PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kamatudo Fodiati (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Makunouchi Ippo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Makunouchi Ippo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Fodiati
vs
Ippo

165 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
19
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kamatudo Fodiati!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Makunouchi Ippo!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Taro Takaoka and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ippo scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ippo happy to just control the position for now.
Ippo trying to control the position but Fodiati is working away.
Ippo cracks Fodiati with a big right hand but Fodiati just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Ippo is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Ippo postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Fodiati takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Fodiati knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ippo on the ground.

Ippo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here as Ippo stalls from top position.
Ippo wants to control for a moment but Fodiati uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Fodiati blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ippo.

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.
Ippo slows the pace down in half guard.
Fodiati is not content to let Ippo control the position.
Ippo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ippo slows the pace down in half guard.

Despite being in the dominant position, Makunouchi Ippo just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ippo gets the takedown into side control.
Fodiati is trying to escape the position but Ippo is controlling the position.
Ippo trying to control the position but Fodiati is working away.
Fodiati tries to bench press Ippo off him but Ippo keeps the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ippo trying to control the action but Fodiati is working from the bottom.

Ippo stands up and beckons Fodiati to his feet.
Fodiati takes a swing at Ippo's ribcage but misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ippo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Fodiati pinned against the cage. Fodiati gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Fodiati throws a nice looking combination but Ippo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Makunouchi Ippo dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Ippo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ippo throws a head kick that misses.
Ippo throws a head kick that Fodiati semi-blocks.
Ippo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fodiati as he avoids it easily.
Ippo avoids a punch combination nicely.
Fodiati tries to clinch there but Ippo circles away.
Ippo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Fodiati swivels and escapes.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Fodiati. Ippo shrugs it off though.
Ippo wants to clinch.
Ippo is breathing heavily.
Fodiati fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ippo has his takedown stuffed
and Fodiati counters with a three punch combo that has Ippo backing up. Ippo nods at Fodiati to acknowledge the strikes.
Kamatudo Fodiati has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Makunouchi Ippo.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ippo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ippo throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Ippo slips a jab and a cross from Fodiati.
Ippo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Fodiati counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Fodiati 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.
Fodiati wants to take a breather but Ippo is having none of it.
Ippo keeps control of the position for the meantime.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fodiati wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ippo keeps working.
Ippo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ippo avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Fodiati.
Ippo flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Ippo is controlling Fodiati's trapped leg to prevent Fodiati from advancing to side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ippo closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Fodiati did well to prevent Ippo getting side control.
Fodiati won't allow Ippo to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fodiati is refusing to be controlled, as Ippo sits in half guard.
Ippo is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Ippo stops Fodiati from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ippo looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Fodiati looks like he's trying to stand up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ippo has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ippo working hard to break the clinch.
Ippo is struggling to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kamatudo Fodiati will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ippo misses with a low kick.

Ippo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Ippo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Ippo thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Fodiati is looking for a sweep. Ippo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Makunouchi Ippo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ippo trying to mount his opponent but Fodiati defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ippo is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Fodiati doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ippo.
Fodiati is trying to stand up here but Ippo is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ippo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Fodiati does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Fodiati wants to control but Ippo is keeping busy.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Ippo decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Ippo wants to take a breather but Fodiati is having none of it.
Fodiati wants to get back to full guard but Ippo has passed into side control.
Ippo controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fodiati can't escape the position.

Ippo swings around for an armbar and he's got it! Wow, that came out of nowhere! What a finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Makunouchi Ippo!