PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ikuo Hitigaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Robinson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hitigaki
vs
Robinson

180 cm
26
187 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

190 cm
23
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great low kicks
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ikuo Hitigaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Michael Robinson!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shigeki Sano and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Robinson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Robinson throws a push kick but Hitigaki slaps the foot to one side.
Robinson shoots in looking for a takedown. Hitigaki tries to sprawl out of it but Robinson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hitigaki manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Robinson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hitigaki wants to clinch.
Hitigaki seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Robinson scores with a decent looking hook.

Hitigaki drives through and clinches with Robinson against the cage.
Robinson dodges an elbow strike from Hitigaki.
Robinson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hitigaki tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hitigaki misses with an elbow over the top.
A frustrated look appears on Robinson's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hitigaki misses with a body punch.
A head punch on the inside from Hitigaki fails to land.
Robinson goes for a takedown attempt but Hitigaki pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Hitigaki tries to clinch up but Robinson circles away and keeps his distance.
Hitigaki throws an overhand right that lands on Robinson's shoulder, as Robinson tries to avoid the shot.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Robinson has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Hitigaki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Robinson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hitigaki sprawls well. Hitigaki wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Robinson gets slowly back to his feet.
Ikuo Hitigaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Robinson.
Hitigaki wants to clinch up but Robinson keeps it at a distance.
Robinson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hitigaki checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Hitigaki tries to clinch up.

Hitigaki rushes Robinson and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hitigaki misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Robinson.
Hitigaki tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Robinson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Robinson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hitigaki misses with a punch to the body.
Hitigaki leaning his opponent against the cage.
Robinson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hitigaki missing with knees to the body.
Robinson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hitigaki taking a breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hitigaki gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Hitigaki working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Robinson is trying to push Hitigaki away but Hitigaki has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Robinson manages to pull guard.
Robinson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hitigaki controls from within his opponent's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Robinson can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Robinson trying to keep a closed guard but Hitigaki is proving a slippery customer.
Robinson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Hitigaki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Robinson trying to keep a closed guard but Hitigaki is proving a slippery customer.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Robinson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
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 Ikuo Hitigaki will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hitigaki defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Robinson.
Robinson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Hitigaki darts in and clinches Robinson up against the cage.
Robinson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Robinson tries for a takedown. No joy.
Robinson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ikuo Hitigaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Robinson.
Robinson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Hitigaki is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Robinson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Robinson is trying to break the clinch but Hitigaki has him pressed against the cage.
Hitigaki tries to throw a body punch but Robinson avoids it by throwing Hitigaki back against the cage.
Robinson looking for a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hitigaki tries to throw a body punch but Robinson avoids it by throwing Hitigaki back against the cage.
Hitigaki comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Robinson prevents a body shot from Hitigaki.
A frustrated look appears on Robinson's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Hitigaki has Robinson pushed against the cage.
Robinson fails to pull guard.
Robinson is looking to break free of the clinch but Hitigaki has double underhooks.
Robinson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hitigaki walks away with a smile on his face. Robinson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Robinson swats away the attempt to clinch by Hitigaki.
Michael Robinson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Robinson shoots for a double leg takedown but Hitigaki sprawls well. He's pushed Robinson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hitigaki thumps Robinson with a low kick.
Robinson is breathing heavily.
Hitigaki is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robinson takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hitigaki fails in his attempt to clinch.
A combination from Robinson does no damage.
Hitigaki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Robinson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hitigaki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hitigaki tries to clinch up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hitigaki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hitigaki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Robinson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hitigaki lands a head kick!

It looks like Michael Robinson has been cut.

Hitigaki forces Robinson back against the cage and clinches.
Robinson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hitigaki pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hitigaki holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Robinson is trying to push Hitigaki away but Hitigaki has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robinson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Robinson is trying to force a seperation but Hitigaki has the dominant position.
Hitigaki has Robinson pressed against the cage, preventing Robinson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ikuo Hitigaki has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Hitigaki stalling against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Hitigaki for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Hitigaki tries to work over Robinson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Robinson looking for a takedown.
Robinson managing to block the knees to the body from Hitigaki.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Robinson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Robinson throws a series of punches but Hitigaki avoids them all with ease.

Hitigaki closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hitigaki stalling in the clinch.
Robinson has had enough of the clinch but Hitigaki keeps him there for the moment.
Hitigaki taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Hitigaki throws a head punch that misses.
Robinson has Hitigaki pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hitigaki manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Robinson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Robinson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hitigaki prevents it.
Robinson blocks a body shot from Hitigaki.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ikuo Hitigaki dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Michael Robinson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Hitigaki is looking to clinch but Robinson is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hitigaki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hitigaki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Robinson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Robinson keeps the fight on the outside.
Robinson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Hitigaki pushes Robinson up against the cage in a clinch.
Hitigaki will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Robinson up against the cage.
Robinson tries to break free but Hitigaki pushes him back against the cage.
Robinson tries to pull guard but Hitigaki forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Hitigaki pushes off an throws an elbow but Robinson leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hitigaki effectively controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hitigaki throws a head punch that misses.
The referee is keeping an eye on Hitigaki - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Hitigaki seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.

Robinson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hitigaki wants to clinch.
Robinson thows a leg kick but Hitigaki checks it
and Hitigaki counters with a straight right hand.
Robinson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hitigaki forces Robinson back against the cage and clinches.
Hitigaki is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Robinson successfully pulls guard.
Hitigaki would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Robinson keeping full guard, as Hitigaki tries to pass.
Hitigaki would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Hitigaki wants to control from the top but Robinson keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hitigaki is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ikuo Hitigaki just wasn't active enough.
Hitigaki defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Robinson.
Ikuo Hitigaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Robinson.
Robinson fails with a takedown attempt.
Ikuo Hitigaki is winning the standup battle so far.
Robinson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hitigaki scores with a leg kick.

Hitigaki closes the distance and clinches.
Robinson is trying to break free.
Hitigaki is pushing Robinson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Robinson wants to get back to striking at distance but Hitigaki won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Hitigaki takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Hitigaki misses with the head strike.
Robinson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Robinson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Robinson is trying to drag Hitigaki to the mat but Hitigaki just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Robinson being controlled against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hitigaki swings wildly with an uppercut but Robinson uses good head movement to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ikuo Hitigaki showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hitigaki, 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ikuo Hitigaki!