PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hatsu Hioki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takanori Gomi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takanori Gomi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hioki
vs
Gomi

175 cm
21
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
160 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hatsu Hioki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takanori Gomi!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomi lands a jab-cross combination.

It looks like Hatsu Hioki has been cut.

Gomi rushes Hioki and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Gomi's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Hioki is pushing Gomi up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Gomi wants to break free but Hioki has control.
Hioki tries for a takedown but Gomi manages to get underhooks.

Gomi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gomi throws a right and a left that both miss.

Gomi has managed to clinch.
Hioki tries to pull guard but Gomi won't allow it.
Hioki controlling the action here for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gomi is trying to break the clinch but Hioki has him pressed against the cage.
Hioki goes for a takedown attempt but Gomi pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hatsu Hioki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gomi misses with a wild combination.
Hioki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gomi throws a leg kick but Hioki sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Takanori Gomi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gomi lands a two punch combo.
Gomi tries to close the distance and clinch but Hioki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomi tries to bum rush Hioki with a series of wild strikes but Hioki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gomi looks to land a combination but Hioki avoids it well.
Hioki fails to land the takedown.
Gomi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Takanori Gomi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gomi throws a combination. Hioki tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Gomi stalks Hioki and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Hioki's face. Hioki staggers backwards, shaken.
Hioki tries for a takedown but Gomi sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Gomi lands with a cross.

Hioki is rocked!
Hioki shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gomi as he jumps to the side.
Oh Hioki is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hioki is breathing heavily.

Gomi moves into range and clinches up with Hioki.
Gomi is trying to break the clinch but Hioki is controlling him.
Hioki seems to have got his legs back now.
Hioki prevents Gomi from breaking the clinch.
Hioki tries for a takedown but Gomi manages to get underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi is trying to force a seperation but Hioki has the dominant position.
Gomi wants to break the clinch but can't.

Gomi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Gomi pushes Hioki up against the cage in a clinch.
Hioki is working for takedown but Gomi is calmly controlling the position for now.
Gomi working hard to break the clinch.
Gomi wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Gomi has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gomi gets underhooks to prevent Hioki's takedown attempt.

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.
Gomi stops a takedown attempt from Hioki.
Hioki prevents Gomi from breaking the clinch.
Gomi pushes Hioki back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Gomi has had enough of the clinch but Hioki keeps him there for the moment.
Gomi is trying to break the clinch but Hioki has him pressed against the cage.
Gomi is looking to break free of the clinch but Hioki has double underhooks.
Hioki keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gomi's efforts to push away.
Gomi wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hioki has him pressed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takanori Gomi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hatsu Hioki's cut.
That's time! Hioki's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gomi tries to clinch up.
Hioki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gomi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hioki walks into a jab.
Hioki takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Hioki showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gomi.

Gomi clinches up with Hioki and pushes him back against the cage.
Gomi gets underhooks to prevent Hioki's takedown attempt.
Gomi can't break the clinch.

Hioki has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Gomi uses from the top position.
Gomi distracts Hioki with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Gomi lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Gomi postures up and lands a big shot to Hioki's brow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gomi cracks Hioki with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hioki looking for a sweep. Not yet Hioki, not yet.
Gomi lands a couple of digs.
Gomi tries to free his leg and advance position but Hioki is retaining full guard.
Gomi with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Gomi drops back looking for a leg! Hioki is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hioki manages to kick Gomi off! Gomi jumps back into Hioki's guard.
Hioki throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gomi working some strikes from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hioki looking to control.
Hioki trying to strike off his back.
Gomi with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gomi is pushing down on Hioki's leg trying to pass to half guard. Hioki is fighting to maintain full guard but Gomi has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gomi takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Gomi seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Hioki is trying to stand up here but Gomi is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomi trying to pass the guard but Hioki defending well.
Hioki looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ground and pound from Gomi.
Hioki is looking to escape.
Hioki taking some punishment here, with Gomi in his half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gomi lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Gomi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gomi tries to bum rush Hioki with a series of wild strikes but Hioki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hioki takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Danga de danga de dang - Gomi scores with a four punch combination!
Gomi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hioki.
Gomi tries to bum rush Hioki with a series of wild strikes but Hioki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gomi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi throws a right hand that Hioki ducks under and follows up with a left that Hioki also avoids with ease.
Gomi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gomi connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Gomi drives through and clinches with Hioki against the cage.
Gomi is trying to break the clinch but Hioki has him pressed against the cage.

Gomi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hioki with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Gomi to score with a decent uppercut.
Gomi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gomi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gomi throws and low kick but Hioki moves out of range easily.
Nice takedown defense from Gomi. No joy for Hioki on that attempt.
Gomi throws a right and a left that Hioki avoids nicely.
Gomi looks to land a combination but Hioki avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gomi throws a right and a left that both miss.
A left and a right from Gomi both land. Nice combination.
Hioki avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gomi scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Gomi misses with a double jab.
Danga de danga de dang - Gomi scores with a four punch combination!
Hioki closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gomi circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hatsu Hioki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gomi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gomi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Gomi closes the distance and lands a one-two.
No joy there for Gomi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gomi swinging wilding here.
Hioki shoots in but no luck this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gomi moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Gomi moves into range and clinches up with Hioki.
Gomi is pressed up against the cage. Hioki has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gomi down to the mat. Gomi avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Gomi fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Hioki is out of range.
Gomi throws a low kick, looking for Hioki's leg but Hioki calmly moves out of range.
No joy there for Gomi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gomi tries to clinch up.

Gomi has closed the distance and engaged Hioki in a clinch.
Gomi looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gomi stops a takedown attempt from Hioki.
Gomi wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hioki tries to score a body lock takedown but Gomi shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hatsu Hioki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hioki keeps control of Gomi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gomi looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gomi prevents a takedown attempt there.
Hioki prevents Gomi from breaking the clinch.
Hioki has Gomi pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gomi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Gomi is trying to force a seperation but Hioki has the dominant position.

That's two 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.
Hioki looking for a takedown.
Gomi wants to break the clinch but can't.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gomi.
Gomi tries to break free but Hioki pushes him back against the cage.
Gomi has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hioki keeps control of Gomi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gomi gets underhooks to prevent Hioki's takedown attempt.
Gomi is trying to force a seperation but Hioki has the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi tries to break the clinch but Hioki is controlling the position.
Gomi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hioki keeps control of Gomi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gomi wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hioki has him pressed against the cage.
Gomi looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gomi gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hioki.
Gomi is trying to break free.

That's four 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.
Gomi is looking to break free of the clinch but Hioki has double underhooks.
Gomi is trying to break the clinch but Hioki is controlling him.
Gomi gets underhooks to prevent Hioki's takedown attempt.
Hioki keeps control of Gomi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gomi is trying to break the clinch but Hioki is controlling him.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hioki keeps control of Gomi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hatsu Hioki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Takanori Gomi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gomi wants to get back to striking at distance but Hioki won't allow it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takanori Gomi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gomi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takanori Gomi!