PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Eiji Oda (ranked 3147 p4p, 4560 weight class) and Thomas Carden (ranked 358 p4p, 454 weight class). Carden has chosen Simple Man as his entrance music. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Oda
vs
Carden

175 cm
22
165
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
20
165
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Eiji Oda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thomas Carden!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Gwen Towbar and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carden showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Oda.

Carden scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Carden scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Carden is thwarting Oda's attempts to control the position.
Oda regains full guard. Nicely done.
Carden looking to sit in guard and control but Oda gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Oda wants to control from the top but Carden keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Oda sitting in guard here, content to control.
Carden looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oda trying to control but Carden is working from the bottom.
Oda is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Carden is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Oda stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Carden swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Carden can do anything to dispel that myth.
Oda trying to control but Carden is working from the bottom.
Oda stopping the sweep attempt from Carden.
Carden keeps trying to improve his position.
Carden trying to control the position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Oda wants to control from the top but Carden keeps moving.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Oda thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Carden pulls Oda in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Carden rushes Oda and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Carden tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Carden has picked Oda up - he's going for a ride! Carden dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Carden trying to control the action but Oda is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Carden seems content to control.
Oda is staying active underneath Carden, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Oda gets full guard.
Carden postures up in Oda's guard and throws a big left but Oda blocks it.

Oda looking for a guillotine here but Carden defends easily.

Carden is posturing up here but Oda has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Carden tries to roll out but it's too tight and Carden has to tap! Slick submission there by Oda!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Eiji Oda!
Eiji Oda seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
The defeated Thomas Carden had this to say: 'It was a rough night out here, hats off to my opponent. Ima head back to the farm and get back to work. I ain't going out like this again. '.