PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jose Belford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akira Ishikawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ishikawa has chosen mindshift genki sudo as his entrance music. This should be a great matchup!

Belford
vs
Ishikawa

150 cm
18
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

150 cm
23
147 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Good kicks
Granite chin

Steel Penn's Skin Shop *laundry 93%
Sport Science Nutrition

Steel Penn's Skin Shop *laundry 93%

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jose Belford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Akira Ishikawa!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Belford shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

Ishikawa darts in and clinches Belford up against the cage.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Belford has his takedown stuffed

and Ishikawa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ishikawa landing knees to the head.

It looks like Jose Belford has been cut.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch.
Belford fails with the takedown

and Ishikawa counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Belford. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Belford takes a knee right on the jaw!
Ishikawa tries to throw a body punch but Belford avoids it by throwing Ishikawa back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Belford shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Ishikawa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch.

Ishikawa instigates a clinch.
Ishikawa gets underhooks to prevent Belford's takedown attempt.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Belford shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Ishikawa counters by clinching up.
Belford jumps guard but Ishikawa stands there with Belford around his waist. Belford gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ishikawa with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch.
Belford closes the distance looking to clinch

and Ishikawa counters by clinching up.
Ishikawa tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ishikawa pressing his opponent against the cage.

Ishikawa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Belford shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Ishikawa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ishikawa breaks from the clinch.

Ishikawa closes the distance and pushes Belford back into the cage.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch.
Belford is looking to clinch but Ishikawa is avoiding it.
Belford tries for a takedown but Ishikawa circles away easily

and Ishikawa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ishikawa lands a nice knee to the body.

Ishikawa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ishikawa forces Belford back against the cage and clinches.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belford misses with a takedown attempt
and Ishikawa counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Belford is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Belford misses with a takedown

and Ishikawa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Ishikawa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Belford gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ishikawa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Belford shoots and misses
and Ishikawa makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ishikawa closes the distance and clinches.

Ishikawa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Belford fails with the takedown
and Ishikawa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Ishikawa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jose Belford's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Belford doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Ishikawa moves into the clinch.

Ishikawa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Belford with a lazy takedown attempt

and Ishikawa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ishikawa.
Ishikawa lands a hook to the side of the head.
Belford is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ishikawa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Belford. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ishikawa lands an uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ishikawa creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Ishikawa connects with a nasty looking knee right to Belford's face.

Ishikawa manages to break the clinch.
Belford with a poor takedown

and Ishikawa counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belford tries to pull guard but Ishikawa won't allow it.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Belford shoots and misses

and Ishikawa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ishikawa is stalling here.
Ishikawa with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ishikawa scores with a knee to the head.
Belford tries to pull guard but Ishikawa won't allow it.

Ishikawa manages to break the clinch.
Belford tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ishikawa manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belford gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ishikawa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Ishikawa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ishikawa instigates a clinch.
Ishikawa lands a right hand that snaps the head of Belford backwards.
Ishikawa landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Come on Ishikawa - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Ishikawa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jose Belford is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Belford fails with the takedown

and Ishikawa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ishikawa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ishikawa manages to break the clinch.
Ishikawa keeps the fight on the outside.
Belford doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ishikawa counters with a solid body kick.
Ishikawa misses with a wild combination.
Belford gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ishikawa moves into the clinch.

Ishikawa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Belford with a poor takedown

and Ishikawa counters by moving into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ishikawa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Belford with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ishikawa counters with a nice low kick that buckles Belford's knee momentarily.
Belford misses with a takedown attempt
and Ishikawa counters with a head kick.
Belford misses with a takedown attempt

and Ishikawa moves into the clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ishikawa is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ishikawa takes the fight into the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Ishikawa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Ishikawa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jose Belford's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Belford has his takedown stuffed
and Ishikawa counters with a head kick. That will keep Belford thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Ishikawa throws a sloppy head kick and Belford moves out of range easily.
Belford gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ishikawa moves into the clinch.
Ishikawa slows down the pace here.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Ishikawa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Belford misses with a takedown attempt

and Ishikawa moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Belford. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ishikawa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belford tries for a takedown but Ishikawa circles away easily

and Ishikawa counters by clinching up.

Ishikawa breaks from the clinch.

Ishikawa moves into the clinch successfully.
Ishikawa dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Belford has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ishikawa is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Ishikawa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Belford misses with a takedown
and Ishikawa counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Akira Ishikawa is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belford has his takedown stuffed

and Ishikawa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ishikawa.
Ishikawa effectively controlling the action here.
Ishikawa using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch.
Belford with a lazy takedown attempt

and Ishikawa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ishikawa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Ishikawa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belford misses with a takedown

and Ishikawa moves into the clinch.
Ishikawa misses with a knee to the head.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch.
Belford doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Ishikawa counters by clinching up.
Ishikawa with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Belford fails to pull guard.

Ishikawa manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belford gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ishikawa counters by clinching up.

Ishikawa breaks from the clinch.

Ishikawa moves into the clinch.

Ishikawa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Belford with a lazy takedown attempt

and Ishikawa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Belford wants a takedown.
Jose Belford has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Belford tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ishikawa avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Akira Ishikawa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ishikawa 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Akira Ishikawa!
Akira Ishikawa really struggled to get his t-shirt was on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Steel Penn's Skin Shop *laundry 93% logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.