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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hiro Moto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edward Welch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Welch is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: No doubt - Don't speak. Edward Welch has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?
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175 cm
20
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0 |
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178 cm
22
130 lbs
2 - 0 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power |
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BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin |
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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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiro Moto! And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner. With a record of
2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Edward Welch! The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Taro Takaoka and Kenichi Hosakawa.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway! Welch closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard. Welch trying to control the pace. The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing. Moto is trying to get back to full guard. The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Welch connects with a nice short shot to Moto's temple. Welch thows a huge punch but Moto dodges it nicely.
Moto looking for submissions from an awkward position here. Welch is keen to just control but Moto is a slippery customer. Moto works his way to full guard. Good work. Moto is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent. Moto is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Welch trying to control the position from guard on top but Moto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can. Welch got a little sloppy there for a moment and Moto has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Welch has managed to get both his arms back between Moto's legs - danger averted.
That's one minute gone in the round.
It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground. Welch drives through with a takedown into guard. Moto is breathing heavily. Welch wants to pass the guard but Moto is keeping the position. Welch throwing strikes but missing. Moto keeping full guard, as Welch tries to pass. Welch drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Welch jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position. Welch working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Moto's head. Welch advances to half guard. Welch trying to pass the guard but Moto defending well. Welch trying to control from half guard but Moto is working away.
That's two minutes gone in the round. Welch scoring with strikes to the body and head. Moto is in trouble now - Welch has advanced to mount! Moto sneaks a leg under to get to half guard. Moto wants to control but Welch is keeping busy and won't allow it. Welch wants to work for an arm triangle but Moto is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work. Welch wants to stand up but Moto has a hold of him and won't allow it. Welch working the head and body with strikes. Welch has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan. Moto controlling the position well.
That's three minutes gone in the round. Moto trying to hold on to Welch's head to control him but Welch postures up.
Welch is pressing down on Moto's thigh, looking to free his foot. Moto is holding on for now. Moto is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Welch pulls his head out easily. The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Welch connects with a nice short shot to Moto's temple. Moto tries to kick Welch off but Welch keeps his base steady and stays in half guard. Moto knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Welch on the ground.
The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up. Moto stuffs the takedown attempt from Welch. Welch gets slowly back to his feet. Welch throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Moto's waist but Moto gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Welch off to one side. Moto is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
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. Welch tries to clinch and Moto counters with a thumping low kick. Moto gets caught flat footed, as Welch shoots in with a quick takedown into guard. Welch with a flurry of punches that miss. Moto looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Moto throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Moto wants to stand but Welch is controlling the position. Moto manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Excellent takedown into side control there by Welch. Welch thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead. And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Edward Welch dominated that round. The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.
Welch fails with the takedown and Moto counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Moto. Welch scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Hiro Moto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things. Moto tries to clinch but Welch is having none of it. Moto tries for a takedown but Welch circles away easily and Welch counters with a takedown into side control. Moto is looking to regain half guard here but Welch keeps moving and retains side control. Welch trying to control the position but Moto is working away. Welch tries for a kimura but Moto is defending well.
That's one minute gone in the round. Moto struggling a bit here. Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here. Welch tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Welch has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought! Welch looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything. Moto manages to work his way to half guard, despite Welch's best efforts. Moto is trying to control but can't.
Moto is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Welch pulls his head out easily.
That's two minutes gone in the round. The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena. Moto is staying active underneath Welch, who seems content to just control the action from this position. Welch missing with some ground and pound from the half guard. Welch wants to take a breather but Moto is having none of it. Welch is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Moto! Moto is looking to get to half guard. Poor strikes thrown by Welch there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Moto regains half guard. Moto gets full guard. Welch forces his way into half guard. Welch scoring with strikes to the body and head.
That's three minutes gone in the round. Moto wants to get back to full guard. Welch passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Moto! Moto tries to lock up and control but Welch gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away. Welch controlling the position easily from mount. Moto holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Welch tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Welch can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Moto is looking to escape. Moto sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though. Edward Welch has got the better of the ground game so far.
That's four minutes gone in the round. The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena. Moto looking for submissions from an awkward position here. Moto wants to get back to his feet. Welch is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Moto has managed to free his arm - good work. Moto trying to control here.
Welch working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that. Welch is keen to just control but Moto is a slippery customer. Welch is thwarting Moto's attempts to control the position. And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Edward Welch showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards. The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!
Moto feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position. Moto postures up in Welch's guard and throws a big left but Welch blocks it. Welch looking to hit a scissor sweep but Moto is one step ahead there. Welch pulls Moto in close to prevent any damage. Welch bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Moto's guard. Welch scoring with punches to the head and body. Both fighters are breathing heavily. Moto controls Welch momentarily but Welch frees himself. Welch trying to control the position from guard on top but Moto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's one minute gone in the round. Moto is trying to control the position but Welch postures up. Welch trying to control the position from guard on top but Moto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can. Welch got a little sloppy there for a moment and Moto has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Welch has managed to get both his arms back between Moto's legs - danger averted.
Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up. Welch scores a takedown into full mount! Welch looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
That's two minutes gone in the round. Moto can't escape the position.
Welch looking to control and managing it successfully. Welch trying to control but he's not successful this time. Moto is in all sorts of trouble here.
Welch lands a heavy elbow. Welch dominating with strikes here. Welch has control of Moto's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Moto regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Welch goes for an armbar but Moto turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Moto.
That's three minutes gone in the round. Moto wants to control from the top but Welch keeps moving. Moto loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry. Welch seems keen to control Moto's posture. Welch is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Welch working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Moto doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Moto manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem. Moto wants to pass the guard but Welch is keeping the position.
That's four 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. Moto passes Welch's right leg, so he's now in half guard. Welch is trying to control but can't.
Moto is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Welch has managed to free his arm - good work. Welch is trying to stand.
Moto wants to stand up but Welch has a hold of him and won't allow it. Moto seems to be looking for submissions.
Hiro Moto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here! Edward Welch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach. Moto is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Welch is just riding it out for now. Moto eventually gives up the hold.
And that's the end of the fight! Edward Welch comfortably won the final round on my scorecard. I've got Welch 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30 Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30 Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edward Welch!
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S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
57% |
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