PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fedor Poletto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshihiro Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yoshihiro Tanaka will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Poletto
vs
Tanaka

194 cm
23
185 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

190 cm
22
182 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Fedor Poletto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yoshihiro Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Chris Downing and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka doesn't manage to clinch there - Poletto circles away.
Yoshihiro Tanaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tanaka is looking to clinch.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch but Poletto swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Poletto scores with a leg kick.
Tanaka is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Poletto circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tanaka tries to clinch but Poletto is having none of it.
Tanaka is looking to clinch.
Poletto moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Poletto feints and then cracks Tanaka's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Tanaka down.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Poletto paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Poletto looks to land a combination. Tanaka sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Poletto tries to land a leg kick but Tanaka saw it coming and moves away.
Poletto closes the distance and lands a one-two.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Poletto throws a head kick that misses.
Poletto throws a head kick that misses.
Poletto tries a head kick but it misses.
Tanaka moves in looking to clinch but Poletto pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poletto throws a head kick but Tanaka moves out of range.
Poletto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Tanaka moves in looking to clinch but Poletto pushes him off.
Poletto misses with a wild combination.
Tanaka tries to clinch there but Poletto circles away.
Poletto looks to land a body kick but Tanaka moved away.
Poletto misses with a double jab.
Poletto misses with a double jab.
Poletto misses with a head kick.
Tanaka tries to clinch there but Poletto circles away.
Tanaka tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tanaka tries to clinch there but Poletto circles away.
Tanaka moves in looking to clinch but Poletto pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tanaka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tanaka is looking to clinch.

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.
Poletto lands a jab-cross combination.
Poletto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tanaka doesn't manage to clinch there - Poletto circles away.
Poletto throws a series of strikes that have Tanaka backpedaling.
Poletto keeps the fight on the outside.
Tanaka is looking to clinch but Poletto is avoiding it.
Poletto fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Poletto circles away from the clinch attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tanaka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tanaka tries to clinch up.
Poletto misses with a kick to the body.
Tanaka is looking to clinch.
Tanaka wants to clinch up but Poletto keeps it at a distance.
Poletto throws a sloppy head kick and Tanaka moves out of range easily.
Poletto misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poletto fails to land with a series of punches.
Poletto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tanaka tries to clinch up but Poletto circles away and keeps his distance.
Poletto fails to land with a series of punches.
Poletto misses with the combination.
Poletto lands a nice looking kick to the body. Tanaka takes a step back to recover.
Tanaka looks gassed!
Poletto turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Tanaka tries to clinch up but Poletto circles away and keeps his distance.
Poletto lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Poletto.
Tanaka tries to clinch there but Poletto circles away.
Poletto swats away the attempt to clinch by Tanaka.
Tanaka avoids the head kick by Poletto.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poletto misses with a body kick.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch but Poletto swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Poletto scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Poletto throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Tanaka's head.
Poletto fails to land with a series of punches.
Poletto lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tanaka circles away quickly and effectively.
Poletto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Poletto circles away from the clinch attempt.
Poletto throws a right hand that Tanaka ducks under and follows up with a left that Tanaka also avoids with ease.
Poletto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Crunch! Poletto slams his shin into Tanaka's torso.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Poletto throws a right hand that Tanaka ducks under and follows up with a left that Tanaka also avoids with ease.
Poletto fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tanaka moves out of range of the body kick from Poletto.
Poletto lands with a slapping head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fedor Poletto dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Poletto misses with a double jab.
Poletto keeps the fight on the outside.
Tanaka wants to clinch up but Poletto keeps it at a distance.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Poletto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Poletto lands with a nice body kick.
Tanaka tries to clinch there but Poletto circles away.
Poletto misses with a head kick.
Tanaka fails in his attempt to clinch.
Poletto circles away from the clinch attempt.
Poletto keeps the fight on the outside.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch but Poletto swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Poletto paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Poletto.
Tanaka is breathing heavily.
Tanaka fails in his attempt to clinch.
Poletto tries to bum rush Tanaka with a series of wild strikes but Tanaka uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Good leg kick by Poletto there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poletto misses with a head kick.
Poletto misses with a jab, cross combination.
Fedor Poletto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Poletto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Poletto lands with a kick to the ribs.
Tanaka moves out of range of the body kick.
Poletto goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Poletto throws a nice looking combination but Tanaka bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A nice inside leg kick there by Poletto. That's going to slow Tanaka down.
Poletto throws a series of punches but Tanaka avoids them all with ease.
Poletto misses with the combination.
Poletto lands a head kick!
A right-left combo lands from Poletto.
Poletto looks to land a combination. Tanaka sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poletto misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Poletto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Poletto throws a head kick but Tanaka moves out of range.
Poletto looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A left and a right from Poletto both land. Nice combination.
Tanaka dodges the punch combination from Poletto.
Poletto misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Poletto scores with a three punch combo!
No joy there for Poletto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Poletto scores with a nice body kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Poletto.
Some wild striking there from Poletto.
Poletto fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Poletto is working the combinations to good effect here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poletto is looking to land body kicks.
Tanaka fails in his attempt to clinch.
Poletto lands with a nice body kick.
Poletto lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Poletto lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Poletto misses with a double jab.
Poletto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Poletto misses with a double jab.
Tanaka wants to clinch.
Poletto throws a body kick that misses.
Poletto throws a nice outside leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Poletto.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka takes a kick to the side of the head.
Poletto moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Poletto swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tanaka's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A combination from Poletto does no damage.
Fedor Poletto is winning the standup battle so far.
Poletto throws a head kick that half lands.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Poletto goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Tanaka fails with an attempt to clinch.
Poletto thuds his shin into the meat of Tanaka's side.

Tanaka gets a clinch.
Tanaka throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Poletto blocks it with crossed arms.
Poletto has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Poletto has had enough of the clinch but Tanaka keeps him there for the moment.
Poletto wants to break the clinch but can't.
Poletto working hard to break the clinch.
Tanaka has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Poletto.
Poletto wants to get back to striking at distance but Tanaka won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fedor Poletto dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Poletto moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Tanaka is looking to clinch but Poletto is avoiding it.
Tanaka fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tanaka tries to clinch up.
Tanaka dodges the punch combination from Poletto.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Poletto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tanaka fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tanaka fails in his attempt to clinch.
Poletto feints and then cracks Tanaka's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Tanaka down.
Poletto throws a series of punches but Tanaka moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Tanaka tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Tanaka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tanaka has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Poletto.
Poletto moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Poletto looks to land a combination. Tanaka sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poletto scores with a spinning back kick!
Poletto lands with a nice body kick.
Poletto looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Poletto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Poletto fails to land with a series of punches.
Poletto misses with a series of wild punches.
Poletto displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Tanaka wants to clinch up but Poletto keeps it at a distance.
Poletto is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tanaka can do to turn this around?
Poletto throws a head kick but Tanaka moves out of range.
Poletto fails to land with a series of punches.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Poletto. Tanaka shrugs it off though.
Poletto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tanaka tries to clinch but Poletto is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Poletto.
Tanaka tries to clinch up.
Poletto connects with a solid leg kick.
Tanaka takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Tanaka tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Poletto rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tanaka moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tanaka fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tanaka moves in looking to clinch but Poletto pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tanaka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Poletto misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Poletto tries a head kick but it misses.
Poletto fails to land with a series of punches.
Poletto misses with the combination.
No joy there for Poletto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poletto misses with a double jab.
Tanaka fails with an attempt to clinch.
Poletto misses with the combination.
Poletto keeps the fight on the outside.
Poletto throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Poletto swats away the attempt to clinch by Tanaka.
Poletto lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Poletto throws a nice inside leg kick.
Poletto stalks Tanaka and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Tanaka's face. Tanaka staggers backwards, shaken.
Poletto fails to land with a series of punches.
Tanaka wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poletto throws a nice looking combination but Tanaka bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Poletto connects with a high kick.
Tanaka tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Poletto thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Tanaka if he has to take too many more of those.
Poletto throws a nice looking combination but Tanaka bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Poletto scores with a one two! Tanaka had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Tanaka on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Poletto. Poletto obviously looking to wear him down.
Poletto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Poletto thows a body kick. Tanaka tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A chopping leg kick lands by Poletto.
Poletto looks to land a combination. Tanaka sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Yoshihiro Tanaka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Poletto throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fedor Poletto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Poletto, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:25
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:25
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fedor Poletto!