PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mario Yamasaki (ranked 1179 p4p, 2746 weight class) and Freaky Fred (ranked 102 p4p, 247 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Yamasaki
vs
Fred

167 cm
26
145
7 - 2 - 0

177 cm
25
150
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

White Gorilla

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mario Yamasaki!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Freaky Fred!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Steve Smith and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fred closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Yamasaki did well to prevent Fred getting side control.

Fred seems to be looking for submissions.
Yamasaki definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Yamasaki moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Fred trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamasaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fred tries to free his leg and advance position but Yamasaki is retaining full guard.

Fred thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Fred has gone for a leg lock! Yamasaki slips out almost immediately though and dives into Fred's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamasaki not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fred trying to keep a closed guard but Yamasaki is proving a slippery customer.
Fred might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Yamasaki haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Fred tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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

Fred looking for a guillotine here but Yamasaki defends easily.

That's two 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.

Fred had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yamasaki defends it easily.
Fred wants to sweep here but Yamasaki controlling him for the moment.
Yamasaki controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Fred not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Yamasaki jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Fred drives through and clinches with Yamasaki against the cage.
Fred swings wildly with an uppercut but Yamasaki uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fred misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Fred's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Fred misses with a punch on the inside.
Fred swings wildly with an uppercut but Yamasaki uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yamasaki being controlled against the cage.
Fred looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fred stalls.
The crowd are getting on Fred's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Freaky Fred dominated that round.
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.

Yamasaki lands a left and a right that send Fred crashing to the mat, dazed. Yamasaki thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

It looks like Freaky Fred has been cut.
Yamasaki misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yamasaki throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Fred on the side of the head.

Fred is rocked!
Yamasaki slips a jab from Fred.
Yamasaki steps into range and unloads a brutal right left combo! Fred is out on his feet! Yamasaki sets himself and nearly takes Fred's head off with a straight right, sending him crashing to the mat! Wow, that was nasty... but awesome! Wooo!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:30 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Mario Yamasaki!
Mario Yamasaki retains his featherweight title!
Mario Yamasaki decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.