PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Akihiro Tatsui (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Howard White (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Tatsui
vs
White

173 cm
23
156 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

182 cm
25
152 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Akihiro Tatsui!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Howard White!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Ivan Kurochkin and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

White moves into the clinch.

Tatsui pulls guard effortlessly.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
White wants to control from the top but Tatsui keeps moving.

Tatsui looking for a guillotine here but White defends easily.
Tatsui keeping full guard, as White tries to pass.
Tatsui is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Tatsui with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

White looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Tatsui is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

We're going to have a standup here because Akihiro Tatsui wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

White fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tatsui, pushing him back against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Tatsui tries for a takedown but White manages to get underhooks.
White looking to throw knees to the head but Tatsui is blocking nicely.
White throws a knee to the head but misses.
White misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
White looking to throw knees to the head but Tatsui is blocking nicely.
White blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
White tries to land a knee to the head but Tatsui blocks with his arms.
White looks winded!
White throws a knee to the head but misses.
Tatsui avoiding damage.
White with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Tatsui tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Tatsui drags the fight down to the ground.

White drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Tatsui manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now White has Tatsui in his guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tatsui stands and throws White's legs to the side, diving into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Tatsui controlling from side mount.

Tatsui is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. White knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Tatsui controls the position.
White wants to control but Tatsui postures up.
White is being controlled here.
White has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
White is looking for a sweep.
Tatsui takes a little break here. White wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

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

Tatsui tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
White is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akihiro Tatsui dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Tatsui darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

White actively working from the bottom here.
Tatsui trying to mount his opponent but White defends it.
Tatsui trying to control the pace.
White tries to roll over but Tatsui keeps him under control.
Tatsui is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tatsui is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
White wants to get back to full guard but Tatsui has mounted him!
White really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Tatsui content just to control the position here.
Tatsui avoids the attempt from White to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatsui content just to control the position here.
White wants to control but Tatsui is having none of it.
Tatsui seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but White is holding on tight.
Tatsui sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
White is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tatsui lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Tatsui controlling from the full mount.
White is trying to escape the mount.
White is breathing heavily.
Tatsui controlling the pace for now.
White tries to improve his position but instead Tatsui has taken his back!
Good control from Tatsui.

Tatsui is cranking White's head sideways - that looks painful. He's managed to get his other arm under the chin and this looks bad for White! He's tightened the choke and White is tapping out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Akihiro Tatsui!
A very excited looking Akihiro Tatsui 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.