PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Yudai Kitamura (ranked 5301 p4p, 4902 weight class) and Fire Truck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Yudai Kitamura has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Kitamura
vs
Truck

173 cm
18
145
2 - 1 - 0

178 cm
23
155
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yudai Kitamura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Fire Truck!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good leg kick by Kitamura.
Truck takes one to the side of the head.
Truck doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kitamura counters with a left and a right that stings Truck.
Kitamura throws a quick inside leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kitamura.
Kitamura throws a nice inside leg kick.

Kitamura gets tackled into the cage by Truck. Truck maintains the clinch.
Truck tries to break the clinch but Kitamura is controlling the position.
Truck is looking for a takedown.
Kitamura wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Truck has him pressed against the cage.
Truck is trying to pull guard but Kitamura has him pressed against the cage.
Yudai Kitamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fire Truck.
Kitamura wants to break free but Truck has control.
Truck has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kitamura is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Truck is trying to drag Kitamura to the mat but Kitamura just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Truck has Kitamura pressed against the cage, preventing Kitamura from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Truck is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kitamura is defending well for now.
Truck wants to take the fight to the mat but Kitamura manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Truck wants to take the fight to the mat but Kitamura manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Truck holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Truck tries to score a body lock takedown but Kitamura shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Truck has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Kitamura uses from the top position.
Kitamura wants to stand but Truck has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kitamura trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Truck is trying to control the position but Kitamura postures up.
Kitamura wants to stand but Truck is controlling his posture from full guard.
Truck is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kitamura has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Truck is proving hard to escape from.
Truck is trying to keep Kitamura in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Truck on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kitamura. Kitamura obviously looking to wear him down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A low kick lands for Kitamura.
Kitamura connects with a looping right hand.
Kitamura lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Truck fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kitamura sprawls well initially but Truck persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Truck not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Truck working the head and body with strikes.
Ground and pound from Truck.

Truck decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Kitamura falls off balance throwing a combination

and Truck counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Kitamura!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kitamura on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Truck stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Kitamura is breathing heavily.

Truck shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Kitamura manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Truck passes into half guard.
Truck looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Kitamura has hold of Truck's hands but Truck slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Truck seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Kitamura pushes Truck off looking to stand but Truck dives back in and keeps control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Yudai Kitamura 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.

Truck uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kitamura.
Kitamura looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Truck fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kitamura, pushing him back against the cage.
Truck is trying to drag Kitamura to the mat but Kitamura just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Truck has Kitamura pushed against the cage.
Truck looking to throw knees to the head but Kitamura is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Truck manages to break the clinch.
Kitamura dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Truck. That did some damage!
Kitamura stuffs the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Truck looks for a takedown but Kitamura sprawls well.
Yudai Kitamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fire Truck.
Truck is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Kitamura turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Kitamura.
Kitamura swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Truck.
Kitamura misses with a series of wild punches.
Kitamura thows a leg kick but Truck checks it

and Truck counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Truck.

Kitamura is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Truck presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Truck can't get the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kitamura breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice shot by Kitamura.
Truck throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kitamura's waist but Kitamura gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Truck off to one side.
Kitamura seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Truck takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Kitamura is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Truck can do to turn this around?
Truck has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Truck doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Kitamura counter with a right hand.
Kitamura lands a nice leg kick that just misses Truck's sensitive parts.
Nice takedown defense from Kitamura. No joy for Truck on that attempt.
Yudai Kitamura is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Truck is breathing heavily.

Truck throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Kitamura was covering up waiting for the punch and Truck finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Truck throwing strikes from guard but Kitamura blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Truck is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Truck trying to control but Kitamura is working from the bottom.
Truck throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kitamura works some decent striking defense 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.
Truck postures up and lands a big shot to Kitamura's brow.
Truck lands a couple of digs.

Kitamura scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Truck with a poor takedown
and Kitamura counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Kitamura looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Truck on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Truck fails with the takedown
letting Kitamura counter with a right hand.

Truck closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Yudai Kitamura dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Truck shoots for a takedown but Kitamura saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kitamura lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Truck changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kitamura tries to avoid it but Truck manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kitamura to the ground. Kitamura escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kitamura lands a leg kick that knocks Truck off balance momentarily.
Kitamura walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Truck checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Kitamura darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Truck tries to clinch there but Kitamura circles away.
Kitamura went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Kitamura with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kitamura throws a one two combo.
Truck tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kitamura sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Truck somewhat.
Yudai Kitamura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fire Truck.
Truck takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kitamura turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Truck has Kitamura up against the cage in a clinch.
Kitamura prevents a takedown attempt there.
Kitamura wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Kitamura avoids a wild elbow strike from Truck.
Truck tries for a takedown but Kitamura manages to get underhooks.

Kitamura breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Kitamura.

Truck closes the distance and pushes Kitamura back into the cage.
Truck keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kitamura's efforts to push away.
Truck drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kitamura gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kitamura tries to break the clinch but Truck is controlling the position.
Truck has Kitamura pressed against the cage, preventing Kitamura from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Kitamura tries to break the clinch but Truck is controlling the position.

Kitamura breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Truck gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Kitamura escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Truck moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Truck on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kitamura. Kitamura obviously looking to wear him down.
Truck tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Kitamura defends well and Truck ends up having to push Kitamura into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

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

Kitamura throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Truck looks for a takedown but Kitamura sprawls well.
Yudai Kitamura is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Truck has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kitamura.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kitamura tried to score with a low kick but Truck checks it.
Good work by Truck as he checks the leg kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Truck is defended easily by Kitamura.
Yudai Kitamura is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kitamura turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kitamura looks to land a combination. Truck sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Fire Truck has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Truck fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Kitamura tried to counter with a leg kick but Truck avoided it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yudai Kitamura showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kitamura, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yudai Kitamura!
In his post fight interview, Yudai Kitamura started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.