PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Vasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taka Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Vasquez might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Careless Whisper. Tanaka is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Muse - Citizen Erased. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Vasquez
vs
Tanaka

185 cm
23
210 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

196 cm
21
205 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Vasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Taka Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Robert Twigg and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tanaka closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Vasquez to the mat! Vasquez manages to get full guard.
Vasquez working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tanaka wants to control from the top but Vasquez keeps moving.

Vasquez throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Tanaka escapes and throws Vasquez's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Tanaka wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vasquez keeps working.
Vasquez is looking for a sweep.
Vasquez wants to control but Tanaka postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Tanaka 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.
Tanaka looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vasquez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Vasquez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tanaka really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Vasquez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Vasquez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tanaka is aware though and is defending well.
Tanaka postures up.

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

Vasquez working for a triangle but Tanaka defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka gets to his feet - Vasquez follows without any prompting.
Tanaka tries to clinch up.
Tanaka tries to clinch there but Vasquez circles away.
A head kick misses from Tanaka.
Tanaka shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Vasquez as he avoids it easily.
Nice sprawl there from Tanaka as Vasquez shoots in.
Vasquez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Vasquez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tanaka's waist but Tanaka gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Vasquez off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Vasquez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tanaka fails in his attempt to clinch.

Tanaka rushes Vasquez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka looking to throw knees to the head but Vasquez is blocking nicely.
Tanaka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Tanaka misses with a knee strike.
A knee to the head by Tanaka.
The referee is keeping an eye on Tanaka - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A knee to the head by Tanaka.
Tanaka landing knees to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Tanaka.
Tanaka putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Vasquez in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Vasquez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Tanaka gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Tanaka is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Vasquez jumps guard and drags Tanaka to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Tanaka avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Vasquez is breathing heavily.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez is trying to control the position but Tanaka postures up.
Tanaka trying to stand up but can't free himself from Vasquez's guard.
Vasquez trying to control the position.

Vasquez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Tanaka gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Vasquez keeping moving, preventing Tanaka from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taka Tanaka dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tanaka tries to clinch but Vasquez moves out of range.

Vasquez shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Vasquez showed some decent athleticism there.
Tanaka is looking to improve his position.
Vasquez stalling away here and it's allowed Tanaka to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Vasquez trying to control but Tanaka is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasquez is looking to work some ground and pound but Tanaka has wrist control.
Vasquez postures up in Tanaka's guard and throws a big left but Tanaka blocks it.
Tanaka wants to stand up but Vasquez is controlling him.
Vasquez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tanaka working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Vasquez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tanaka fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tanaka tries to clinch up.
Tanaka misses with a head kick.
Tanaka shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Vasquez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Tanaka's guard.
Vasquez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Vasquez is stalling in the full guard.
Vasquez trying to control the position from guard on top but Tanaka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vasquez passes Tanaka's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Vasquez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Vasquez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vasquez thows a huge punch but Tanaka dodges it nicely.
Vasquez is keen to just control but Tanaka is a slippery customer.
Vasquez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Vasquez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

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.
Vasquez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Vasquez is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Tanaka is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Michael Vasquez!