PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Takayama Yataro (ranked 3555 p4p, 22201 weight class) and Dirk Van Beest (ranked 0 p4p, 631 weight class). Dirk Van Beest will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Yataro
vs
Van Beest

163 cm
32
143
15 - 6 - 0

186 cm
28
146
0 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Bear N Saints

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 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Takayama Yataro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dirk Van Beest!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Cecil Peabody and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The crowd cheers as Van Beest lands an impressive looking overhand right. Yataro doesn't seem phased though.
Yataro displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Van Beest throws out the jab.
Yataro thuds his right hand into Van Beest's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Van Beest keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Van Beest looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Van Beest throws a head kick but Yataro moves out of range.
Van Beest swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yataro drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Van Beest avoids the body shot from Yataro.
Yataro looks to land a left hand but Van Beest moved out of range nicely.
Van Beest looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Yataro throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Van Beest counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Van Beest jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Yataro avoids the head kick by Van Beest.
Dirk Van Beest seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yataro walks into a jab.
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!
Van Beest throws out a loose jab but Yataro uses good head movement to avoid it.
A quick step to the side and Yataro tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yataro cracks Van Beest with a good jab.
Van Beest slips under a jab.
Van Beest misses with an uppercut.
Yataro cracks Van Beest with a good jab.
Yataro on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yataro swings for the body but Van Beest moves out of range.
Yataro takes a swing at Van Beest's ribcage but misses.
Van Beest throws a big counter head kick but Yataro avoids it with no problem.
Van Beest connects with the punch.
Van Beest has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A looping hook to the body misses from Van Beest. Yataro does a little dance to reset his feet.
Van Beest moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Jab by Van Beest.
Van Beest lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Yataro at a distance.
Yataro misses the shot to the body.
Van Beest ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Van Beest is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Yataro pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Yataro takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Van Beest.
Van Beest misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yataro throwing a counter right hand but Van Beest manages to avoid it.
Yataro scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
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!
Yataro throws the left hand but Van Beest avoids the punch easily.
Van Beest is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Yataro had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Van Beest stuns Yataro with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Van Beest uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Yataro.
Van Beest feints a counter leg kick.
Yataro jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest misses with a left hand
and Yataro connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Van Beest has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
A big left from Yataro misses.
Van Beest misses the shot to the body.
Yataro ducks under a wild hook from Van Beest.
Van Beest throws an overhand right that lands on Yataro's shoulder, as Yataro tries to avoid the shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Yataro misses the target.
Van Beest keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yataro.
Van Beest cracks Yataro with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Van Beest misses with a few strikes there.
Yataro throws out a loose jab but Van Beest uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Beest throws an overhand right that lands on Yataro's shoulder, as Yataro tries to avoid the shot.
Yataro lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Van Beest steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Yataro.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Van Beest! But no joy.

Van Beest closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Van Beest.
Yataro takes a shot to the head.
Van Beest misses with some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yataro swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Beest uses good head movement to avoid it.
A body shot lands from Yataro.
Van Beest is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
A head punch on the inside from Van Beest fails to land.
Van Beest blocks an uppercut.
Yataro lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Van Beest prevents a body shot from Yataro.
Van Beest misses with the head strike.
Yataro lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Van Beest lands an elbow just above Yataro 's eye.
Yataro doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Van Beest misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nice body punch from Van Beest.
Yataro working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Van Beest misses with a knee to the head.
Yataro swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Van Beest breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yataro looks to score with a jab to the body but Van Beest is just out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Yataro misses the target.
Van Beest stuns Yataro with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Beest scores with a jab to the body.
Van Beest is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Nice cross by Van Beest.
A head kick by Van Beest misses
and Yataro counters with a stiff right hand.
Yataro throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
As Yataro backs off Van Beest throws a huge counter combo but Yataro manages to avoid it all.
Van Beest ducks under a wild hook from Yataro.
Yataro ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Van Beest misses with a head kick.
A big right from Yataro misses.
Van Beest scores with a sloppy right hand. Yataro should have avoided that one.
Nice shot by Yataro.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Van Beest steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Yataro.
Van Beest throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Yataro counters with a nice body shot.
Van Beest throws a hook but Yataro blocks it.
Van Beest moves out of range as Yataro strikes.
Van Beest only half commits to the counter leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dirk Van Beest will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Yataro on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Van Beest throws a low kick, looking for Yataro's leg but Yataro calmly moves out of range.
Van Beest misses with a looping left.
Van Beest lands with a good body shot.
Yataro just misses with a punch to the body.
A nice side step and Van Beest releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Yataro just misses with a punch to the body.
A left lands for Van Beest.
Van Beest bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Yataro's head.
Van Beest is looking to slow Yataro down with leg kicks.
Van Beest moves out of range of the strikes.
Yataro scores with a hook.
Yataro gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Van Beest.
Yataro throws a big shot that misses.
Yataro throws the left hand but Van Beest avoids the punch easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van Beest connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Van Beest throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Van Beest swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Van Beest just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Beest misses with a jab to the body
and Yataro counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Van Beest fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Yataro, pushing him back against the cage.
Van Beest lands a right hand.
Yataro scores with a shoulder strike.
Van Beest blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Van Beest tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Yataro's elbow.
Van Beest lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Yataro throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Van Beest misses with a punch on the inside.
Van Beest misses with a hook from the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Yataro as the two fighters clinch.
Van Beest misses with a body punch.
Van Beest goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yataro tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Van Beest breaks the clinch.
Yataro throws a body shot but no joy.
Van Beest throws a right and a left that Yataro avoids nicely.
Yataro works the jab nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yataro defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Van Beest.
Decent striking displayed by Van Beest there.
A head kick by Van Beest misses
and Yataro makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Van Beest moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Yataro loads up on a big right hand but Van Beest slips the punch.
Van Beest looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Yataro throws a shot from downtown. Van Beest moves away and avoids it.
Van Beest staying out of range there.
A jab from Van Beest misses.
Van Beest swings widly with a right hand
and Yataro cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Van Beest lands a jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Van Beest. Yataro does a little dance to reset his feet.
Van Beest misses the jab.
Yataro avoids a punch combination nicely.
Van Beest connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Van Beest throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Yataro counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Yataro.
Yataro throws a looping overhand right but Van Beest ducks down to avoid it.
Van Beest fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Yataro misses with a straight right.
Yataro lands with an overhand left.
Yataro misses with a wild body shot.
Yataro jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Dirk Van Beest seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nice shot lands for Van Beest.
Takayama Yataro is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Van Beest connects with a crisp jab.
Van Beest fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Yataro on the side of the head.
Van Beest misses the shot to the body.
Van Beest looks to land a left hand but Yataro moved out of range nicely.
A jab from Yataro finds it's way through Van Beest's defenses.
Yataro scores with a jab to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yataro throws a hook to the side of Van Beest's head but Van Beest sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Van Beest's jab looks to have found its range, popping Yataro under the eye.
Van Beest misses with a leg kick
enabling Yataro to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yataro throws an off balance right hand
and Van Beest cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Van Beest throws a lazy head kick
and Yataro counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Nice defenses there by Yataro.
Van Beest works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Yataro throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Van Beest on the side of the head.
A big left from Yataro misses.
Van Beest moves away from the strike by Yataro.
Van Beest takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Van Beest is rocked!
Yataro looks to land a left hand but Van Beest moved out of range nicely.
Van Beest tries to counter by closing the distance.
Van Beest is still on wobbly legs! Can Yataro finish him?
Yataro throws out a loose jab but Van Beest uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Beest seems to have recovered his senses.
Van Beest fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Yataro on the side of the head.
Van Beest misses with a straight left.
Yataro misses with a looping left.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yataro throws a shot from downtown. Van Beest moves away and avoids it.
Van Beest scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Yataro doesn't seem bothered though.
The fighters circling - Yataro throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Van Beest misses with a straight right.
It looked like Yataro wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dirk Van Beest will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Yataro misses with a looping right.
Yataro swats away the attempt to clinch by Van Beest.
Van Beest misses with an uppercut. Yataro saw that one coming.
Van Beest connects with a solid leg kick.

Van Beest gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Yataro misses with a punch on the inside.
Yataro swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Beest uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Yataro.
A short right from Yataro.
Yataro lands with a short shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yataro lands a left hand.

Yataro breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Beest throws a series of punches but Yataro moves out of range.
Yataro has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Yataro there as he acknowledges the shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yataro misses with a hook. Van Beest ducked under it nicely.
Yataro swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Beest throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Van Beest waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Yataro.
Yataro throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Van Beest misses with a hook.
Van Beest avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Van Beest fails with an attempt to clinch.
Yataro slips under a jab from Van Beest.
Yataro tests Van Beest's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Van Beest lands a high kick!
Van Beest tries to clinch but Yataro is having none of it.
Yataro slips a jab and a cross from Van Beest.
Van Beest paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Van Beest thows a left - swing and a miss!
Van Beest pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Yataro throws an overhand right that lands on Van Beest's shoulder, as Van Beest tries to avoid the shot.
Van Beest throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Van Beest looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A low kick from Van Beest misses
and Yataro counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yataro throws an overhand right that lands on Van Beest's shoulder, as Van Beest tries to avoid the shot.
Van Beest throws an overhand right that lands on Yataro's shoulder, as Yataro tries to avoid the shot.
Van Beest tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Yataro paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Van Beest misses with a hook.
Van Beest throws a leg kick but Yataro sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Van Beest staying out of range there.
A good leg kick by Van Beest.
Van Beest moves away from the strike by Yataro.
Van Beest moves in looking to clinch but Yataro pushes him off.
A big left from Yataro misses.
Yataro throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A head kick by Van Beest misses
and Yataro counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Yataro throws a hook but Van Beest avoids it easily.
Van Beest is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest darts in looking for a takedown but Yataro gets double underhooks and turns Van Beest into the cage.
Yataro looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Van Beest misses with a head kick.
Van Beest takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Van Beest throws a predictable looking body shot
and Yataro counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Yataro throws a hook but Van Beest avoids it easily.
Van Beest shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Yataro as he avoids it easily.
Van Beest looks to clinch
and Van Beest takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Van Beest takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Van Beest takes one to the chin there.
Van Beest misses with a looping left.
Yataro takes a swing at Van Beest's ribcage but misses.
Van Beest throws a body punch but Yataro moves out of range.
A slow jab from Yataro misses its intended target.
Yataro misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Van Beest.
Van Beest tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Van Beest misses with an uppercut
enabling Yataro to counter with a crisp jab.
Van Beest uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yataro.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Beest lunges at Yataro with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Yataro's hand.
Yataro pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Yataro keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Van Beest moves away from the strike by Yataro.
Yataro throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Van Beest displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yataro throws out the jab.
Yataro misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Van Beest.
Dirk Van Beest is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Yataro waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Van Beest.
Van Beest misses with a body punch
and Yataro counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Van Beest rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Yataro counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Van Beest thinking.
Van Beest misses with a looping right.
Van Beest scores with a jab.
Van Beest moves in looking to clinch but Yataro pushes him off.
Yataro pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Yataro throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Takayama Yataro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Van Beest scores with a jab. Yataro acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takayama Yataro showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Van Beest 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dirk Van Beest!
After winning the bout, Dirk Van Beest thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.