PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Izaki Renji (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenji Himura (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.

Renji
vs
Himura

165 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Izaki Renji!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenji Himura!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Himura tries to sprawl but Renji drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Renji stops Himura from getting back to his feet.
Renji wants to free his trapped foot but Himura is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Renji wants to control but Himura is keeping him busy.

Renji decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Renji drives through and clinches with Himura against the cage.
Renji lands an uppercut.
Himura takes a knee to the side of the body.

Renji breaks the clinch.

Renji throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Himura tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Renji is in Himura's guard.
Renji lands a couple of elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Renji sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Himura is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Renji is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Renji slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Renji wants to control from the top but Himura keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Izaki Renji has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Himura with a poor takedown

and Renji counters with a single leg into guard. Himura didn't expect that.
Himura looks gassed!
Renji trying to control the position from guard on top but Himura is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Renji throws a strike but Himura rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Renji wants to get back to his feet but Himura is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Himura trying to control the position from guard on top but Renji is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Renji looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Himura passes into side control.
Renji throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Renji wants to control but Himura postures up.
Himura tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

Renji sneaks out the side door and pushes Himura away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Himura dips to his left and cracks Renji with an uppercut!
Himura with a lazy takedown attempt

and Renji counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Himura's guard now.

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

Renji closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Himura did well to prevent Renji getting side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Renji takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Renji is working for a kimura but Himura is defending it quite comfortably.
Renji stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Izaki Renji dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Himura with a nice cross.
Himura has his takedown stuffed

and Renji counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Renji.

Renji gets to his feet - Himura follows without any prompting.

Renji manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Himura on his heels. He'll look to pass Himura's guard now, I'm sure.

Himura is working an open guard so Renji takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Renji shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Himura napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Renji decides to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Himura gets caught flat footed, as Renji shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Himura is looking to stand up but Renji isn't so interested in that idea.
Renji wants to control from the top but Himura keeps moving.

Renji stands and steps away. Himura gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Himura with a lazy takedown attempt

and Renji counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Renji advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Himura tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Himura is squirming around, avoiding Renji's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You get the feeling that Himura really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Renji raining down shots from the mount!
Renji controlling from the full mount.
Renji is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Himura can do to turn this around?
Izaki Renji overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four 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.
Renji can't control as he wanted to and Himura manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Renji looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Izaki Renji dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Himura fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Renji avoids it really well and circles away.
Himura misses with a combination

and Renji counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Himura being controlled here, momentarily.
Renji works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Renji content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Himura kicks off Renji and gets to his feet.

Renji shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Renji showed some decent athleticism there.
Renji with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Renji stalling away here and it's allowed Himura to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Renji looking to sit in guard and control but Himura gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Renji is trying to hold Himura in close to prevent damage but Himura has managed to pass into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Himura trying to mount his opponent but Renji defends it.
Himura passes the guard and advances to mount!
Himura trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Renji wants to hold on but Himura pushes him away.
Renji is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's four 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.
Renji tries to hold on but Himura pushes him away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Izaki Renji.
Himura stuffs the takedown attempt from Renji. Renji gets slowly back to his feet.
Kenji Himura has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Izaki Renji is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Himura takes a swing at Renji's ribcage but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Izaki Renji showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Renji, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:26
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:26
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Izaki Renji!