hijikata.
Urani scores with a jab. Hijikata acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Urani takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A leg kick checked by Urani.
Hijikata lands a nice looking body shot.
Urani throws a jab but it's blocked by Hijikata.
Hijikata uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Urani.
Hijikata fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Urani manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crunch! Hijikata slams his shin into Urani's torso.
Hijikata throws a body shot but no joy.
Urani is looking to counter punch.
Hijikata jabs Urani to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Hijikata with the inside leg kick.
Hijikata scores with the left hand. Urani knows he should have avoided that one.
Hijikata lands a nice looking body shot.
Hijikata throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hijikata throws a combination that misses
and Urani counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hijikata takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Hijikata lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Hijikata lands a front kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Urani cracks Hijikata with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Urani throws a hook to the side of Hijikata's head but Hijikata sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hijikata is looking to slow Urani down with leg kicks.
Hijikata changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Urani rushes Hijikata and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hijikata tries to work over Urani's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hijikata scores with a nice hook to the head.

Hijikata's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Urani uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hijikata.
Hijikata tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Urani is able to avoid easily.
Hijikata works Urani's body with a nice hook.
Urani waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hijikata.
Hijikata thumps Urani with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toshi Hijikata dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Toshi Hijikata's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Urani connects with a leg kick.
Urani misses with a straight right.
Crunch! Hijikata slams his shin into Urani's torso.
Hijikata blocks a head kick by Urani.
Urani lands a jab to the head.
Hijikata jabs Urani to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Urani lands a high kick!
Hijikata misses with a body shot
and Urani counters with a nice body shot.
Urani on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Hijikata misses with a leg kick
and Urani counters with a lovely straight right hand!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hijikata throws a leg kick
and Urani counters with a nice uppercut.
Hijikata scoring well with a low kick there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hijikata ducks under a wild hook from Urani.
Nice body punch from Hijikata.
Urani chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hijikata can pounce on him.
Urani throws a big shot that misses.
Hijikata appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Jab, jab by Hijikata - just one landing.
Hijikata takes a swing at Urani's ribcage but misses.
A nice inside leg kick there by Hijikata. That's going to slow Urani down.
Urani throws a jab when Hijikata was well out of range.
Urani looks to throw the jab but Hijikata is out of range.
Urani moves out of range of the leg kick from Hijikata.
Hijikata looks to land a combination but Urani avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urani takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Hijikata with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Hijikata has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hijikata tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Urani is able to avoid easily.
Hijikata's jab looks to have found its range, popping Urani under the eye.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Urani swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Urani catches Hijikata with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Hijikata has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Hijikata throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hijikata throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hijikata scoring well with a low kick there.
Urani throws a lazy right hand but Hijikata sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hijikata misses with a wild body shot.
Hijikata tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Urani throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nice body punch from Hijikata.
Hijikata lands a leg kick that knocks Urani off balance momentarily.
Urani digs a good hook to Hijikata's body.
Hijikata has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Hijikata lands a nice shot to the body.
Hijikata takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Hijikata scores with a shot to the body.
Urani doesn't manage to clinch there - Hijikata circles away.
Hijikata throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Urani was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Urani lands with a nice body kick.
Urani jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Urani slips a straight right by Hijikata.
Urani stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Hijikata.
Urani on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Hijikata. Hijikata obviously looking to wear him down.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Urani checks a leg kick.
Hijikata lands with an overhand left.
Hijikata looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Urani tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Hijikata manages to circle out of the way.
Hijikata connects with a right hand. Urani shakes it off.
Urani takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Urani is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Hijikata digs a good hook to Urani's body.
Urani throws a lazy body kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hijikata looks to score with a jab to the body but Urani is just out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toshi Hijikata showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Toshi Hijikata's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hijikata throws a leg kick which misses Urani's front leg but catches the back leg as Urani tries to avoid it.
Hijikata wants to slow Urani down by chopping away at his legs.
Urani throws an overhand right that lands on Hijikata's shoulder, as Hijikata tries to avoid the shot.
Hijikata throws a wild body kick that Urani sees coming a mile off.
It looked like Urani wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Hijikata just misses with a punch to the body.
Urani slips under a jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hijikata. Urani does a little dance to reset his feet.
Urani keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Urani swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Urani avoids the body shot from Hijikata.
A counter left hand to the body from Urani misses its target.
Urani checks a leg kick.
Hijikata jabs Urani right on the nose. Urani blinks but takes it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hijikata pushes Urani away with a front kick.
Urani scores with the left hand. Hijikata knows he should have avoided that one.
Urani misses the jab.
Urani will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Hijikata is looking to slow Urani down with leg kicks.
A cross from Hijikata lands.
Hijikata throws a shot to the body.
A big left from Urani misses.
Urani misses with a wild body shot.
Urani misses with a lunging right hand
and Hijikata counters with a good, hard body kick but Urani shrugs it off.
Urani throws a body shot but no joy.
Hijikata just misses with a punch to the body.
Ephram Urani has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urani checks a leg kick.
Urani tries to counter by clinching up but Hijikata breaks away and moves out of range.
Hijikata fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Urani manages to avoid it.
Urani is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Hijikata.
Urani misses the body punch
and Hijikata counters with a left to the body.
Hijikata lands with a nice body punch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hijikata misses with a leg kick.
It appears Urani was looking to counter with a kick there.
Hijikata connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hijikata on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Hijikata misses the shot to the body.
Urani tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hijikata paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hijikata misses with a leg kick

and Urani counters with a crisp right hand that drops Hijikata! Urani lets Hijikata back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

Hijikata is rocked!
Urani darts in and lands a big hook, right on the button! Hijikata's legs crumble underneath him as he falls to the canvas! The ref tackles Urani before he gets to land any more shots to his stricken foe.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Ephram Urani!