PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Erico Plaza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuyu Hakusho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Plaza
vs
Hakusho

170 cm
22
183 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

186 cm
27
183 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent knees
Powerful

Crashforce Voodoo Labs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Erico Plaza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yuyu Hakusho!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Plaza shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hakusho but Hakusho pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hakusho stuffs the takedown attempt from Plaza. Plaza gets slowly back to his feet.
Plaza closes the distance and clinches up with Hakusho, looking for a takedown. Plaza pushes Hakusho against the cage but Hakusho circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erico Plaza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hakusho swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Hakusho.
Hakusho throws a sloppy head kick and Plaza moves out of range easily.
Hakusho misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Hakusho scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Hakusho working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
You can see the frustration on Plaza's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hakusho throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plaza gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Plaza makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Plaza.
Hakusho trying to control the position from guard on top but Plaza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hakusho must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Plaza trying to keep a closed guard but Hakusho is proving a slippery customer.

Plaza is looking for a triangle but Hakusho pushes his legs off easily.
Plaza looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hakusho is one step ahead there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hakusho looking to pass the guard.
Hakusho landing some decent shots from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hakusho working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hakusho postures up.
Hakusho trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Plaza is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Plaza looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hakusho is one step ahead there.
Plaza is breathing heavily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Plaza looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Hakusho puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Hakusho is working for a kimura but Plaza is defending it quite comfortably.
Hakusho seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Plaza does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Plaza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Hakusho wants to control but Plaza is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hakusho frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Plaza is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Plaza wants to hold on but Hakusho pushes him away.
Plaza is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Hakusho looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Hakusho landing punches.
Plaza wants to control but Hakusho is having none of it.
Hakusho landing strikes from the mount and Plaza is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plaza tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Hakusho goes for an armbar but Plaza turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Plaza.
Hakusho not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Plaza looking to sit in guard and control but Hakusho gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Plaza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hakusho accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Plaza bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hakusho's guard.
Plaza might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Plaza passes into half guard.
Hakusho trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuyu Hakusho dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Plaza misses with a takedown
and Hakusho counters with an outside leg kick.

Hakusho closes the distance and clinches.
Plaza tries for a takedown. No joy.
Hakusho goes for a takedown in the clinch but Plaza prevents it.
Hakusho tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Plaza jumps guard but Hakusho stands there with Plaza around his waist. Plaza gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erico Plaza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Plaza avoiding damage as Hakusho throws knees to the body.
Hakusho looking for a takedown.
Hakusho using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Plaza has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hakusho misses with a knee to the head.
Plaza wants a takedown.
Hakusho with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Plaza drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hakusho pulls his leg out and moves away.
Erico Plaza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Plaza shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Hakusho moves into the clinch.

Plaza is fighting off a takedown attempt but Hakusho is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Plaza to the mat. Plaza regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Plaza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hakusho passes Plaza's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Plaza moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hakusho won't allow Plaza to sweep him here.
Hakusho missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Plaza working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hakusho.
Hakusho preventing the sweep.

Plaza looking for subs off his back but Hakusho has passed one foot through into half guard.
Hakusho missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hakusho not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hakusho not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Hakusho closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Plaza is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hakusho pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hakusho gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Plaza.
Plaza tries to score a body lock takedown but Hakusho shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Hakusho lands a knee to the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Hakusho.
Hakusho trying to land knees to the body.
Plaza throws a punch but it's blocked by Hakusho.
Hakusho wants a takedown but no success here.
Plaza on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Plaza goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hakusho prevents it.
Hakusho putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Plaza in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Hakusho is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Plaza is defending well for now.
Hakusho misses with a knee strike.
Plaza can't get the takedown.
Hakusho landing knees to the head.
Plaza has Hakusho pressed against the cage, preventing Hakusho from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Plaza jumps into guard, dragging Hakusho to the mat.

Hakusho thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plaza looking for a sweep. Not yet Plaza, not yet.
Hakusho pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Plaza is keeping the position for now.

Hakusho got a little sloppy there for a moment and Plaza has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hakusho has managed to get both his arms back between Plaza's legs - danger averted.
Hakusho pushes down on Plaza's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Plaza is looking for a sweep. Hakusho is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Plaza is staying active underneath Hakusho, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Hakusho lands a nice short elbow.
Hakusho thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Plaza's head.
Plaza manages to get to full guard.

Hakusho has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Plaza to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Hakusho is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Plaza pulls down on the head and he's put Hakusho to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Erico Plaza!