PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Shim Changmin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tokugawa Hattori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Changmin
vs
Hattori

189 cm
28
190 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

183 cm
23
185 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shim Changmin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tokugawa Hattori!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shirou Masuda and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hattori shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Changmin as he jumps to the side.
Hattori shoots for a double leg takedown but Changmin sprawls well. He's pushed Hattori's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hattori showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Changmin.
Hattori looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Shim Changmin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tokugawa Hattori.
A swing and a miss from Changmin.
Changmin throws a right hand that Hattori ducks under and follows up with a left that Hattori also avoids with ease.
Hattori shoots in looking for a takedown but Changmin manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hattori's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Changmin lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hattori circles away quickly and effectively.
Changmin waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hattori.
Hattori throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Changmin's waist but Changmin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hattori off to one side.
Hattori fails to land the takedown.
Hattori looks for a takedown but Changmin sprawls well.
Changmin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hattori shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Changmin but Changmin pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hattori misses with a head kick.
A combination from Changmin does no damage.
Hattori falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Changmin counter with a right hand.
Changmin throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hattori counters with a three punch combo that has Changmin backing up. Changmin nods at Hattori to acknowledge the strikes.
Hattori fails to land the takedown.
Hattori throws a series of punches but Changmin moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Changmin defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hattori.
Hattori showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Changmin.
Changmin throws an off balance right hand
and Hattori counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Sloppy strikes from Hattori. Those never looked like landing.
Hattori moves away from the strike by Changmin.
Hattori shoots in looking for a takedown. Changmin tries to sprawl out of it but Hattori keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Changmin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hattori misses with a takedown attempt
and Changmin counters with a nice body shot.
Hattori throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Changmin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hattori misses with a wild combination.
Changmin misses with a double jab.
Hattori slips under a jab from Changmin.
Hattori shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Changmin as he jumps to the side.
Hattori misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Changmin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hattori.
Hattori will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
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 Shim Changmin will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Changmin lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hattori circles away quickly and effectively.
Hattori shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Changmin pinned against the cage. Changmin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Changmin fails to land with a series of punches.
Hattori dives in and grabs Changmin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Changmin pushes down on Hattori's head and hops out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hattori will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Changmin throws a right hand that Hattori ducks under and follows up with a left that Hattori also avoids with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Changmin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hattori is defended easily by Changmin.
Shim Changmin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tokugawa Hattori.
Hattori walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Donk. Changmin catches Hattori right on the button with a cross.
Changmin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hattori moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Changmin throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hattori counters with a head kick. That will keep Changmin thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hattori fails with a takedown attempt.
Hattori shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Changmin as he jumps to the side.
Changmin misses with the combination.
Tokugawa Hattori seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Changmin's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Changmin duly obliges.
Hattori tries to bum rush Changmin with a series of wild strikes but Changmin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Shim Changmin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hattori throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hattori shoots in looking for a takedown. Changmin tries to sprawl out of it but Hattori keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Changmin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Changmin misses with a wild combination.
Hattori tries to score a power double leg takedown but Changmin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hattori somewhat.
Changmin lunges at Hattori with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Hattori's hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hattori misses with a double jab.
Changmin falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hattori counters with a stiff right hand.
A head kick misses from Hattori.
Hattori shoots in for a double leg but Changmin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Changmin throws a poor cross that misses

and Hattori counters with a takedown into side control.
Hattori working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Hattori misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tokugawa Hattori will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Hattori uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Changmin.
A combination from Changmin does no damage.
Changmin misses with a two punch combination.
Hattori shoots in but Changmin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hattori throws a right and a left that Changmin avoids nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hattori looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Changmin fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Changmin throws a nice looking combination but Hattori bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Changmin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hattori.
Shim Changmin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tokugawa Hattori.
Hattori looks to clinch
and Changmin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hattori shoots in for a takedown but Changmin shows good takedown defense.
Changmin is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Hattori throws a head kick but Changmin moves out of range.
A punch combination from Changmin misses.
Changmin misses with a series of wild punches.
Hattori takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Changmin. Those never looked like landing.
A combination from Changmin does no damage.
Hattori shoots in for a double leg but Changmin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Changmin swinging wildly here.
Changmin throws a right hand that Hattori ducks under and follows up with a left that Hattori also avoids with ease.
Hattori rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Changmin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hattori misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hattori shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hattori takes one to the side of the head.
Hattori changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Changmin tries to avoid it but Hattori manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Changmin to the ground. Changmin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Hattori takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Changmin slaps away a takedown attempt from Hattori, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Changmin connects with a jab.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Changmin, as that shot connected.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Changmin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Changmin works over Hattori's head and body with a nice combination.
Changmin throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Changmin. Those never looked like landing.
Shim Changmin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hattori fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Hattori fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shim Changmin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Changmin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Shim Changmin!
An out of breath Shim Changmin thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.