PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jeferson Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kohici Ishigawa (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.

Santos
vs
Ishigawa

170 cm
22
171 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jeferson Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kohici Ishigawa!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Ren Mimura and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos wants to clinch up but Ishigawa keeps it at a distance.

Ishigawa shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Ishigawa was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santos looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Santos looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Ishigawa trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Santos doesn't escape.
Santos tries to escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishigawa biding his time, controlling Santos.
Santos trying to control the hands but Ishigawa won't let him.
Ishigawa trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Santos doesn't escape.
Santos is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Santos 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.
Ishigawa controlling the position well here. Santos rolled but Ishigawa kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

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.
Santos controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Ishigawa controlling from the back.

Despite being in the dominant position, Kohici Ishigawa just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Santos tries to clinch up.
Santos throws a right and a left that both miss.

Ishigawa gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Santos could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Ishigawa gets control of Santos's arms and successfully pulls guard. Ishigawa will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Santos preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos wants to control from the top but Ishigawa keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ishigawa holds on and takes a little breather.
Santos wants to control from the top but Ishigawa keeps moving.
Santos controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ishigawa holds on and takes a little breather.
Ishigawa has a closed guard, preventing Santos from standing up.

That's four 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.
Santos has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ishigawa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Santos trying to control but Ishigawa is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Ishigawa closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ishigawa blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ishigawa misses with a knee to the head.
Ishigawa looks gassed!
Santos wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Santos is trying to stall.
Santos tries to pull guard but Ishigawa won't allow it.

Ishigawa manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kohici Ishigawa dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Santos wants to clinch

and Ishigawa counters by moving into the clinch.

Ishigawa gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Ishigawa is stalling in the full guard.
Santos is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ishigawa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Santos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Santos is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ishigawa stopping the sweep attempt from Santos.
Santos looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Ishigawa puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Ishigawa is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishigawa wants to control but Santos is keeping him busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Well, if Ishigawa 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.
Ishigawa wants to take a breather but Santos is having none of it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Santos throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Ishigawa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Santos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Santos clinches but Ishigawa breaks the clinch

and Ishigawa moves into the clinch.
Santos is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Santos has Ishigawa pressed against the cage.

Ishigawa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Santos closes the distance looking to clinch

and Ishigawa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Ishigawa breaks from the clinch.
Santos fails with the takedown.
Jeferson Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santos closes the distance but Ishigawa moves to the side

and Ishigawa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Santos's guard.
Santos is adopting a defensive guard.
Ishigawa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Santos wants to stand and escape but Ishigawa is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ishigawa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Santos closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ishigawa circles away.

Ishigawa shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Santos is trying to stand back up but Ishigawa is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ishigawa wants to pass the guard but Santos is defending well.
Ishigawa prevents Santos from improving his position.
Still in half guard, Ishigawa seems content to control.
Ishigawa wants to take a breather but Santos is having none of it.
Santos might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Santos trying to control here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ishigawa stuffs the takedown attempt from Santos. Santos gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeferson Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ishigawa lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Santos at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kohici Ishigawa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Ishigawa tries to clinch up

and Santos counters by moving into the clinch.
Ishigawa is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Santos wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ishigawa on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ishigawa fails to pull guard.
Santos lands a body shot in the clinch.
Santos is trying to break the clinch but Ishigawa has him pressed against the cage.

Ishigawa breaks from the clinch.

Ishigawa has Santos up against the cage in a clinch.
Santos stalling in the clinch but Ishigawa improves position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos digs a right hand underneath Ishigawa's ribcage. Ishigawa let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Santos prevents the takedown attempt.
Santos throws an elbow that misses.
Santos unloads a knee to the mid-section. Ishigawa lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Ishigawa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Santos walks away with a smile on his face. Ishigawa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Jeferson Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kohici Ishigawa.
Santos with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ishigawa counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Ishigawa circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos clinches but Ishigawa breaks the clinch

and Ishigawa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ishigawa.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Santos crunches a lovely knee into Ishigawa's ribcage.
Ishigawa drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Santos gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ishigawa managing to block the knees to the body from Santos.
Santos landing knees to the body.
Ishigawa misses with a knee to the head.
Santos is trying to maintain a safe position but Ishigawa gets an underhook and turns Santos into the cage.
Santos lands a right hand that snaps the head of Ishigawa backwards.
Santos tries to break the clinch but Ishigawa is controlling the position.
Ishigawa takes an elbow to the forehead.
Ishigawa on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Santos lands a nice shot to the body.
Ishigawa managing to block the knees to the body from Santos.
Santos is trying to break free.
Santos trying to stall but Ishigawa improves his position.
Ishigawa managing to block the knees to the body from Santos.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Ishigawa manages to break the clinch.

Santos has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ishigawa avoiding damage as Santos throws knees to the body.
Santos tries a knee to the head but Ishigawa blocks it.
Ishigawa blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Ishigawa pulls Santos into guard.

Ishigawa looking for a guillotine here but Santos defends easily.
Santos trying to control but Ishigawa is working from the bottom.
Santos wants to stand but Ishigawa has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Ishigawa looking for a sweep. Not yet Ishigawa, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos trying to control but Ishigawa is working from the bottom.
Ishigawa trying to control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Santos tries to close the distance and clinch but Ishigawa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ishigawa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Santos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Santos tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Ishigawa counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ishigawa has Santos pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Santos manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Santos scores a nice knee to the body.
Santos landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
A shot in the inside from Santos.
Santos looking to slow down the pace here.
Santos scores a nice knee to the body.
Santos landing knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ishigawa.
Ishigawa on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ishigawa wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Santos trying to land knees to the body.
Ishigawa wants to break free but Santos has control.
Santos wants to get back to striking at distance but Ishigawa won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Santos misses with some punches.
Santos is trying to maintain a safe position but Ishigawa gets an underhook and turns Santos into the cage.
Santos trying to land knees to the body.
Santos keeps control of Ishigawa as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Jeferson Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kohici Ishigawa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Ishigawa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Santos lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ishigawa circles away quickly and effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jeferson Santos.
Well Ishigawa has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kohici Ishigawa!