PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Itzo Eiji (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tataki Mizuto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mizuto is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: The Beginning- One Ok Rock. This should be a great matchup!

Eiji
vs
Mizuto

177 cm
25
165 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

188 cm
27
165 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Itzo Eiji!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tataki Mizuto!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Sosuke Kotani and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Eiji looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Eiji trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mizuto's guard.

Mizuto throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mizuto is trying to keep Eiji in close.
Eiji sitting in guard here, content to control.

Mizuto is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eiji postures up.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Eiji wants to control from the top but Mizuto keeps moving.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mizuto blocks the body kick.
Mizuto is looking to clinch but Eiji is avoiding it.

Eiji gets a double leg takedown into Mizuto's guard.
Eiji trying to control the position from guard on top but Mizuto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mizuto trying to control the position.
Mizuto wants to sweep but no luck.
Mizuto controlling the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Itzo Eiji just wasn't active enough.
Eiji moves in looking to clinch but Mizuto pushes him off.
Mizuto slips a jab and a cross from Eiji.
Eiji is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Eiji shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Mizuto tries to sprawl but Eiji drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Mizuto 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mizuto trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Mizuto is looking to get to half guard.
Mizuto is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Mizuto holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Eiji tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Mizuto tries to reverse the position but Eiji maintains control.
Eiji looking to ground and pound but Mizuto is blocking nicely.
Mizuto really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Mizuto tries to hold on but Eiji postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mizuto might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Eiji haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Eiji content just to control the position here.
Eiji thowing shots but they're missing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mizuto tries to hold on but Eiji postures up.
Mizuto slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Itzo Eiji dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Eiji shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Mizuto's guard.
Mizuto wants to sweep but no luck.
Mizuto working a defensive guard here.
Eiji won't allow Mizuto to sweep him here.
Mizuto not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tataki Mizuto.
Mizuto tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Eiji swivels and escapes.
Mizuto shoots in and drives through. Eiji sprawls well.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Eiji.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mizuto sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Eiji is thwarting Mizuto's attempts to control the position.
Eiji trying to control the action but Mizuto is working from the bottom.
Mizuto wants to get back to full guard.
Eiji wants to pass the guard but Mizuto is defending well.
Mizuto is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Eiji's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Eiji's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Eiji is trying to stand back up.
Mizuto tries to get the hooks in deep but Eiji pushed the leg off.
Mizuto lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Eiji is trying to remain composed but Mizuto is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Mizuto softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee is taking a good look at Eiji as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Mizuto!
Eiji is in bad spot here.

Eiji defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Mizuto's arms.
Eiji covers up after that shot from Mizuto.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mizuto keeps control of the position as Eiji tries to break free.
Mizuto lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Mizuto.
Mizuto scores with strikes from the back.
Eiji wants to control his opponent's hands but Mizuto gets his hands free.
Mizuto scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Mizuto landing with strikes.
Eiji is taking damage to the body and head.

Mizuto looking for the choke but no joy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mizuto cracks Eiji with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Eiji from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Will Mizuto go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Eiji trying to control the hands but Mizuto breaks the grip.
Eiji staying busy and making it hard for Mizuto to control.
Can Eiji hold on?! Mizuto is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Eiji wants to escape the position.
Mizuto lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Mizuto.

Mizuto is looking for the choke from the back position but Eiji is controlling his hands well.
Mizuto trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Eiji doesn't escape.

Mizuto is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Eiji knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Eiji for a finish.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A lull in the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tataki Mizuto showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Eiji fails with an attempt to clinch.
Eiji throws a sloppy head kick and Mizuto moves out of range easily.
Mizuto loads up on a big right hand but Eiji slips the punch.

Eiji rushes Mizuto and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.

Eiji breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mizuto moves in looking to clinch but Eiji pushes him off.

Eiji throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Mizuto was covering up waiting for the punch and Eiji finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Eiji wants to control from the top but Mizuto keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mizuto throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mizuto is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Mizuto is looking to stand up but Eiji isn't so interested in that idea.

Eiji got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mizuto has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Eiji has managed to get both his arms back between Mizuto's legs - danger averted.
Mizuto controls Eiji momentarily but Eiji frees himself.
Mizuto manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Eiji manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mizuto lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Eiji is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mizuto defends well.
Mizuto is working Eiji over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Mizuto chips away with some ground and pound.
Mizuto trying to control the position from guard on top but Eiji is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mizuto throws a big right hand that misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mizuto postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Mizuto has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mizuto distracts Eiji with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mizuto trying to control the position from guard on top but Eiji is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mizuto pushes down on Eiji's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Eiji has hold of Mizuto's hands but Mizuto slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Mizuto thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Mizuto not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mizuto working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Eiji is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Eiji taking some punishment here, with Mizuto in his half guard.
Mizuto not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mizuto landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Nice strikes from Mizuto there.
Itzo Eiji has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tataki Mizuto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mizuto seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Eiji does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mizuto content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Tataki Mizuto hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Eiji misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tataki Mizuto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mizuto has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight for Tataki Mizuto!
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Tataki Mizuto!
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Tataki Mizuto!

Tataki Mizuto wins by unanimous decision!
Tataki Mizuto seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.