PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Allen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Take Kobayashi (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.

Allen
vs
Kobayashi

180 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

182 cm
22
187 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Kingdom Klothing all tshirts and shorts $15

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Allen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Take Kobayashi!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yuuki Gou and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kobayashi gets a clinch.
Allen looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Allen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Allen tries to bum rush Kobayashi with a series of wild strikes but Kobayashi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Allen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Kobayashi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Allen.
Kobayashi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Allen moves away.
Kobayashi has a takedown stuffed.
Allen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kobayashi.
No luck for Kobayashi with that takedown attempt.
John Allen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Take Kobayashi.
Allen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Kobayashi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kobayashi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Horrible takedown by Kobayashi or perhaps it was just good defense by Allen which made him look bad.
Kobayashi circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kobayashi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kobayashi.
Kobayashi wants a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kobayashi tightens his grip and picks Allen up, before dumping him to the ground. Allen manages to land in guard.
Kobayashi not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Allen looking to control.
Kobayashi postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Kobayashi is working Allen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Kobayashi trying to control the position from guard on top but Allen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kobayashi preventing the sweep.
Kobayashi content to stall in guard here.

Kobayashi drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kobayashi jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Allen wants to sweep here but Kobayashi controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Allen wants to stand but Kobayashi is controlling the position.
Kobayashi stopping the sweep attempt from Allen.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kobayashi shoots in and drives through. Allen sprawls well.
Kobayashi shoots in for a takedown but Allen shows good takedown defense.
Allen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kobayashi tries to clinch but Allen moves out of range.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Allen!
Kobayashi moves in looking to clinch but Allen pushes him off.
Allen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Kobayashi counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Allen misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Allen.
Allen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Horrible takedown by Kobayashi or perhaps it was just good defense by Allen which made him look bad.
Allen misses with a two punch combination.
Allen finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Allen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kobayashi fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Allen gets a clinch.
Allen gets underhooks to prevent Kobayashi's takedown attempt.

Kobayashi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Allen misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kobayashi fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
An inside leg kick from Allen misses.
Kobayashi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Allen is fending him off so far but Kobayashi persists. Nope, Allen circles away and we're back to standing.
Allen misses with a combination
and Kobayashi counters with a slapping leg kick.
Kobayashi fails to land the takedown.
Kobayashi looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Allen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kobayashi shoots in and drives through. Allen sprawls well.
Kobayashi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Kobayashi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Allen lands a head shot.
Allen throws a right and a left that Kobayashi avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Take Kobayashi dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A combination from Kobayashi does no damage.
Allen falls off balance throwing a combination
and Kobayashi counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Kobayashi rushes Allen and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Kobayashi wants to get back to striking at distance but Allen won't allow it.
Kobayashi drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kobayashi trying to stall but Allen improves his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kobayashi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Allen looking for a takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Kobayashi wants the takedown. Allen is fighting it off but Kobayashi persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Allen's guard against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kobayashi distracts Allen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Kobayashi stops Allen from standing up.
Allen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kobayashi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kobayashi scoring with punches to the head and body.
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.
Kobayashi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Allen throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Allen looking to control.
Kobayashi wants to control from the top but Allen keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Kobayashi gets a takedown into half guard.
Allen tries to roll over but Kobayashi keeps him under control.
Kobayashi scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Allen tries to roll over but Kobayashi keeps him under control.

Kobayashi is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Allen sees it coming and defends easily.
Allen wants to get back to his feet.
Allen wants to control but Kobayashi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Allen misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Some wild striking there from Allen.
Allen wants to clinch up but Kobayashi keeps it at a distance.
Allen throws a series of punches but Kobayashi moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kobayashi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Allen counters with a one-two to the body.
Kobayashi shoots for a takedown but Allen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kobayashi swats away the attempt to clinch by Allen.

Kobayashi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Allen!
Allen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Allen throwing hammer fists to the chest of Kobayashi. What's that going to do exactly?
Allen tries to lock up and control but Kobayashi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Allen slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Allen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Allen is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Allen is looking to improve his position.
Kobayashi wants to control but Allen is keeping him busy.
Allen is trying to get back to full guard.

Allen kicks off Kobayashi and gets to his feet.
Allen throws a combination that misses

and Kobayashi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kobayashi.
Kobayashi trying to control but Allen is working from the bottom.
Kobayashi postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Kobayashi trying to control the position from guard on top but Allen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Allen looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Take Kobayashi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Allen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kobayashi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kobayashi dips to his left and cracks Allen with an uppercut!
Allen misses with a few strikes there.
Allen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Kobayashi counters with a left to the body.
John Allen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kobayashi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Allen is fending him off so far but Kobayashi persists. Nope, Allen circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice sprawl there from Allen as Kobayashi shoots in.
Kobayashi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Allen tries to avoid it but Kobayashi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Allen to the ground. Allen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
John Allen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Take Kobayashi.
Allen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

so Kobayashi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Kobayashi stops Allen from standing up.
Allen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Allen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Allen trying to control from half guard but Kobayashi is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Allen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kobayashi's head.
Allen slips a nice elbow through Kobayashi's hands, connecting with Kobayashi's forehead.
Allen slows the pace down in half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Allen connects with a nice short shot to Kobayashi's temple.
Allen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Take Kobayashi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kobayashi looks like he's trying to stand up.
Allen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kobayashi slips a jab and a cross from Allen.
Kobayashi wants to clinch.

Allen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kobayashi, pushing him back against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Allen is trying to break free.
Allen drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kobayashi tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Allen just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Kobayashi tries to pull guard but Allen won't allow it.
Kobayashi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Kobayashi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Allen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kobayashi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Allen.
Kobayashi scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
A solid leg kick lands there for Allen.
Kobayashi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Allen's waist but Allen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kobayashi off to one side.
Allen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Kobayashi counters with a shoot takedown. Allen fights it but they end up in guard.
Kobayashi lands a couple of digs.
Allen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Allen wants to sweep here but Kobayashi controlling him for the moment.
Kobayashi wants to control from the top but Allen keeps moving.
Allen wants to sweep here but Kobayashi controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Allen pushes Kobayashi off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Kobayashi misses with the combination.
Kobayashi moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Allen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kobayashi.
Take Kobayashi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Allen takes a swing at Kobayashi's ribcage but misses.
Allen throws a series of punches but Kobayashi moves out of range.

Kobayashi drives through and clinches with Allen against the ropes.
Kobayashi goes for a takedown attempt but Allen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
John Allen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Allen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Allen lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Kobayashi backs up against the ropes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Take Kobayashi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kobayashi winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Take Kobayashi!