PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kaoru Hanayama (ranked 5506 p4p, 3164 weight class) and Primo Volto (ranked 545 p4p, 392 weight class). Hanayama's entrance music is Teminite & Evilwave - Rattlesnake. A fine choice. Kaoru Hanayama has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hanayama
vs
Volto

182 cm
24
175
5 - 8 - 0

183 cm
24
178
8 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kaoru Hanayama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Primo Volto!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Anthony Taglia and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Volto lunges at Hanayama with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Hanayama's hand.
A combination from Volto does no damage.
Volto throws a hook but Hanayama avoids it easily.
Hanayama is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Volto.
Hanayama throws a poor cross that misses

so Volto counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Volto throwing strikes from guard but Hanayama blocks nicely.
Hanayama is adopting a defensive guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hanayama is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Volto postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Volto content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hanayama seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Hanayama looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volto passes Hanayama's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Hanayama is looking to improve his position.
Hanayama is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Volto scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Hanayama is looking for a sweep. Volto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Volto takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Volto has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Volto fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Volto landing strikes, looking to finish!
Volto wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

Volto jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Hanayama manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Hanayama manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hanayama is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Volto pulls his head out easily.
Hanayama makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hanayama.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Volto working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Hanayama had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Volto defends it easily.
Volto with a flurry of punches that miss.
Volto stands up over Hanayama, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Volto trying to control the position from guard on top but Hanayama is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Volto avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hanayama keeping full guard, as Volto tries to pass.
Volto trying to control but Hanayama is working from the bottom.
Volto looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanayama pulls Volto in close to his closed guard and prevents Volto from doing any damage or advancing position.
Volto pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hanayama is keeping the position for now.

Hanayama is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Hanayama looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Hanayama is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Hanayama has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Volto wants to pass the guard but Hanayama is keeping the position.
Hanayama avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Hanayama is looking for a triangle but Volto pushes his legs off easily.
Volto working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hanayama's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Volto advances to half guard.
Hanayama regains full guard. Nicely done.
Volto trying to control but Hanayama is working from the bottom.
Volto works over Hanayama with some ground and pound from guard.
Volto tries to free his leg and advance position but Hanayama is retaining full guard.
Hanayama has Volto pulled in close to control his posture.
Volto with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

It looks like Kaoru Hanayama has been cut.

Hanayama looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Volto postures up and lands a big shot to Hanayama's brow.
Hanayama preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hanayama keeping moving, preventing Volto from controlling successfully.
Volto with a flurry of punches that miss.

Hanayama had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Volto defends it easily.

Volto drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Volto jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Primo Volto dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kaoru Hanayama's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hanayama leaves Volto with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Hanayama was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Kaoru Hanayama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hanayama fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Volto avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice sprawl there from Hanayama as Volto shoots in.
Volto throws a series of punches but Hanayama moves out of range.
Volto throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volto slips a jab from Hanayama.
No joy there for Volto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hanayama tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Volto defends well and Hanayama ends up having to push Volto into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Hanayama pulls guard successfully.
Volto wants to control from the top but Hanayama keeps moving.
Volto preventing the sweep.
Volto forces his way into half guard.
We've been hearing good reports from Hanayama's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Hanayama is trying to maintain the position but Volto is very close to passing his half guard.
Volto has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Primo Volto has got the better of the ground game so far.
The fighters are battling for position here. Hanayama manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Hanayama has his foot on Volto's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Volto works his way back into a safe position though.
Volto trying to control the position from guard on top but Hanayama is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Volto tries to free his leg and advance position but Hanayama is retaining full guard.
Hanayama working a defensive guard here.
Volto postures up in Hanayama's guard and throws a big left but Hanayama blocks it.
Volto is working Hanayama over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Volto wants to control from the top but Hanayama keeps moving.
Hanayama is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Hanayama works his way into side control.
Hanayama trying to control the action but Volto is working from the bottom.
Hanayama is really struggling to control Volto but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Volto tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hanayama wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanayama content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Hanayama trying to control the position but Volto is working away.
Hanayama working away.
Hanayama is looking to take a break and control but Volto is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Volto is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Hanayama trying to control the action but Volto is working from the bottom.

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.
Volto is looking to reverse the position.
Volto is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Volto is looking to improve his position.
Hanayama wants to pass the guard but Volto is defending well.
Volto wants to get back to full guard.
Volto keeps trying to improve his position.
Volto manages to get to full guard.
Volto doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Volto is on top in guard.

Volto working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Volto wants to control from the top but Hanayama keeps moving.

Hanayama is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Volto rolls with it to try and escape but Hanayama cranks on the arm and Volto is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Kaoru Hanayama!
Kaoru Hanayama was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.