PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tong Po (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Itto Ogami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Po
vs
Ogami

199 cm
20
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

191 cm
22
188 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tong Po!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Itto Ogami!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ogami fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Po throws a head kick but Ogami moves out of range.
Ogami will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ogami dodges the punch combination from Po.
Ogami shoots in and drives through. Po sprawls well.
Tong Po has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Itto Ogami.
Po fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ogami has a takedown stuffed.
Po tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ogami swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Po tries to clinch but Ogami moves out of range.
Po looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ogami circles away from the clinch attempt.

Po clinches.
Ogami managing to block the knees to the body from Po.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ogami is trying to break free.
Po tries to land knees in the clinch but Ogami avoids the damage to the body.

Po breaks from the clinch.
Po throws a head kick that misses.
A punch combination from Po misses.
Po tries to land a front kick but Ogami steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Ogami shoots in for a double leg but Po sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Tong Po seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Po tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ogami paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ogami tries for a takedown but Po sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ogami looks gassed!
Ogami takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Po fails with an attempt to clinch.
A punch combination from Po misses.

Po clinches with his opponent.
Po landing knees to the head.

Po breaks the clinch.
Po misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Po stuffs the takedown attempt from Ogami. Ogami gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Po forces Ogami back against the cage and clinches.

Po breaks from the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Po looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Po swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Po is looking to clinch but Ogami is avoiding it.
Po tries to clinch up.
Ogami shoots in but no luck this time.
Po wants to clinch.
Po throws a jab but it's blocked by Ogami.
Po tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Po looks to land a combination but Ogami avoids it well.

Po closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ogami has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Po avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Po misses with a knee to the head.

Po breaks from the clinch.
Ogami tries to clinch up but Po circles away and keeps his distance.
Po throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Ogami.
Ogami swats away the attempt to clinch by Po.
Po knocks Ogami to the floor with a head kick! Can he finish him!?

Ogami is rocked!
Po really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Ogami sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Ogami is still in real trouble! Can Po finish him?
Ogami tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Po tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Ogami.
Ogami seems to have recovered his senses.
Ogami wants to improve his position but Po is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ogami slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ogami tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ogami is trying to keep Po in close.
Ogami has control of Po's left arm, preventing Po from doing any damage.
Ogami is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tong Po dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ogami.
Ogami avoids the head kick by Po.
Po tries to close the distance and clinch but Ogami swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ogami misses with a takedown attempt - Po sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Po forces Ogami back against the cage and clinches.
Ogami is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Tong Po has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Itto Ogami.
Ogami wants to get back to striking at distance but Po won't allow it.

Po breaks the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ogami swats away the attempt to clinch by Po.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ogami avoiding damage as Po throws knees to the body.
Ogami is breathing heavily.
Ogami tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Po just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Po tries to land knees in the clinch but Ogami avoids the damage to the body.
Po lands a knee to the head.
Ogami avoiding damage as Po throws knees to the body.
Po tries to break the clinch but Ogami is controlling the position.
Po lands a damaging elbow.
A knee to the head by Po.
Po is trying to break the clinch but Ogami has him pressed against the cage.

Po manages to break the clinch.

Po has Ogami up against the cage in a clinch.

Po escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Po has closed the distance and engaged Ogami in a clinch.

Po breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ogami shoots for a double leg takedown but Po sprawls well. He's pushed Ogami's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Tong Po is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Po scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Po has Ogami up against the cage in a clinch.
Po tries to land knees in the clinch but Ogami avoids the damage to the body.
Po unloads a knee to the mid-section. Ogami lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Ogami has Po pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Po manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Po missing with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Po breaks from the clinch.
Ogami misses with a takedown attempt - Po sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ogami shoots in for a double leg but Po sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ogami misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Po throws a half hearted mid kick.
Po looks to clinch

so Ogami counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ogami throwing strikes but missing.
Ogami trying to control but Po is working from the bottom.
Ogami works over Po with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ogami with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ogami is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ogami accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ogami wants to control from the top but Po keeps moving.
Ogami has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A head kick by Po misses

and Ogami counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Po's guard now.
Po looking for a sweep. Not yet Po, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ogami stops Po from standing up.
Ogami looking to sit in guard and control but Po gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Po wants to control from the top but Ogami keeps moving.
Ogami looking for a sweep. Not yet Ogami, not yet.
Ogami is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Ogami has his feet on Po's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Itto Ogami will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Ogami has a takedown stuffed.
Po doesn't manage to clinch there - Ogami circles away.
Po misses with a two punch combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Po looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Po tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ogami swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ogami.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Po, right into the meat.
Ogami takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Po closes the distance and clinches.
Po gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Ogami changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Po fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Tong Po has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Itto Ogami.
Ogami changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Po tries to avoid it but Ogami manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Po to the ground. Po escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Po pushes Ogami up against the cage in a clinch.
Po with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Po using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ogami has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Po throws a knee to the head but misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Po.

Po escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Po lands a high kick!
Ogami looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Po is fending him off so far but Ogami persists. Nope, Po circles away and we're back to standing.
Ogami tries for a takedown but Po sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Po throws a nice looking combination but Ogami bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Po tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ogami paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ogami blocks a head kick by Po.
Ogami fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Po throws a right and a left that both miss.
Po wants to clinch up but Ogami keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ogami changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Po tries to avoid it but Ogami manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Po to the ground. Po escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Po is looking to clinch.
Po closes the distance but Ogami moves to the side

and Ogami counters by clinching up.
Ogami tries to score a body lock takedown but Po shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Po missing with knees to the body.
Ogami tries to pull guard but Po holds him up against the cage and eventually Ogami drops back down to his feet.
Po tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ogami is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ogami is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Po gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Ogami manages to break the clinch.

Po has managed to clinch.
Ogami is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Po gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Po breaks from the clinch.
Po looks to clinch

and Ogami counters by clinching up.
Po looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ogami stalling in the clinch but Po improves position.
Po landing knees to the head.
Po misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ogami.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Po tries to land a knee to the head but Ogami blocks with his arms.
Po with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Po using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Po with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Ogami gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Po trying to hold on to Ogami's head to control him but Ogami postures up.

Ogami is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Po has managed to free his arm - good work.
Po is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ogami scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ogami wants to lay and pray for a moment but Po keeps working.
Ogami lands strikes from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ogami missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ogami thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Ogami decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Po throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ogami looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Po is looking to clinch.

Ogami closes the distance and clinches.

Ogami manages to break the clinch.
A head kick by Ogami misses

and Po moves into the clinch.
Po using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ogami has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Itto Ogami.
I think Ogami has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Itto Ogami!