PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Koshi Tatsu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Lapus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Tatsu
vs
Lapus

178 cm
21
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
26
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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, Koshi Tatsu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Lapus!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Fujiwara and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lapus feints and as Tatsu raises his hands in defense, Lapus changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Tatsu is trying to control the position but Lapus postures up.
Lapus controls from within his opponent's guard.
Lapus stopping the sweep attempt from Tatsu.
Tatsu is working hard here to advance position.

Lapus stands up and waves to Tatsu to follow him.

Lapus gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatsu tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lapus smiles and moves away.
Lapus wants to clinch but Tatsu slips to the side

and Tatsu counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Lapus is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Lapus looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lapus is on top in guard.
Lapus preventing the sweep.
Tatsu trying to control the position.
Tatsu controlling Lapus's posture.
Tatsu tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatsu is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lapus's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Koshi Tatsu wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Tatsu throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Lapus was covering up waiting for the punch and Tatsu finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Lapus tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lapus is trying to keep Tatsu in close.
Tatsu wants to control from the top but Lapus keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tatsu wants to get up but he can't break Lapus's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Tatsu postures up in Lapus's guard and throws a big left but Lapus blocks it.
Lapus can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tatsu controls the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Koshi Tatsu just wasn't active enough.
Tatsu takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Tatsu gets a takedown into half guard.
Tatsu prevents Lapus from improving his position.
Lapus is staying active underneath Tatsu, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tatsu trying to control from Lapus's half guard. Lapus has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Lapus has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Tatsu has gone for a leg lock! Lapus slips out almost immediately though and dives into Tatsu's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tatsu is breathing heavily.

Lapus drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lapus jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Tatsu has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Koshi Tatsu will probably get the nod.
That's time! Tatsu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

An inside leg kick from Lapus misses.

Lapus darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Tatsu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Tatsu trying to control but Lapus postures up.
Tatsu is trying to stand up here but Lapus is controlling him well.

Lapus is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lapus is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Lapus is breathing heavily.
Lapus stopping the sweep attempt from Tatsu.
Lapus trying to control the position from guard on top but Tatsu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tatsu working a defensive guard but Lapus manages to pass into side control anyway.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Tatsu is trying to control Lapus's posture but Lapus avoids it.
Lapus trying to control the position but Tatsu is working away.
Tatsu is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Tatsu pushes Lapus off and gets back to his feet.

Lapus closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Tatsu's guard.
Tatsu controlling Lapus's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lapus trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tatsu wants to control the position but Lapus says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
John Lapus has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lapus is looking to take a break and control but Tatsu is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tatsu is doing well to control the position and prevent Lapus from advancing to side control.
Lapus really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tatsu. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Tatsu trying to hold on to Lapus's head to control him but Lapus postures up.
Tatsu tries to get to full guard but Lapus has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tatsu is staying active underneath Lapus, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Tatsu might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

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

Tatsu shoots in and gets a takedown into Lapus's guard.
Tatsu trying to control but Lapus is working from the bottom.

Tatsu is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Lapus is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Lapus has escaped and now he's on top!
Tatsu trying to keep a closed guard but Lapus is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Lapus showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Lapus feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Tatsu looking to control.
Lapus is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Lapus wants to control from the top but Tatsu keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lapus misses with an attempted mid kick.
Tatsu throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lapus's waist but Lapus gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Tatsu off to one side.

Lapus closes the distance and clinches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatsu lands an elbow inside that Lapus shrugs off.
Tatsu wants a takedown.

Lapus's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tatsu loads up on a big right hand but Lapus slips the punch.
Tatsu with a poor takedown

and Lapus counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Koshi Tatsu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lapus is pressing down on Tatsu's thigh, looking to free his foot. Tatsu is holding on for now.
Lapus wants to take a breather but Tatsu is having none of it.
Still in half guard, Lapus seems content to control.
Tatsu wants to control but Lapus is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tatsu wants to improve his position but Lapus is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

John Lapus has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Lapus closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Tatsu did well to prevent Lapus getting side control.
Lapus with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Tatsu gets full guard.
Lapus trying to control the position from guard on top but Tatsu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tatsu lands a decent shot there.
Tatsu has control of Lapus's left arm, preventing Lapus from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lapus loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Tatsu is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lapus won't allow Tatsu to get back to his feet.
Lapus trying to control but Tatsu is working from the bottom.
Lapus loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Lapus scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Tatsu has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lapus is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tatsu is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Lapus scores with a couple of nice shots.
Tatsu is looking to improve his position.
Tatsu trying to get back to full guard but Lapus takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Lapus trying to control but Tatsu is having none of it.
Tatsu tries to lock up and control but Lapus gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Lapus comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Lapus has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Lapus!