PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Masaaki Yamaguchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Atsushi Hamada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Yamaguchi
vs
Hamada

185 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Good knees
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masaaki Yamaguchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Atsushi Hamada!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Hirohito Nitta and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hamada throws a head kick but Yamaguchi moves out of range.
Yamaguchi looks to land a combination but Hamada avoids it well.

Yamaguchi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Hamada looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yamaguchi is one step ahead there.
Hamada is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamada trying to strike off his back.
Yamaguchi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Hamada is trying to control the position but Yamaguchi postures up.
Yamaguchi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hamada fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Hamada drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hamada pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yamaguchi is keeping the position for now.
Yamaguchi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Yamaguchi keeping moving, preventing Hamada from controlling successfully.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Yamaguchi working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Masaaki Yamaguchi just wasn't active enough.
Hamada misses with a takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hamada looks gassed!
Yamaguchi throws a body punch but Hamada moves out of range.

Yamaguchi forces Hamada back against the ropes and clinches.

Yamaguchi has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Hamada clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Hamada breaks Yamaguchi's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Yamaguchi is adopting a defensive guard.
Yamaguchi striking off his back but it's not causing Hamada any problems.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hamada won't allow Yamaguchi to sweep him here.
Yamaguchi is looking to stand up but Hamada isn't so interested in that idea.
Yamaguchi lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Yamaguchi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masaaki Yamaguchi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

No joy there for Yamaguchi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hamada's guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Hamada is trying to control the position but Yamaguchi postures up.
Hamada pulls Yamaguchi in close to his closed guard and prevents Yamaguchi from doing any damage or advancing position.
Yamaguchi won't allow Hamada to sweep him here.
Yamaguchi controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Yamaguchi keeps the fight on the outside.
Hamada steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Yamaguchi. That one must have hurt.
Masaaki Yamaguchi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Yamaguchi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hamada looks to clinch
and Yamaguchi counters with a slapping leg kick.

Yamaguchi closes the distance and pushes Hamada back into the ropes.
Hamada prevents the takedown attempt.

Yamaguchi has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Hamada clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
You can see the frustration on Hamada's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Hamada is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hamada turns into Yamaguchi and is now in his guard.
Hamada trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamaguchi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yamaguchi is trying to control the position but Hamada postures up.
Hamada with a flurry of punches that miss.
Yamaguchi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hamada pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yamaguchi is keeping the position for now.
Yamaguchi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hamada on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Atsushi Hamada hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Hamada throws a series of punches but Yamaguchi moves out of range.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Yamaguchi.

Hamada gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Yamaguchi to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Yamaguchi won't allow Hamada to get back to his feet.
Hamada looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yamaguchi is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamaguchi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Yamaguchi looking to sit in guard and control but Hamada gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hamada wants to control from the top but Yamaguchi keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masaaki Yamaguchi dominated that second round.
That's time! Yamaguchi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Yamaguchi looks to score with a jab to the body but Hamada is just out of range.
Hamada steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi shoots in for a double leg but Hamada sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hamada looks for a takedown but Yamaguchi sprawls well.
Yamaguchi lands a nice looking body kick.
Yamaguchi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hamada moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Yamaguchi looks to land a combination but Hamada avoids it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Yamaguchi bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Yamaguchi tries to stand but Hamada is controlling his head.
Hamada takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Yamaguchi trying to control the position but Hamada is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamada can't do much from the bottom here.
Yamaguchi controls the position.
Hamada is trying to get back to half guard.
Yamaguchi trying to control the action but Hamada is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Hamada is looking to reverse the position.
A lull in the action here.
You can see the frustration on Hamada's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hamada tries to close the distance and clinch up but Yamaguchi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Yamaguchi fails to land with a series of punches.
Yamaguchi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Yamaguchi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Yamaguchi lands a nice looking body kick.
Hamada keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hamada misses with a takedown
and Yamaguchi counters with a nice body kick.
Yamaguchi scores with a nice body kick.

Yamaguchi shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Yamaguchi was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hamada has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Yamaguchi's lack of action.
Hamada has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Yamaguchi is working away from the top position though.
Yamaguchi is trying to control. Hamada wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Atsushi Hamada has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Masaaki Yamaguchi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yamaguchi is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Hamada is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Masaaki Yamaguchi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Yamaguchi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Masaaki Yamaguchi!