PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mazaki Gono (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Kane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kane has chosen entersandman as his entrance music. 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.

Gono
vs
Kane

178 cm
19
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
155 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Rastafarii Clothing
Rastafarii Clothing

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mazaki Gono!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rick Kane!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Ren Mimura and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kane closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kane lands in his opponent's guard.
Kane postures up in Gono's guard and throws a big left but Gono blocks it.
Gono looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kane is one step ahead there.

Kane is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Kane postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kane thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Kane stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gono swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kane postures up.

Gono looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kane misses with a wild combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kane shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Kane is pressing down on Gono's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gono is holding on for now.
Gono wants to control but Kane is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kane frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Gono regains half guard.
Kane wants to pass the guard but Gono is defending well.

Kane is looking for a kimura but Gono is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kane to get the leverage.
Kane looks gassed!
Kane wants to control but Gono is keeping him busy.
Kane throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gono tries to get to full guard but Kane has control of the leg.

Kane is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Kane has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kane thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gono's head.

Gono looking for submissions off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gono lands a head kick!
Gono fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gono misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Kane looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gono trying to keep a closed guard but Kane is proving a slippery customer.
Gono keeping full guard, as Kane tries to pass.
Kane trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gono has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Kane trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gono wants to sweep here but Kane controlling him for the moment.

Kane thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Kane is working Gono over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kane tries to work over Gono's front leg with a kick but Gono checks it.

Gono scores a takedown into full mount!
Kane tries to reverse the position but Gono maintains control.

Gono has control of Kane's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kane regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Kane is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kane bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Gono looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kane is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Kane dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kane shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gono wants to get back to full guard.

Kane is looking for a kimura here.
Gono keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Gono missing with punches from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gono is looking for a sweep. Kane is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kane stops Gono from getting back to his feet.

Kane is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gono defends it well.
Gono has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kane is working away from the top position though.
Gono is trying to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Danga de danga de dang - Kane scores with a four punch combination!
Mazaki Gono is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kane lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Kane shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Kane was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kane looking to secure an arm triangle but Gono defends it well.

Kane with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Gono wants to hold on but Kane pushes him away.

Kane looking for a guillotine from mount but Gono is having none of it.
Kane throwing strikes here but Gono is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Gono is looking to improve his position but Kane isn't that keen on the idea.
Gono takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kane punishing his opponent with strikes.
Kane prevents Gono from getting the reversal.

Kane is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Gono fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gono shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kane as he avoids it easily.

Kane gets a takedown into half guard.

Kane is working for a submission of some sort.

Kane is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gono is defending against the submission attempts here by Kane.

Gono has one foot on Kane's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Kane gets the takedown into side control.

Kane is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gono is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Gono is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Kane showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kane fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gono sprawls well initially but Kane persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kane thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Gono wants to control but Kane is keeping busy.
Kane not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gono is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kane 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.

Kane is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Gono doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Kane.
Gono manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kane working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gono throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Kane drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kane jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Kane drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Gono dives on top into guard.

Kane has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Gono is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Kane.
Kane tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Kane takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Kane tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gono wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kane is not content to let Gono control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Gono crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Kane - the referee stops the clock and Gono gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Kane. Gono manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Gono shoots in for a takedown but Kane shows good takedown defense.
Gono on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Kane drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kane won't allow Gono to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gono escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kane gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kane passes into half guard.
Kane seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Kane is looking for a kimura but Gono is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kane to get the leverage.

Kane is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gono defends it well.
Gono is holding on to half guard well.
Kane not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Kane is thwarting Gono's attempts to control the position.
Rick Kane is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gono throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Kane is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Gono doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Kane.

Kane is working for a kimura but Gono is defending it quite comfortably.

Kane is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gono defends it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick Kane comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kane 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick Kane!