PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Steffen Baier (ranked 1151 p4p, 117 weight class) and Hitoshi Yoshida (ranked 2397 p4p, 208 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Baier
vs
Yoshida

168 cm
21
136 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

170 cm
22
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Steffen Baier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 1, fighting out of London, Hitoshi Yoshida!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Yoshida.
Baier gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Yoshida tries to control but Baier wriggling away.
Baier is looking to improve his position but Yoshida isn't that keen on the idea.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baier manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Baier is looking for a sweep. Yoshida is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Baier gets back to full guard.
Yoshida pushing down on Baier's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Baier has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Baier makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Baier.
Baier not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Baier is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Yoshida is aware though and is defending well.
Baier looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Yoshida looking to pass the guard.
Yoshida advances position into side control!
Baier can't do much from the bottom here.
Baier tries to improve position but can't.
Yoshida tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baier is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Yoshida is looking to take a break and control but Baier is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Baier is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Yoshida off and has taken his back!
Yoshida rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Yoshida is trying to maintain the position but Baier is very close to passing his half guard.
Baier is looking to stall here but Yoshida recovers full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida wants to sweep but no luck.

Yoshida has his foot on Baier's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Baier works his way back into a safe position though.
Baier trying to control but Yoshida is working from the bottom.
Baier looking to pass the guard.

Yoshida is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Baier defends well.
Baier trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Yoshida manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Baier controls Yoshida momentarily but Yoshida frees himself.

Baier has his foot on Yoshida's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yoshida works his way back into a safe position though.
Yoshida trying to control but Baier is working from the bottom.

Baier throws his legs up looking for a submission but Yoshida uses it to pass to side control.
Baier is looking for a sweep.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
A lull in the action here.
You can see the frustration on Baier's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Baier is looking to reverse the position.
Yoshida wants to lay and pray for a moment but Baier keeps working.
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.
Baier tries to improve position but can't.
Yoshida passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Baier!
Baier can't escape the position.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Baier is looking to escape.
Baier tries to hold on but Yoshida postures up.
Baier is looking to improve his position but Yoshida isn't that keen on the idea.
Yoshida trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Baier tries to improve his position but Yoshida has taken his back! Yoshida has a choke - it's sunk in pretty tight... Will Baier tap? No... maybe... yes! He's tapped! Yoshida pushes Baier away and gets up to celebrate with his corner!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 8:28 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Hitoshi Yoshida!
A relieved looking Hitoshi Yoshida thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.