PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Junichi Takahara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Stack (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stack is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Deer Dance. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Takahara
vs
Stack

181 cm
19
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Junichi Takahara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dan Stack!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yukihiro Shimada and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Takahara gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Stack wants to control from the top but Takahara keeps moving.
Takahara controls Stack momentarily but Stack frees himself.
Stack trying to control the position from guard on top but Takahara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stack controlling from the top position.
Takahara tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Takahara wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Stack is now in half guard.
Takahara is controlling Stack's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Stack prevents Takahara from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, if Stack is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Takahara is looking to improve his position.
Stack wants to free his trapped foot but Takahara is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Still in half guard, Stack seems content to control.
Stack works his way into full mount!
Takahara is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Stack putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Stack scoring with strikes but Takahara is staying in there.
Stack trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Stack avoids the attempt from Takahara to control.
Stack scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Stack wants to control the pace but Takahara is squirming around nicely.
Takahara tries to lock up and control but Stack gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Stack landing strikes, looking to finish!
Stack looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Stack controlling his opponent.
Takahara is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahara really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Stack content just to control the position here.
Stack lands a nice shot to the head.
Takahara tries to hold on but Stack postures up.
Stack controlling his opponent.
Takahara really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Stack with good strikes from the mount here!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Stack landing strikes, looking to finish!
Stack landing strikes from the mount.
Stack with shots to the head and body - Takahara looks very uncomfortable down there.
Stack controlling from mount.
Stack wants to control the pace but Takahara is squirming around nicely.
Takahara is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Stack looking to finish Takahara with some ground and pound. This is bad for Takahara!
Takahara working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Stack dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Takahara swats away the attempt to clinch by Stack.
Takahara misses with a takedown

and Stack moves into the clinch.
Takahara fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Stack breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Stack takes the fight into the clinch.
Takahara blocks a body shot from Stack.

Stack breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Stack darts in and clinches Takahara up against the ropes.
Takahara prevents Stack from breaking the clinch.

Stack has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Takahara regains guard immediately.
Stack is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Takahara wants to stand and escape but Stack is having none of it.
Stack passes Takahara's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Takahara trying to control but Stack postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahara pushes Stack off looking to stand but Stack dives back in and keeps control.
Stack is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Takahara is trying to control but can't.

Stack looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Stack prevents Takahara from improving his position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Takahara moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Stack won't allow Takahara to sweep him here.

Takahara looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Takahara wants to hit a switch here but Stack passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Takahara there!
Takahara can't escape the position.
Stack can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Takahara is looking to escape.
Stack lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Takahara hang on?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahara really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Stack raining down shots from the mount!
Takahara is trying to escape the mount.
Stack lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Takahara hang on?
Stack in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Takahara is looking to get to half guard.

Stack wants to finish this one by submission but Takahara is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Stack.
Takahara bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stack wants to sweep but no luck.
Takahara wants to stand but Stack has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Takahara is fighting to break Stack's control of his arms but Stack is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Takahara trying to control but Stack is working from the bottom.
Takahara throwing strikes from guard but Stack blocks nicely.
Takahara wanted to stand there but Stack had control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Stack showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Takahara punishes Stack's body with a nice straight punch.
Stack is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Stack darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Stack has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Takahara is looking to improve his position.
Takahara is trying to stand back up but Stack is controlling him
Takahara landing small, sideways elbows.
Stack is thwarting Takahara's attempts to control the position.
Stack throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Takahara regains full guard. Nicely done.
Takahara working a defensive guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Stack gets to his feet. Takahara looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stack closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Takahara is looking to reverse the position.
Stack lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Takahara down.
Stack lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Takahara down.
A lull in the action here.
Stack tries to advance to mount but can't.
Stack moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Takahara is looking to reverse the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stack in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Takahara is not content to let Stack control the position.
Stack in side control, just content to control the action for now.

Despite being in the dominant position, Dan Stack just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Takahara tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stack pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Stack darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Stack controlling the action here.
Stack prevents Takahara from standing back up.
Takahara wants to improve his position but Stack is controlling well.
Stack keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Dan Stack has got the better of the ground game so far.
Takahara controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Takahara trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stack is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Takahara is just riding it out for now. Stack eventually gives up the hold.
Takahara wants to control but Stack is keeping busy.
Stack is looking to take a break and control but Takahara is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

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

and Stack counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stack.
Takahara tries to stall but Stack uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Maybe Takahara would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.

Stack breaks from the clinch.
Junichi Takahara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Stack has taken the fight to the clinch.

Stack breaks the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Takahara.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Stack comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Stack winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Stack!