PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ken Yakashami (ranked 4477 p4p, 4529 weight class) and Ken Tsai (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.

Yakashami
vs
Tsai

180 cm
21
145
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
140
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ken Yakashami!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ken Tsai!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tsai throws a push kick but Yakashami slaps the foot to one side.
Tsai looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Yakashami has closed the distance and engaged Tsai in a clinch.
Yakashami has Tsai pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Tsai manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Tsai fails to pull guard.

Yakashami breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tsai shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Yakashami pinned against the cage. Yakashami gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Yakashami gets a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tsai gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Yakashami regains guard.

Tsai thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tsai being controlled here momentarily.
Yakashami looking to control.
Tsai's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Yakashami wants to get back to his feet but Tsai is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Yakashami keeping moving, preventing Tsai from controlling successfully.

Yakashami is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

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.

Tsai thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Yakashami looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tsai is one step ahead there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Yakashami has Tsai up against the cage in a clinch.
Tsai jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Yakashami walks away with a smile on his face. Tsai gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ken Yakashami has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ken Tsai.
Tsai tries for a takedown but Yakashami circles away easily
letting Yakashami counter with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yakashami closes the distance and clinches up with Tsai, looking for a takedown. Yakashami pushes Tsai against the cage but Tsai circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Yakashami really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Yakashami gets a clinch.

Yakashami manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Yakashami keeping moving, preventing Tsai from controlling successfully.
Tsai postures up.

Yakashami is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Yakashami knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tsai on the ground.
Tsai slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Yakashami throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tsai engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Tsai advances position into side control!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yakashami tries to buck Tsai off but Tsai is having none of it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Yakashami dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tsai has a takedown stuffed.
Yakashami is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Yakashami fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Yakashami plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Tsai misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tsai fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Yakashami to the ground. Tsai is now in Yakashami's guard.
Yakashami wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Tsai manages to pass to side control.

Yakashami wants to control but Tsai is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tsai perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Tsai trying to control from half guard but Yakashami is working away.
Yakashami is looking to improve his position.

Tsai is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Yakashami has managed to free his arm - good work.
Tsai looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

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.
Yakashami wants to control but Tsai is keeping busy.

Tsai is trying to work for a kimura but Yakashami is defending well.

Yakashami actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tsai is looking to take a break and control but Yakashami is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Yakashami looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Tsai is trying to work for a kimura but Yakashami is defending well.
Tsai performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Yakashami is looking to control Tsai's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Yakashami avoid being mounted?
Tsai trying to control from Yakashami's half guard. Yakashami has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Yakashami being controlled here, momentarily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yakashami managing to control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Tsai 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!

Tsai shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Tsai showed some decent athleticism there.
Tsai sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Yakashami wants to improve his position but Tsai is controlling well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tsai is trying to control the action in half guard but Yakashami is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yakashami tries to get to full guard but Tsai has control of the leg.
Tsai keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Tsai is looking to take a break and control but Yakashami is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Yakashami is defending against the submission attempts here by Tsai.
Yakashami is looking for a sweep. Tsai is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Yakashami is looking to control Tsai's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Yakashami avoid being mounted?
Tsai seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Yakashami preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Tsai slaps away a takedown attempt from Yakashami, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Tsai shoots and misses
and Yakashami counters with an outside leg kick.
Yakashami looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tsai is fending him off so far but Yakashami persists. Nope, Tsai circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tsai misses with a takedown attempt
and Yakashami counters with a right hand to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yakashami fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Tsai avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ken Yakashami. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yakashami fails with a takedown attempt.

Tsai looking to score a takedown here. Yakashami is defending well but Tsai drives through and ends up in Yakashami's guard.

Yakashami pushes Tsai off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Tsai drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tsai drops back looking for a leg! Yakashami is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Yakashami manages to kick Tsai off! Tsai jumps back into Yakashami's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yakashami keeping moving, preventing Tsai from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tsai sitting in guard here, content to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ken Tsai.
I think Tsai has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for Ken Tsai!
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight for Ken Yakashami!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Ken Tsai!

Ken Tsai wins by split decision!