PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lion Takanori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kitomi Itaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Takanori
vs
Itaka

166 cm
19
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

168 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Improved boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lion Takanori!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kitomi Itaka!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Itaka doesn't manage to clinch there - Takanori circles away.
Takanori misses with a two punch combination.
No luck for Takanori with that takedown attempt.
Itaka is looking to clinch.
Takanori fails to land with a series of punches.
Takanori misses with a double jab.
Takanori scores with a sloppy right hand. Itaka should have avoided that one.
Takanori misses with a few strikes there.
Takanori misses with a series of wild punches.
Takanori misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takanori lands a left and a right that sends Itaka crashing to the canvas! Takanori dives into mount looking to finish!

Itaka is rocked!
Itaka can't escape the position.
Itaka is still in real trouble! Can Takanori finish him?
Takanori throwing strikes here but Itaka is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Itaka is desperately trying to improve his position but Takanori has a good base and remains in mount.
Takanori is trying to take his opponent's back.
Itaka keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Itaka seems to have recovered his senses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Takanori goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Itaka is on top in guard.

Takanori is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Takanori had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Itaka is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Takanori Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Itaka's back instead.
Takanori is breathing heavily.
Takanori is trying to stick to Itaka's back but Itaka is turning into Takanori. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Takanori's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Itaka.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Itaka stops Takanori from standing up.
Itaka seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Itaka working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Takanori's head.
Itaka with a flurry of punches that miss.

Takanori looking for a guillotine here but Itaka defends easily.
Itaka has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Takanori is proving hard to escape from.
Itaka throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Takanori works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Itaka showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Takanori.

Takanori shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Takanori was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Takanori is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Itaka looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Takanori is fending him off so far but Itaka persists. Nope, Takanori circles away and we're back to standing.
Itaka avoids a punch combination nicely.
Takanori scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Takanori throws a series of punches but Itaka avoids them all with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Itaka slips a jab and a cross from Takanori.
Takanori misses with the combination.
Itaka showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Takanori.
Itaka keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Itaka.
Takanori closes the distance and clinches up with Itaka, looking for a takedown. Takanori pushes Itaka against the cage but Itaka circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Takanori catches Itaka with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Itaka gets the takedown into side control.
Itaka trying to control the position but Takanori is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lion Takanori dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Itaka fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Itaka scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Takanori doesn't seem bothered though.
Itaka takes one to the side of the head.
A punch combination from Itaka misses.
Takanori misses with a series of wild punches.
Takanori throws a right hand that Itaka ducks under and follows up with a left that Itaka also avoids with ease.
Kitomi Itaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takanori fails to land with a series of punches.
Takanori shoots in and drives through. Itaka sprawls well.
Takanori throws a combination. Itaka tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Itaka throws a left and a right that both miss
and Takanori cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Itaka shoots in looking for a takedown. Takanori tries to sprawl out of it but Itaka keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Takanori manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Itaka drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Itaka looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Itaka winds up and cracks Takanori with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Itaka prevents Takanori from improving his position.
Takanori is working hard here to advance position.
Itaka uses his free foot to push down on Takanori's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Takanori.
Takanori is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Itaka takes Takanori's back.
Itaka is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

Itaka is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Takanori knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Takanori for a finish.
Takanori staying busy and making it hard for Itaka to control.
Itaka is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Takanori up.
Takanori controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Can Takanori hold on?! Itaka is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Itaka keeps control of the position as Takanori tries to break free.
Itaka has Takanori flattened out and is raining down punches.
Itaka thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Itaka doesn't have the hooks in and Takanori manages to turn into his guard.
Itaka looking for a sweep. Not yet Itaka, not yet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Itaka misses the body punch
and Takanori counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A punch combination from Takanori misses.
Itaka showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Takanori.
Takanori looks to land a combination but Itaka avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Itaka takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Takanori with a poor takedown

so Itaka counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Takanori wants to get back to his feet but Itaka is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Takanori is looking for a triangle but Itaka pushes his legs off easily.

Takanori working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Itaka doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Itaka manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Takanori looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Itaka passes into half guard.
Takanori is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kitomi Itaka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Itaka misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Takanori.
Takanori shoots in for a double leg but Itaka sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Itaka closes the distance looking to clinch
and Takanori counters with a stiff right hand.
Takanori takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Itaka is looking to clinch.
Takanori catches Itaka with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Takanori lands a two punch combo.
Lion Takanori is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Itaka uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Takanori.
Takanori swats away the attempt to clinch by Itaka.
Takanori lands a lovely overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanori throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Takanori misses with a double jab

and Itaka moves into the clinch.
Takanori wants to break the clinch but can't.

Itaka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Takanori throws a nice looking combination but Itaka bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Takanori does no damage.
Itaka on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Itaka will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Itaka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Takanori lands a two punch combo.
Itaka tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Itaka clinches but Takanori breaks the clinch
and Takanori counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Itaka shoots in for a double leg but Takanori sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Itaka shoots for a takedown but Takanori saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Lion Takanori has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kitomi Itaka.
Takanori fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A punch combination from Takanori misses.
Takanori misses with a low kick.
Takanori throws a head kick that misses.
Takanori throws a left and a right that both miss

and Itaka counters with a takedown into side control.
Takanori is looking to reverse the position.

Itaka tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Itaka has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Itaka has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Itaka gets a clinch.
Itaka fails to pull guard.
Itaka keeps control of Takanori as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Takanori misses with the head strike.

Itaka breaks the clinch.
Itaka tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Takanori counters with a two punch combo.
Takanori works over Itaka's head and body with a nice combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Itaka shoots in and bounces Takanori off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Takanori is wriggling around but Itaka manages to pass to half guard.
Itaka not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Takanori moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Takanori is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Takanori working for a triangle but Itaka defends it easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Itaka throwing strikes but missing.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Lion Takanori.
I think Takanori 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lion Takanori!