PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kazuyuki Takimoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zagan Yehudiah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takimoto comes to the cage accompanied by Instrumental. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Takimoto
vs
Yehudiah

175 cm
29
164 lbs
18 - 8 - 1

181 cm
28
165 lbs
22 - 10 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 1, fighting out of New York, Kazuyuki Takimoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Zagan Yehudiah!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Jeff Smith and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takimoto scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Takimoto thows a body shot but no joy.
Takimoto lands a glancing blow to the side of Yehudiah's head.
Takimoto throws an overhand right that lands on Yehudiah's shoulder, as Yehudiah tries to avoid the shot.
Takimoto looks to land a right hand but Yehudiah moved out of range.
Good work by Yehudiah as he checks the leg kick.
Yehudiah keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Takimoto.
Takimoto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yehudiah manages to avoid it.
Takimoto fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Yehudiah is out of range.
Yehudiah is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Takimoto looks to score with a jab to the body but Yehudiah is just out of range.
Yehudiah doesn't manage to clinch there - Takimoto circles away.
Yehudiah looks for the body kick but Takimoto saw that one coming.
Yehudiah tries to close the distance and clinch but Takimoto swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Takimoto tries to bum rush Yehudiah with a series of wild strikes but Yehudiah uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yehudiah moves in looking to clinch but Takimoto pushes him off.
Yehudiah ducks under a wild hook from Takimoto.
Kazuyuki Takimoto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takimoto shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Yehudiah but Yehudiah pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Takimoto keeps the fight on the outside.
Takimoto keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Yehudiah stuffs the takedown.
Takimoto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A swing and a miss from Takimoto.
Takimoto uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Yehudiah.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Takimoto crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Yehudiah - the referee stops the clock and Takimoto gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Yehudiah. Takimoto manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Yehudiah misses with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takimoto swinging wildly here.
Takimoto misses with a lunging right hand

and Yehudiah counters by clinching up.

Yehudiah manages to break the clinch.
Yehudiah wants to clinch up but Takimoto keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Yehudiah looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Takimoto throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Yehudiah's waist but Yehudiah gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Takimoto off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kazuyuki Takimoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yehudiah moves out of range of the leg kick from Takimoto.
Takimoto lands a nice leg kick that just misses Yehudiah's sensitive parts.
Takimoto closes the distance and clinches up with Yehudiah, looking for a takedown. Takimoto pushes Yehudiah against the cage but Yehudiah circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takimoto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Takimoto circles away from the clinch attempt.
Takimoto throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yehudiah moves into the clinch successfully.
Yehudiah is trying to push Takimoto away but Takimoto has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Yehudiah looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Yehudiah lands an elbow inside that Takimoto shrugs off.

Takimoto breaks the clinch.
A good leg kick by Takimoto.
Takimoto throws a shot from downtown. Yehudiah moves away and avoids it.
Takimoto is trying hard to land a takedown here. Yehudiah sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Zagan Yehudiah is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Takimoto throws out a powerful jab.

Yehudiah darts in and clinches Takimoto up against the cage.
Yehudiah comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Yehudiah breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Takimoto digs a good body shot into Yehudiah's ribs.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Takimoto.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yehudiah doesn't manage to clinch there - Takimoto circles away.
Takimoto throws a left and a right that both miss
and Yehudiah counters with a low kick, right behind Takimoto 's knee.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Yehudiah has closed the distance and engaged Takimoto in a clinch.

Yehudiah escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yehudiah showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Takimoto.
Yehudiah misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Takimoto.
Yehudiah tries a low kick but Takimoto avoids it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Takimoto fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Takimoto swats away the attempt to clinch by Yehudiah.
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 Kazuyuki Takimoto will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Takimoto throws a leg kick that is checked

and Yehudiah counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Yehudiah.
Takimoto working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Yehudiah lands an elbow that stopped Takimoto in his tracks for a moment.

Takimoto's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Yehudiah moves out of range of the strikes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Yehudiah looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Yehudiah moves away from the strike by Takimoto.
Takimoto tried to score with a low kick but Yehudiah checks it.
A big right from Takimoto misses.
Takimoto misses with a lunging right hand
and Yehudiah counters with a nice leg kick.
Yehudiah on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Takimoto!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takimoto shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Yehudiah as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takimoto tries for a takedown but Yehudiah sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Takimoto lands with a thumping leg kick.
Yehudiah slaps away a takedown attempt from Takimoto, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kazuyuki Takimoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Takimoto throws a lazy uppercut

and Yehudiah counters by clinching up.
Yehudiah pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Yehudiah stalling in the clinch but Takimoto improves position.
Takimoto avoids a wild elbow strike from Yehudiah.
Takimoto takes an elbow to the forehead.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Yehudiah just misses with a elbow thrown towards Takimoto's brow.
Yehudiah blocks an elbow strike.
Yehudiah trying to stall but Takimoto improves his position.
Takimoto wants to break the clinch but can't.
Yehudiah misses with an elbow over the top.
Takimoto is trying to pull guard but Yehudiah turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yehudiah lands a damaging elbow.
Yehudiah lands an elbow inside.

Takimoto manages to break the clinch.
No joy there for Takimoto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Takimoto shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Yehudiah manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Yehudiah looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Takimoto preventing the sweep.
Yehudiah has Takimoto pulled in close to control his posture.
Takimoto looking to sit in guard and control but Yehudiah gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Yehudiah must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Yehudiah trying to control the position from guard on top but Takimoto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Zagan Yehudiah.

Takimoto closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Yehudiah tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Yehudiah tries to escape but Takimoto is in control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yehudiah tries to bench press Takimoto off him but Takimoto keeps the position.
Takimoto controlling from side mount.

Takimoto is trying to get an arm triangle but Yehudiah is defending well.
Takimoto happy to just control the position for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazuyuki Takimoto dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Takimoto scores with a hook.
Yehudiah goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Yehudiah wants to clinch up but Takimoto keeps it at a distance.
Takimoto moves out of range of the body kick from Yehudiah.
Yehudiah takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Takimoto misses with a body shot.
Yehudiah ducks right into an uppercut from Takimoto.
Takimoto throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Yehudiah's waist but Yehudiah gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Takimoto off to one side.
Yehudiah takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Takimoto looks to land a right hand but Yehudiah moved out of range.
Yehudiah wants to clinch up but Takimoto keeps it at a distance.
Yehudiah fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yehudiah displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Takimoto.
Takimoto looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Takimoto avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Takimoto with a hook.
Takimoto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Takimoto dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Yehudiah takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Takimoto circles away from the clinch attempt
and Takimoto counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Takimoto shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Yehudiah manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Zagan Yehudiah has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takimoto won't allow Yehudiah to sweep him here.
Yehudiah is pulling down on Takimoto's head. It's preventing any offense from Takimoto, at least for the moment.
Takimoto stopping the sweep attempt from Yehudiah.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yehudiah keeping moving, preventing Takimoto from controlling successfully.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yehudiah looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Zagan Yehudiah wasn't active enough on the ground.

Takimoto shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Yehudiah really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Takimoto. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Takimoto slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Yehudiah tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Takimoto wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Takimoto working away.
Yehudiah is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Takimoto controlling the position from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takimoto tries to move into full mount but can't pass Yehudiah's legs.
Kazuyuki Takimoto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Takimoto controls the position from side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yehudiah tries to bench press Takimoto off him but Takimoto keeps the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kazuyuki Takimoto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Takimoto, 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kazuyuki Takimoto!
Kazuyuki Takimoto decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.