PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Koji Tanahasi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryu Tagochu (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.

Tanahasi
vs
Tagochu

167 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 Tokyo, Koji Tanahasi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryu Tagochu!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shigeki Sano and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tagochu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tanahasi throws a quick inside leg kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Tagochu looks to land a body kick but Tanahasi moved away.
Tagochu throws a sloppy head kick and Tanahasi moves out of range easily.
Tanahasi misses with a few strikes there.
Tanahasi swats away the attempt to clinch by Tagochu.
Tagochu shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tanahasi but Tanahasi pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Jab from Tanahasi.
Tagochu is looking to clinch.
Tanahasi scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Tanahasi scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Tanahasi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Tagochu to the mat! Tagochu manages to get full guard.
Tanahasi sitting in guard here, content to control.

Tagochu kicks Tanahasi off and gets to his feet.

Tagochu scores with a takedown into Tanahasi's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tagochu tries to stand but Tanahasi is controlling from the bottom.
Tagochu looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanahasi trying to control the position.
Tanahasi trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Tanahasi doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Tagochu stopping the sweep attempt from Tanahasi.
Tanahasi pulls Tagochu in close to prevent any damage.

That's two 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.
Tagochu trying to control the position from guard on top but Tanahasi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanahasi trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Tagochu would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Tagochu trying to control but Tanahasi is working from the bottom.
Tagochu has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Tanahasi is proving hard to escape from.

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.
Tanahasi is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Tagochu trying to stand up but can't free himself from Tanahasi's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tanahasi works the jab nicely.
Koji Tanahasi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tanahasi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tanahasi checks the leg kick.
Tanahasi throws a right hand that Tagochu ducks under and follows up with a left that Tagochu also avoids with ease.
Tanahasi blocks a head kick by Tagochu.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Tagochu doesn't manage to clinch there - Tanahasi circles away.
Tagochu misses with a head kick.

Tanahasi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Tanahasi trying to control but Tagochu is working from the bottom.
Tanahasi lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Tanahasi passes Tagochu's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Tanahasi wants to get back to his feet.
Tanahasi trying to control from half guard but Tagochu is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanahasi scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Tagochu is breathing heavily.
Tagochu is trying to stand up here but Tanahasi is controlling him well.
Tagochu avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Tanahasi.
Tanahasi tries to pass to full mount but Tagochu defends it.
Tagochu wants to get back to his feet.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A left and a right from Tanahasi both land. Nice combination.
Danga de danga de dang - Tanahasi scores with a four punch combination!
Tagochu wants to clinch.
Tanahasi lands a body shot.
Tanahasi scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Tanahasi scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Tanahasi throws a nice outside leg kick.

Tanahasi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Tagochu is trying to stand up here but Tanahasi is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tagochu tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Tanahasi manages to move to mount!
Tagochu is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Tanahasi wants to control the pace but Tagochu is squirming around nicely.
Tanahasi landing strikes from the mount and Tagochu is in trouble!

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.
Tagochu is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tanahasi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tagochu is looking to escape.
Tanahasi lands a nice shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koji Tanahasi dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Tanahasi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tanahasi throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Jab by Tanahasi.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tagochu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Tanahasi!
Tanahasi throws a right and a left that Tagochu avoids nicely.

Tanahasi darts in and clinches Tagochu up against the cage.
Tanahasi cracks Tagochu with a nice body shot.
Tagochu lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Tanahasi managing to block the knees to the body from Tagochu.
Tagochu misses with a knee strike.
Tagochu throws a knee to the head but misses.

Tanahasi manages to break the clinch.
A head kick from Tagochu lands but Tanahasi takes it in his stride.
Tanahasi jabs at Tagochu's body.
A nice combination there by Tanahasi.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tanahasi scores with a crisp jab that stopped Tagochu in his tracks.
Danga de danga de dang - Tanahasi scores with a four punch combination!

Tanahasi shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Tagochu napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanahasi works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Tagochu tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Tagochu really wants to buck Tanahasi off and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Tanahasi wants to control the pace but Tagochu is squirming around nicely.
Tanahasi wants to control but instead Tagochu manages to regain half guard.

Tagochu has one foot on Tanahasi's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Tagochu showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tanahasi.

Tagochu fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tanahasi, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tagochu is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Tanahasi gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Tanahasi breaks the clinch.
Tanahasi lands a head shot.
A right-left combo lands from Tanahasi.
Tanahasi swats away the attempt to clinch by Tagochu.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tagochu throws a punch but it's blocked by Tanahasi.
Tanahasi lands a body shot in the clinch.
Tagochu tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Tanahasi lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Tagochu swings wildly with an uppercut but Tanahasi uses good head movement to avoid it.

Tanahasi breaks the clinch.
Tanahasi throws a combination. Tagochu tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Tagochu tries to clinch there but Tanahasi circles away.

Tanahasi moves into the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Tanahasi as the two fighters clinch.
Tanahasi prevents the takedown attempt.
Tanahasi working hard to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tanahasi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tanahasi throws a one two combo.
Tagochu closes the distance but Tanahasi moves to the side
and Tanahasi counters with a nice uppercut.
Tanahasi tries to bum rush Tagochu with a series of wild strikes but Tagochu uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Koji Tanahasi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tagochu with a lazy takedown attempt
and Tanahasi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Koji Tanahasi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryu Tagochu.
Tanahasi scores with a shot to the body.
Tagochu darts in trying to clinch

and Tanahasi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Tanahasi.
Tanahasi trying to control but Tagochu is working from the bottom.

Tanahasi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Tagochu, up you get!
Ryu Tagochu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Koji Tanahasi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tagochu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Koji Tanahasi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tanahasi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Koji Tanahasi!