PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hiroshi Papo (ranked 2876 p4p, 2821 weight class) and Darrion Vaughn (ranked 160 p4p, 156 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Papo
vs
Vaughn

160 cm
30
140
5 - 5 - 1

165 cm
31
140
10 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

PWNAGE

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 5 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiroshi Papo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Darrion Vaughn!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Papo fails to land the takedown.
Vaughn stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Vaughn wants it to stay on the feet.
Vaughn scores with a decent looking hook.

Papo is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Vaughn's half guard.
Papo 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.
Papo landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Papo is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Papo is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Vaughn!
Papo with shots to the head and body - Vaughn looks very uncomfortable down there.
Papo controlling his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaughn is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Papo looking to control and managing it successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Papo with good strikes from the mount here!
Papo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Papo controlling the pace for now.
Vaughn blocking the ground and pound.
Papo controlling from mount.
Papo lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Papo controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Papo in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Poor strikes thrown by Papo there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

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.
Vaughn tries to buck Papo off but he can't manage it.
Vaughn holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Papo tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Papo content just to control the position here.

Vaughn bucks up and throws Papo to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vaughn fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Vaughn scores with a jab. Papo acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Papo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Vaughn swivels and escapes.
Vaughn connects with a body shot.
Papo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Vaughn sprawls well. Vaughn wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Papo gets slowly back to his feet.
Papo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hiroshi Papo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Papo shoots in looking for a takedown but Vaughn manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Papo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Vaughn scores with a jab to the jaw.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Papo is defended easily by Vaughn.
Vaughn lunges at Papo with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Papo's hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vaughn throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Vaughn lands a lovely overhand right.
Vaughn cracks a nice hook into Papo's ribs.
Papo on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Papo closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Vaughn to the mat! Vaughn manages to get full guard.
Papo controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papo has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Papo keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Vaughn's head.
Papo stays in close to Vaughn's body and controls the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Papo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Vaughn circles away.
Darrion Vaughn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jab, jab by Vaughn - just one landing.
Vaughn takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Papo is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Papo gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Vaughn.
Vaughn pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Papo back to the cage. Vaughn follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Vaughn has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vaughn pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Papo on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Papo takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Vaughn misses with a double jab.
A combination from Vaughn does no damage.
Vaughn misses with a series of wild punches.
Vaughn digs a good body shot into Papo's ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Papo looks for a takedown but Vaughn sprawls well.
Vaughn paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Papo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Vaughn sprawls well. Vaughn wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Papo gets slowly back to his feet.

Papo fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Vaughn to the ground. Papo is now in Vaughn's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vaughn can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Papo controls the pace.
Papo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Papo distracts Vaughn with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Vaughn wants to stand and escape but Papo is having none of it.
Hiroshi Papo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Papo is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Darrion Vaughn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Vaughn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A lazy left from Vaughn finds it's target.
Papo dives in for a single leg takedown but Vaughn sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Papo lands a takedown into guard.
Papo controlling from the top position.
Papo postures up in Vaughn's guard and throws a big left but Vaughn blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Papo prevents Vaughn from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Papo slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papo is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Papo throwing strikes but missing.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Hiroshi Papo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Papo has a takedown stuffed.
Vaughn pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Papo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Vaughn circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hiroshi Papo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vaughn lands a nice looking body shot.
Papo dives in for a single leg takedown but Vaughn sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Vaughn gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Papo.
Papo drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Vaughn gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Papo changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Vaughn fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Vaughn misses with a leg kick.
Papo goes for a double leg but Vaughn avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Vaughn continues to drive forward.
Vaughn gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Papo.
Papo wants a takedown but no success here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Vaughn breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vaughn throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nice body punch from Vaughn.
Vaughn scores with a hook.
Vaughn lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Papo at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Papo takes one to the side of the head.
Nice takedown defense from Vaughn. No joy for Papo on that attempt.
Papo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Vaughn as he jumps to the side.
Vaughn's corner calls for a 1-2. Vaughn obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Nice uppercut there from Vaughn.
Papo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And Vaughn tries to counter it with a takedown but Papo pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Papo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Vaughn lands with a good body shot.
A shot to the liver by Vaughn. Beautiful body shot.
Darrion Vaughn seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Vaughn lands a nice shot that snaps Papo's head back.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Papo is defended easily by Vaughn.
Vaughn lands a jab to the nose.
Vaughn lands a jab-cross combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vaughn dips to his left and cracks Papo with an uppercut!
Nice uppercut there from Vaughn.
A clash of legs there as Papo blocks the low kick.
Vaughn misses with a kick to the body.
Vaughn bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Vaughn misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Vaughn throws a sloppy head kick and Papo moves out of range easily.
Papo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Vaughn pinned against the cage. Vaughn gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Papo drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Vaughn is letting Papo control him for a moment.
Papo tries to move into full mount but can't pass Vaughn's legs.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darrion Vaughn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Vaughn has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darrion Vaughn!
A victorious Darrion Vaughn thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.