PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Mike (ranked 4288 p4p, 4275 weight class) and Yagi Takafumi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Mike
vs
Takafumi

180 cm
18
154
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
155
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Mike!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yagi Takafumi!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Gregory Folan and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takafumi delivers a nice body kick.
Takafumi blocks a head kick by Mike.
A looping hook to the body misses from Takafumi. Mike does a little dance to reset his feet.
Takafumi digs a good hook to Mike's body.
Yagi Takafumi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mike avoids a kick to the body.
Takafumi throws a sloppy head kick and Mike moves out of range easily.
Nice body punch from Takafumi.
Mike takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Takafumi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Takafumi connects with a solid leg kick.
Takafumi lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Takafumi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takafumi stuns Mike with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Mike closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Mike prevents Takafumi from improving his position.
Mike wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mike is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Takafumi is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mike scores with a couple of nice shots.
Mike is keen to just control but Takafumi is a slippery customer.
Takafumi tries to get to full guard but Mike has control of the leg.

Takafumi is defending against the submission attempts here by Mike.

That's two 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.
Takafumi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Takafumi is not content to let Mike control the position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Mike not doing much here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Takafumi connects with a body shot that sends Mike's belly button to the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takafumi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Takafumi moves in looking to clinch but Mike pushes him off.
Takafumi connects with a solid leg kick.

Takafumi has Mike up against the cage in a clinch.
Mike wants to take the fight to the mat but Takafumi manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Takafumi works on Mike's body with a couple of short punches.
Takafumi stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Mike is breathing heavily.
Takafumi leaning his opponent against the cage.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
A head punch on the inside from Mike fails to land.
Takafumi connects with a knee to the head.

Mike manages to break the clinch.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Takafumi enables Mike to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Takafumi manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Mike wants to control from the top but Takafumi keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takafumi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takafumi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mike is in trouble now - Takafumi has advanced to mount!
Takafumi looking to control but Mike is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Takafumi is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Mike on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Mike goes for a double leg but Takafumi avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Takafumi continues to drive forward.

Takafumi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Takafumi throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Takafumi stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Takafumi wants it to stay on the feet.
Mike avoids the head kick by Takafumi.
John Mike is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mike tries to clinch but Takafumi is having none of it.
Takafumi lands with a thumping leg kick.
Takafumi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Mike fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Takafumi tries a quick counter leg kick but Mike is wise to it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Mike. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mike takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mike takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Yagi Takafumi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mike is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Takafumi.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takafumi slaps away a takedown attempt from Mike, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Takafumi feints a counter leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mike steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Takafumi. That one must have hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takafumi jabs at Mike's body.
Takafumi throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Mike.
Takafumi scores with a kick to the body.
Takafumi connects with a body shot.
Takafumi buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Takafumi bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Takafumi lands with a slapping head kick.
A shot to the liver by Takafumi. Beautiful body shot.
Takafumi chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Takafumi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takafumi is trying to stall.
Takafumi with a knee to the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Takafumi.
Mike letting Takafumi take a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takafumi using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mike has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Takafumi is leaning against Mike and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

Takafumi breaks from the clinch.
Mike has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Takafumi.
Takafumi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Takafumi throws a head kick that misses.

Takafumi closes the distance and pushes Mike back into the cage.
Mike tries to pull guard but Takafumi holds him up against the cage and eventually Mike drops back down to his feet.
Takafumi lands a good knee to the midsection. Mike won't want to take too many of those.
Takafumi trying to control the position but instead, Mike has worked for underhooks and has pushed Takafumi into the cage.

Takafumi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mike will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Takafumi.
Takafumi feints and then cracks Mike's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Mike down.
Yagi Takafumi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Takafumi pushes Mike away with a front kick.
Mike tries to clinch there but Takafumi circles away.

Takafumi pushes Mike up against the cage in a clinch.

Takafumi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Takafumi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Takafumi blocks the body kick.
Takafumi tries to clinch but Mike moves out of range.
Takafumi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Mike doesn't seem bothered though.
Takafumi lands with a thumping leg kick.
Takafumi throws a head kick that Mike semi-blocks.
Takafumi misses with a body shot.
Mike moves out of range as Takafumi throws a body kick.
Mike uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Takafumi.
Mike drops down looking for a counter takedown but Takafumi sprawls and moves away.
Takafumi lands with a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mike moves into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A left hand lands to the body for Takafumi.
Mike takes a knee to the side of the body.

Takafumi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Takafumi lands with a good body shot.
Takafumi jabs at Mike's body.
Takafumi is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Mike rather than just go for the knockout.

Takafumi gets a clinch.
Mike takes a knee to the side of the body.
Takafumi lands a body shot.
Takafumi lands a shot to the body.
Takafumi stalling against the cage.
Takafumi putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Mike in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Takafumi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mike goes for a takedown attempt but Takafumi pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Yagi Takafumi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Takafumi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Takafumi throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Takafumi throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mike's head.
Mike tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Takafumi gets caught flat footed, as Mike shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Mike sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Takafumi's guard.
Takafumi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Well, if Mike is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Mike trying to control from Takafumi's half guard. Takafumi has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mike is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Takafumi is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Takafumi has escaped and now he's on top!

Takafumi throws a big elbow that misses.
Takafumi wants to stand and escape but instead Mike has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Mike's corner is telling him to maintain position.
John Mike overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mike trying to control the position from guard on top but Takafumi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mike wants to pass the guard but Takafumi is keeping the position.
Mike wants to get up but he can't break Takafumi's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Mike postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Takafumi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mike. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mike wants to pass the guard but Takafumi is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mike has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Takafumi is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takafumi keeping moving, preventing Mike from controlling successfully.
Mike postures up and lands a big shot to Takafumi's brow.
Mike advances position into side control!

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.
Mike wants to control but Takafumi is keeping him busy.
Mike looks up at the clock and then as Takafumi takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Mike smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Takafumi pushes Mike away with a front kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Good leg kick by Takafumi.
Takafumi lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Takafumi changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
John Mike has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yagi Takafumi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Takafumi throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yagi Takafumi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Takafumi winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 William Peck scores the fight 26:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 26:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yagi Takafumi!