PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Campbell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taka Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Campbell comes to the cage accompanied by S.O.S. Taka Tanaka has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with John Campbell's chin.

Campbell
vs
Tanaka

180 cm
25
158 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

178 cm
24
156 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Campbell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Taka Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tanaka shoots in and gets a takedown into Campbell's guard.
Tanaka is pushing down on Campbell's leg trying to pass to half guard. Campbell is fighting to maintain full guard but Tanaka has managed to sneak the leg through.
Tanaka moves into full mount! Campbell won't be happy about that!
Tanaka fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Campbell wants to hold on but Tanaka pushes him away.
Tanaka tries to control but Campbell wriggling away.
Tanaka lands with some strikes.
Tanaka punishing his opponent with strikes.
Campbell is squirming around, avoiding Tanaka's attempts to control the action.

Tanaka jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Campbell manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Campbell is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka controlling the position.
Campbell is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Tanaka off and has taken his back!
The referee is taking a good look at Tanaka as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Campbell!
Tanaka tries to roll but Campbell sticks to his back.
Tanaka is holding onto Campbell's left hand, preventing any choke attempts.
Tanaka is trying to break free.
Tanaka looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Campbell throwing sloppy strikes.
Tanaka has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Tanaka is really stuck here.
Tanaka covering up well under a series of strikes from Campbell.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Tanaka avoids the strikes from Campbell.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Campbell prevents Tanaka from improving his position.
Campbell tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Campbell sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tanaka defending well though.

Tanaka looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Tanaka is refusing to be controlled, as Campbell sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Tanaka is looking for a sweep. Campbell is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tanaka is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Tanaka manages to get to full guard.

Tanaka working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Campbell has passed into half guard!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taka Tanaka dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Campbell throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Campbell throws a leg kick that is checked

and Tanaka counters with a shoot takedown. Campbell fights it but they end up in guard.
Tanaka throwing strikes but missing.
Tanaka throws a big right hand that misses.

Campbell looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Tanaka got a little sloppy there for a moment and Campbell has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tanaka has managed to get both his arms back between Campbell's legs - danger averted.
Tanaka wants to control from the top but Campbell keeps moving.
Campbell wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Campbell escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Tanaka gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Campbell can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tanaka controls the pace.
Tanaka is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Tanaka looking to sit in guard and control but Campbell gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Tanaka lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Campbell!
Campbell tries to hold on but Tanaka postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka with the ground and pound from mount.

Tanaka with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Campbell is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

Campbell defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Tanaka.
Tanaka postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Campbell looks a forlorn figure.

Campbell is rocked!
Tanaka lands a big shot to the head and Campbell winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:05 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Taka Tanaka!