PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between el Steveo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryu Takashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ryu Takashi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Steveo
vs
Takashi

177 cm
26
176 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

183 cm
21
170 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Valhalla Fight Wear

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, el Steveo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryu Takashi!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Steveo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steveo scoring with punches to the head and body.
Takashi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Steveo manages to get himself to full guard.
Takashi won't allow Steveo to get back to his feet.
Takashi's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Takashi drops back looking for a leg! Steveo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Steveo manages to kick Takashi off! Takashi jumps back into Steveo's guard.
Takashi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Steveo wants to get back to his feet but Takashi drags him back down.
Takashi misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takashi controls the position.
Takashi prevents Steveo from escaping the position.
The ground and pound from Takashi seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Takashi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Steveo keeps working.
Steveo is trying to buck Takashi off.
Steveo parries the strikes from Takashi easily there. Takashi is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Steveo to escape.
Steveo wants to get back to his feet.
Takashi tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takashi in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Takashi tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Takashi wants to control but Steveo is keeping him busy.

Takashi swings around for an armbar but Steveo sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Takashi's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Takashi can do anything to dispel that myth.
Steveo trying to control the position from guard on top but Takashi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Steveo stands up over Takashi, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takashi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Takashi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Takashi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Steveo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Takashi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Steveo preventing the sweep.
Takashi trying to control the position.
Takashi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Steveo is one step ahead there.
Steveo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Takashi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takashi wants to improve his position but instead Steveo has moved into half guard.
Takashi flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Takashi tries to roll over but Steveo keeps him under control.
Steveo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Takashi does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Takashi is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Steveo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Steveo's back!

Steveo defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Steveo with a nice head shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ryu Takashi will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Takashi takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Takashi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Takashi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Steveo.

Steveo closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Takashi's guard.
Steveo chips away with some ground and pound.
Steveo is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Steveo with a nice head shot there.
Takashi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Steveo keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Takashi's head.
Steveo trying to control the position from guard on top but Takashi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Steveo landing some decent shots from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steveo throws a big right hand that misses.
Steveo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Takashi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Takashi holds on and takes a little breather.
Steveo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Steveo throwing strikes from guard but Takashi blocks nicely.
Steveo looking to pass the guard.
Takashi wants to control but Steveo passes easily into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takashi on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Takashi trying to control from the bottom.
Steveo slips a nice elbow through Takashi's hands, connecting with Takashi's forehead.
Takashi is trying to control but can't.
Takashi keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Steveo content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Steveo lands a nice short elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steveo slips a nice elbow through Takashi's hands, connecting with Takashi's forehead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steveo is keen to just control but Takashi is a slippery customer.
Takashi wants to improve his position but Steveo is controlling well.
Steveo passes to full mount!
Steveo punishing his opponent with strikes.
Takashi tries to hold on but Steveo pushes him away.
Steveo raining down hammerfists from mount.
Steveo landing strikes, looking to finish!
Steveo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steveo raining down shots from the mount!
Steveo is landing with some decent strikes but Takashi is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Steveo with the ground and pound from mount.
Takashi is wriggling around trying to escape.
Steveo lands a heavy elbow.
Takashi taking shots to the head.
Steveo avoids the attempt from Takashi to control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Takashi in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Takashi is rocked!
Steveo lands with some strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

el Steveo dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Steveo closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Takashi to the mat! Takashi manages to get full guard.
Steveo postures up in Takashi's guard and throws a big left but Takashi blocks it.
el Steveo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Steveo wants to control from the top but Takashi keeps moving.
Steveo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Takashi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Steveo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Steveo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Steveo trying to control but Takashi is working from the bottom.
Steveo is fighting to break Takashi's control of his arms but Takashi is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Takashi working a defensive guard but Steveo manages to pass into side control anyway.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takashi avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Steveo.
Steveo in side control, throwing shots but Takashi defends.
Takashi is trying to get back to half guard.
Steveo creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Takashi throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Steveo tries to score with some ground and pound. Takashi controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Steveo landing a few strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takashi is not content to let Steveo control the position.
Steveo landing strikes.
Takashi throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Steveo scores with punches from side control.
Takashi is looking for a sweep.
Steveo trying to control the action but Takashi is working from the bottom.
Steveo looks up at the clock and then as Takashi takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Steveo smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takashi is not content to let Steveo control the position.
Takashi takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Steveo working the ground and pound.
Steveo postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steveo working away.
Steveo is looking to take a break and control but Takashi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Steveo lands some shots froms side control.
Steveo working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Steveo lands a decent elbow from side control.
Steveo in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
el Steveo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Steveo 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... el Steveo!