PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Kelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jubei Yaguiu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kelly
vs
Yaguiu

179 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

185 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

[JMFC] Arashi Fighting Nutrition Q156 RECOVERY!
Fighters Nutrion Deluxe

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ricardo Kelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jubei Yaguiu!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Taro Takaoka and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kelly tries to clinch but Yaguiu moves out of range.
Yaguiu fails with the takedown.
A big head kick from Kelly and Yaguiu is sent sprawling to the canvas!

Yaguiu is rocked!

Kelly got a little sloppy there for a moment and Yaguiu has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kelly has managed to get both his arms back between Yaguiu's legs - danger averted.
Kelly pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yaguiu is keeping the position for now.

Yaguiu has an active guard here but Kelly has managed to pass into half guard.

Yaguiu looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Kelly stalling.

Kelly decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kelly doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Yaguiu counters with a shoot takedown. Kelly fights it but they end up in guard.
Kelly looking for a sweep. Not yet Kelly, not yet.
Yaguiu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kelly works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kelly wants to stand and escape but Yaguiu is having none of it.

Yaguiu drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Yaguiu jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Yaguiu looks gassed!
Kelly wants to sweep here but Yaguiu controlling him for the moment.
Kelly wants to stand and escape but Yaguiu is having none of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kelly misses with a takedown

and Yaguiu decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kelly's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yaguiu missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Yaguiu lands a couple of elbows.
Kelly looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yaguiu is one step ahead there.
Yaguiu pushing down on Kelly's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Yaguiu working over Kelly with some ground and pound. Kelly looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Yaguiu is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Kelly sees it coming and defends easily.
Kelly is looking for a sweep. Yaguiu is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Yaguiu has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Kelly is defending against the submission attempts here by Yaguiu.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Yaguiu is trying to work for a kimura but Kelly is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaguiu trying to mount his opponent but Kelly defends it.

Yaguiu is working for a submission of some sort.
Kelly is controlling Yaguiu's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Yaguiu drops an elbow to the side of Kelly's head.

Kelly makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kelly with a poor takedown

and Yaguiu decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kelly's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Kelly. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yaguiu trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kelly avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Yaguiu postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kelly is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Yaguiu, into his guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Yaguiu is on top in guard.

Yaguiu drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Kelly manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Yaguiu has Kelly in his guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yaguiu looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Kelly puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jubei Yaguiu dominated that round.
That's time! Kelly's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kelly tries to close the distance and clinch but Yaguiu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Yaguiu circles away from the clinch attempt.
Yaguiu blocks the body kick.
Kelly tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Yaguiu counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Yaguiu looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Kelly is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Yaguiu looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaguiu wants to pass the guard but Kelly is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kelly works his way to full guard. Good work.
Yaguiu throws a big right hand that misses.
Kelly wants to stand but Yaguiu is controlling the position.

Yaguiu is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Kelly is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Kelly has escaped and now he's on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kelly content to stall in guard here.

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.

Yaguiu is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kelly defends well.

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

Kelly gets to his feet. Yaguiu looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Kelly wants to clinch

and Yaguiu counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Yaguiu is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly wants to get back to his feet.

Yaguiu wants to work for an arm triangle but Kelly is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Yaguiu lands a nice short elbow.
Yaguiu sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kelly defending well though.
Kelly gets full guard.
Yaguiu chips away with some ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kelly is on top in guard.

Kelly decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Yaguiu, up you get!
Kelly wants to clinch but Yaguiu slips to the side

and Yaguiu counters with a shoot takedown. Kelly fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kelly bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Yaguiu's guard.

Yaguiu is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Yaguiu is looking for a triangle but Kelly pushes his legs off easily.

Kelly decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Kelly fails with the takedown

and Yaguiu counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yaguiu pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kelly is keeping the position for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kelly preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Yaguiu throws a big right hand that misses.
Yaguiu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kelly works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jubei Yaguiu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Kelly tries for a takedown but Yaguiu circles away easily

and Yaguiu counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Kelly!
Yaguiu has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kelly's face.
Kelly wants to control but Yaguiu is having none of it.

Yaguiu is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Kelly has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Kelly is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

Yaguiu goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Kelly is on top in guard.

Yaguiu is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kelly is aware though and is defending well.
Kelly trying to control but Yaguiu is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yaguiu throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Yaguiu trying to strike off his back.

Yaguiu looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kelly sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Kelly stands and throws Yaguiu's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Yaguiu tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

Kelly stands up and beckons Yaguiu to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly tries a head kick but it misses.
Yaguiu shoots in for a takedown but Kelly shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Yaguiu blocks a head kick by Kelly.

Yaguiu shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Yaguiu showed some decent athleticism there.

Yaguiu is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Kelly defends it well.
Yaguiu working Kelly over with strikes.
Jubei Yaguiu has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly tries to roll over but Yaguiu keeps him under control.
Kelly is trying to control but can't.
Yaguiu looks to land a strike but Kelly avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Yaguiu won't allow Kelly to get back to his feet.

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

Yaguiu is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Yaguiu working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kelly doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kelly manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Yaguiu looking for subs off his back but Kelly has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yaguiu wants to improve his position but Kelly is controlling well.
Ricardo Kelly has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jubei Yaguiu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Kelly decides to stand up.
Kelly fails with the takedown

and Yaguiu counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yaguiu pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kelly is keeping the position for now.
Yaguiu throws a strike but Kelly rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Yaguiu working for a triangle but Kelly defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jubei Yaguiu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Yaguiu 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jubei Yaguiu!