PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kenjiro Tokugawa (ranked 2238 p4p, 1674 weight class) and Taromaru Momoji (ranked 250 p4p, 195 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tokugawa
vs
Momoji

178 cm
27
168
10 - 12 - 0

178 cm
29
165
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite 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 10 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kenjiro Tokugawa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Taromaru Momoji!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, William Gold and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice inside leg kick there by Tokugawa. That's going to slow Momoji down.
Tokugawa is looking to clinch but Momoji is avoiding it.
Momoji walks forward, straight into a front kick from Tokugawa.
Tokugawa uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Momoji.
Tokugawa throws a quick inside leg kick.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Momoji has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Tokugawa avoids the body shot from Momoji.
We've been hearing reports that Tokugawa has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Tokugawa throws a body shot but no joy.
Tokugawa throws a head kick that misses.
Tokugawa ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A jab from Tokugawa misses.

Momoji is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Tokugawa's half guard.
Tokugawa knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Momoji on the ground.
Momoji wants to take a breather but Tokugawa is having none of it.
Momoji scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Momoji landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tokugawa trying to control but Momoji postures up.
Tokugawa tries to roll over but Momoji keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Momoji works his foot free and advances to mount.
Momoji tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Momoji working the ground and pound effectively.
Momoji looking to control but Tokugawa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Momoji looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tokugawa tries to hold on but Momoji pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Momoji can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tokugawa is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Momoji cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Tokugawa is in all sorts of trouble here.
Tokugawa tries to hold on but Momoji pushes him away.
Momoji looking to control but Tokugawa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Momoji lands with some strikes.
Tokugawa is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Momoji controlling from mount.
Momoji with good strikes from the mount here!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tokugawa takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Momoji controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Momoji looking to control but Tokugawa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Momoji controlling the pace for now.
Tokugawa wants to hold on but Momoji pushes him away.
Momoji content just to control the position here.
Momoji has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Momoji lands a big elbow.
Momoji with a couple of short strikes.

It looks like Kenjiro Tokugawa has been cut.
Momoji working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Momoji sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
BOOM! Momoji connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Momoji lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Momoji lands with some strikes.
Momoji controlling the position easily from mount.
Momoji cracks Tokugawa with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Momoji putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Momoji trying to control but Tokugawa is having none of it.
Momoji content just to control the position here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Taromaru Momoji dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kenjiro Tokugawa's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Momoji lands with a cross.
Momoji has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Momoji misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Tokugawa misses with a body kick.
Tokugawa lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Momoji changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Tokugawa drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Momoji connects with a nice looking jab.
Momoji dives in and grabs Tokugawa's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tokugawa pushes down on Momoji's head and hops out.
Tokugawa moves out of range as Momoji strikes.
Tokugawa lands a lovely overhand right.
Momoji tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tokugawa was well out of range. Poor timing from Momoji.
Tokugawa jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
A looping hook to the body misses from Momoji. Tokugawa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Momoji throws a series of punches but Tokugawa avoids them all with ease.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Tokugawa feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Momoji looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tokugawa distracts Momoji with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Tokugawa stopping the sweep attempt from Momoji.
Momoji is pulling down on Tokugawa's head. It's preventing any offense from Tokugawa, at least for the moment.
Momoji avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tokugawa trying to control the position from guard on top but Momoji is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Momoji holds on and takes a little breather.
Momoji tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Momoji pulls Tokugawa in to control the position.

That's two 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.
Tokugawa throws a big elbow that misses.
Tokugawa is fighting to break Momoji's control of his arms but Momoji is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Tokugawa landing with the ground and pound.
Momoji manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tokugawa manages to get himself to full guard.

Momoji engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Tokugawa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Momoji trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Momoji sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Tokugawa's guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Momoji lands a nice short elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Momoji thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Tokugawa's head.
Tokugawa has his hands clasped together around Momoji's back. He's all about the action.
Tokugawa wants to control but Momoji is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tokugawa tries to get to full guard but Momoji has control of the leg.
Tokugawa trying to get back to full guard but Momoji takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Momoji dominating with strikes here.
Momoji with a couple of short strikes.
Momoji can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tokugawa is looking to escape.
Momoji sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Momoji landing punches.
Momoji takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Momoji tries to control but Tokugawa wriggling away.
Tokugawa in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Tokugawa is in a horrible position here. Momoji smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Tokugawa tries to lock up and control but Momoji gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Momoji controlling the pace for now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Taromaru Momoji showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kenjiro Tokugawa's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Tokugawa tried to score with a low kick but Momoji checks it.
Horrible takedown attempt by Momoji or perhaps it was just good defense by Tokugawa, which made it look bad.
Donk. Momoji catches Tokugawa right on the button with a cross.
A slow jab from Momoji misses its intended target.
Momoji misses with a looping right.
Momoji missing with a left hand there. Tokugawa was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Momoji thuds his right hand into Tokugawa's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Momoji checks a low kick from Tokugawa.
Momoji attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

Tokugawa looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Momoji!
Momoji dodges the ground and pound from Tokugawa.
Momoji gets back to half guard.
Tokugawa wants to take a breather but Momoji is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Momoji controlling the position for now.
Momoji tries to roll over but Tokugawa keeps him under control.
Momoji is doing well to control the position and prevent Tokugawa from advancing to side control.
The fighters are battling for position here. Momoji manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Momoji is controlling Tokugawa's posture.
Tokugawa throws a big elbow that misses.
Tokugawa stopping the sweep attempt from Momoji.
Tokugawa trying to control but Momoji is working from the bottom.
Kenjiro Tokugawa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Tokugawa won't allow Momoji to sweep him here.
Tokugawa throws a big right hand that misses.
Tokugawa preventing the sweep.
Momoji is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Momoji feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Momoji advances to half guard.
Momoji is keen to just control but Tokugawa is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Momoji is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Tokugawa makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tokugawa.
Momoji is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Momoji won't allow Tokugawa to sweep him here.
Momoji slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Tokugawa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Momoji can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Momoji works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's four 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.
Momoji frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Tokugawa is working to get back to half guard.
Momoji breaks from Tokugawa's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Momoji scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Tokugawa taking shots to the head.
Momoji sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Tokugawa in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Momoji lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Taromaru Momoji is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Momoji tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taromaru Momoji comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Momoji 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taromaru Momoji!