PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Island Boy Jim (ranked 1889 p4p, 1814 weight class) and Hirata Hitoshi (ranked 238 p4p, 229 weight class). Hirata Hitoshi has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Island Boy Jim's chin.

Jim
vs
Hitoshi

183 cm
25
166
5 - 2 - 0

173 cm
27
157
7 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Seventh Circle Clothing

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Island Boy Jim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hirata Hitoshi!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Tiny Johnson and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hitoshi tries to sprawl but Jim drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Hitoshi is controlling Jim's trapped leg to prevent Jim from advancing to side control.

Jim seems to be looking for submissions.
Jim tries to pass to full mount but Hitoshi defends it.
Hitoshi is not content to let Jim control the position.

Jim is working for a kimura but Hitoshi is defending it quite comfortably.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hitoshi is defending against the submission attempts here by Jim.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hitoshi preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

Jim is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Hitoshi to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jim wants to control from the top but Hitoshi keeps moving.
Hitoshi has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Hitoshi can't keep his opponent in guard - Jim advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Jim is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Jim is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Hitoshi!
Hitoshi is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hitoshi is squirming around, avoiding Jim's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hitoshi is trying to escape the mount.
Jim fails to advance to Hitoshi's back.

Hitoshi defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Jim.
Jim throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Jim goes for an armbar but Hitoshi turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Hitoshi.
Hitoshi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Jim works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jim controls Hitoshi momentarily but Hitoshi frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jim is adopting a defensive guard.
Hitoshi working some strikes from top position.
Jim is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Jim looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Hitoshi wants to control from the top but Jim keeps moving.
Jim wants to sweep but no luck.
Jim not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hitoshi throws a strike but Jim rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Jim trying to control but Hitoshi is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Island Boy Jim dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Jim avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jim shoots in for a double leg but Hitoshi sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Jim circles away from the clinch attempt.
Island Boy Jim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jim darts in looking for a takedown but Hitoshi gets double underhooks and turns Jim into the cage.
Jim blocks an uppercut.
Hitoshi has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Jim avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Hitoshi fails to land.
Jim blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Jim is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hitoshi can do to turn this around?

Hitoshi tightens his grip and picks Jim up, before dumping him to the ground. Jim manages to land in guard.
Hitoshi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jim is controlling Hitoshi's posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hitoshi connects with a couple of short punches.
Hitoshi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jim is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hitoshi is in close to Jim's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hitoshi works over Jim with some ground and pound from guard.
Hitoshi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Jim looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hitoshi is one step ahead there.
Jim is trying to control the position but Hitoshi postures up.
Hitoshi working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Jim's head.
Island Boy Jim overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Jim pulls Hitoshi in close to prevent any damage.
Jim is trying to control the position but Hitoshi postures up.
Hitoshi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hitoshi landing some decent shots from guard.
Hitoshi postures up.
Jim controlling the position.
Hitoshi working some strikes from top position.

It looks like Island Boy Jim has been cut.
Hitoshi lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Jim trying to control the position.
Jim is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Hitoshi is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Hitoshi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Jim looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jim is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Hitoshi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Jim works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jim seems keen to control Hitoshi's posture.
Hitoshi postures up and lands a big shot to Jim's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hitoshi makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Jim is trying to control the position but Hitoshi postures up.
Hitoshi connects with a couple of short punches.
Jim avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hitoshi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Jim tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hitoshi trying to control but Jim is working from the bottom.
Jim is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hitoshi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hitoshi's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hitoshi scoring with punches to the head and body.
Jim tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hitoshi stands up over Jim, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Jim working a defensive guard here.
Hitoshi landing with the ground and pound.

Jim is rocked!
Hitoshi postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Oh Jim is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hitoshi working some strikes from top position.
Jim working a defensive guard here.

Jim is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Jim trying to control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hirata Hitoshi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Island Boy Jim's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hitoshi throws a jab but it's blocked by Jim.
Jim seems to have got his legs back now.

Hitoshi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Hitoshi misses with the head strike.
Jim jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hitoshi walks away with a smile on his face. Jim gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Jim closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hitoshi circles away.
Jim will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hitoshi swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Island Boy Jim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hitoshi fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jim fails with a takedown attempt.

Jim looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Hitoshi!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hitoshi stops Jim from passing to mount.
Jim laying and praying for a moment but Hitoshi takes advantage and regains half guard.
Hitoshi works his way to full guard. Good work.
Jim stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hitoshi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hitoshi is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Jim looking to sit in guard and control but Hitoshi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Hitoshi lands a couple of elbows.
Jim controls Hitoshi momentarily but Hitoshi frees himself.
Jim tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Jim preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hitoshi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hitoshi is looking to work some ground and pound but Jim has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Jim is on top in guard.

Jim pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hitoshi is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jim is looking to advance position but Hitoshi has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Hitoshi looking to finish Jim with some ground and pound. This is bad for Jim!
Jim in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Jim holds of for dear life.
Hitoshi raining down shots from the mount!

Jim is rocked!

Island Boy Jim's cut is getting worse.
Hitoshi working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Oh Jim is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Island Boy Jim's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Hitoshi cracks Jim with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hirata Hitoshi!
During a confident post fight interview, Hirata Hitoshi thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.