PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hugo Johansson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taka Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johansson kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Tom Waits - Going out west.. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Johansson
vs
Tanaka

178 cm
28
153 lbs
15 - 10 - 0

178 cm
30
156 lbs
14 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Granite chin

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc

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 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hugo Johansson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Taka Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Steve Smith and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Tanaka misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johansson.
Tanaka takes a swing at Johansson's ribcage but misses.
Johansson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Johansson misses with a combination
enabling Tanaka to counter with a crisp jab.
Tanaka walks into a stiff left hand from Johansson.
Johansson throws a right hand that misses
and Tanaka counters with a straight right hand.
Tanaka lands the left hand.
Johansson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johansson misses with an uppercut. Tanaka saw that one coming.
Tanaka cracks Johansson with a right hand to the side of the head.

Tanaka shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Tanaka is pressing down on Johansson's thigh, looking to free his foot. Johansson is holding on for now.
Tanaka wants to control but Johansson is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Johansson to regain full guard.
Johansson controls Tanaka momentarily but Tanaka frees himself.
Tanaka slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Tanaka working away.

Tanaka tries for a kimura but Johansson is defending well.
Johansson is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka working away.
Tanaka is looking to take a break and control but Johansson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Tanaka swings around for an armbar but Johansson sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Tanaka's guard.
Johansson trying to control but Tanaka is working from the bottom.
Johansson wanted to stand there but Tanaka had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johansson throws an elbow that misses. Tanaka uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Johansson's guard. Nice move by Tanaka!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johansson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Johansson has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Johansson trying to control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johansson keeping full guard, as Tanaka tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Taka Tanaka will probably get the nod.
That's time! Johansson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Tanaka looks to score with a jab to the body but Johansson is just out of range.
Tanaka swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Johansson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Tanaka swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tanaka's jab looks to have found its range, popping Johansson under the eye.
Johansson has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Tanaka finds it's way round the side to connect with Johansson's head.
Taka Tanaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tanaka keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tanaka throws a predictable looking body shot
and Johansson counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Johansson's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Tanaka connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Johansson scrambles back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka tests Johansson's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nice defenses there by Johansson.
Tanaka moves out of range of the strikes.
Nice uppercut lands for Johansson. That snapped Tanaka's head back.
Tanaka stuns Johansson with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Johansson takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Tanaka throws a looping overhand right but Johansson ducks down to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Tanaka, right into the meat.
Johansson takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Johansson shoots in and drives through. Tanaka sprawls well.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tanaka.
Tanaka stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Johansson misses with an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tanaka doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Johansson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Johansson digs a good body shot into Tanaka's ribs.
Johansson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Tanaka throws out the jab.
Johansson works Tanaka's body with a nice hook.
Johansson uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Tanaka has time to react.
Tanaka looks for a takedown but Johansson sprawls well.
Hugo Johansson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Taka Tanaka.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johansson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tanaka sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Johansson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Johansson moves into range and connects with a jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tanaka jabs Johansson right on the nose. Johansson blinks but takes it well.
Nice uppercut there from Tanaka.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johansson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Johansson moves out of range of the body kick from Tanaka.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Hugo Johansson will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Johansson swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Tanaka counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd cheers as Tanaka lands an impressive looking overhand right. Johansson doesn't seem phased though.
Tanaka slips under a jab from Johansson.
Johansson throws a right hand that misses
and Tanaka counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Tanaka dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Johansson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tanaka moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A left lands for Tanaka.
Tanaka slips a straight right by Johansson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johansson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tanaka.
Nice defenses there by Johansson.
Nice jab there from Johansson.
Tanaka scores with a nice strike.
Tanaka tries to land a leg kick but Johansson saw it coming and moves away.
Tanaka shoots in but no luck this time.
Tanaka feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Johansson's calf.
Johansson misses with a lunging right hand
and Tanaka counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Tanaka misses its intended target.
Johansson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tanaka.
Tanaka paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Tanaka shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Johansson is defended easily by Tanaka.
Johansson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tanaka was well out of range. Poor timing from Johansson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka scores with a jab to the body.
Johansson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Tanaka feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Tanaka throws a big right hand that misses.
Johansson trying to keep a closed guard but Tanaka is proving a slippery customer.
Tanaka trying to control but Johansson is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johansson controlling the position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Tanaka trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Hugo Johansson wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Johansson connects with a single shot there.
Johansson ducks under a wild hook from Tanaka.
A big left from Tanaka misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tanaka throws a big shot that misses.
Some wild striking there from Johansson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taka Tanaka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tanaka 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taka Tanaka!
A very excited looking Taka Tanaka made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.