PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Raymond Tailgate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Isoroku Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Isoroku Yamamoto has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Raymond Tailgate's chin.

Tailgate
vs
Yamamoto

192 cm
22
201 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Raymond Tailgate!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Isoroku Yamamoto!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shigeki Sano and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yamamoto will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Yamamoto tries to clinch there but Tailgate circles away.
Yamamoto avoids the head kick by Tailgate.
Tailgate lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Yamamoto is defended easily by Tailgate.
Tailgate misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tailgate missing with a left hand there. Yamamoto was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Yamamoto shoots in and drives through. Tailgate sprawls well.
Raymond Tailgate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Isoroku Yamamoto.
Yamamoto fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Tailgate uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yamamoto.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tailgate looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tailgate misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tailgate moves away from the strike by Yamamoto.
Tailgate is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
No luck for Tailgate with that takedown attempt.
Tailgate jabbing away but nothing is landing.

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.
Yamamoto has a takedown stuffed.

Yamamoto feints and as Tailgate raises his hands in defense, Yamamoto changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yamamoto wants to control from the top but Tailgate keeps moving.
Yamamoto preventing the sweep.
Yamamoto in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Yamamoto stopping the sweep attempt from Tailgate.
Tailgate keeping moving, preventing Yamamoto from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto stopping the sweep attempt from Tailgate.
Yamamoto looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Tailgate is working an open guard so Yamamoto takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yamamoto tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tailgate swivels and escapes.
Yamamoto tries to clinch but Tailgate moves out of range.
Yamamoto blocks a jab.
Tailgate lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Yamamoto circles away quickly and effectively.
Yamamoto shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tailgate as he avoids it easily.
Yamamoto on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Tailgate is looking to clinch but Yamamoto is avoiding it.
Tailgate misses the shot to the body.
Tailgate tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Yamamoto was well out of range. Poor timing from Tailgate.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raymond Tailgate dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Yamamoto darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Yamamoto passes to side control.
Yamamoto controlling the position.
Tailgate on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Tailgate tries to get out of the position.
Tailgate tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Yamamoto wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto misses with the ground and pound.
Yamamoto prevents Tailgate from escaping the position.
Tailgate is not content to let Yamamoto control the position.
Yamamoto controls the position.

Yamamoto tries for a kimura but Tailgate is defending well.
Tailgate knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Yamamoto on the ground.
Yamamoto is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Yamamoto wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Tailgate, who protects the arm well.

Yamamoto stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Yamamoto tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tailgate paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Yamamoto shoots for a takedown but Tailgate saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto shoots in but Tailgate avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Tailgate drives through and clinches with Yamamoto against the cage.
Tailgate jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Yamamoto walks away with a smile on his face. Tailgate gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Tailgate connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
No joy there for Yamamoto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Tailgate throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Yamamoto's waist but Yamamoto gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Tailgate off to one side.
Tailgate shoots in for a double leg but Yamamoto sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raymond Tailgate. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yamamoto slips a jab from Tailgate.
Yamamoto dives in and grabs Tailgate's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tailgate pushes down on Yamamoto's head and hops out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Tailgate.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tailgate.
Tailgate moves out of range of the body kick.

Yamamoto gets the takedown into side control.
Tailgate is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Yamamoto is keen to just control but Tailgate is a slippery customer.
Tailgate wants to control but Yamamoto is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Isoroku Yamamoto showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Yamamoto tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tailgate swivels and escapes.

Tailgate rushes Yamamoto and presses him up against the cage.

Yamamoto tightens his grip and picks Tailgate up, before dumping him to the ground. Tailgate manages to land in guard.
Yamamoto won't allow Tailgate to sweep him here.
Yamamoto throws and elbow that misses. Tailgate uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Yamamoto's guard. Nice move by Tailgate!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tailgate got a little sloppy there for a moment and Yamamoto has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tailgate has managed to get both his arms back between Yamamoto's legs - danger averted.
Tailgate pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yamamoto is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Yamamoto 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tailgate is looking to stand up but Yamamoto won't let him.

Yamamoto pushes Tailgate off and gets back to his feet.

Tailgate changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Yamamoto looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Yamamoto manages to get back to half guard.
Tailgate missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tailgate tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Yamamoto is trying to maintain the position but Tailgate is very close to passing his half guard.
Yamamoto gets back to full guard.

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

Yamamoto looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Tailgate has picked Yamamoto up and slammed him! Yamamoto can't keep hold of the triangle and Tailgate manages to pass to side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Tailgate's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Yamamoto is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Tailgate off and has taken his back!
Tailgate covers up after that shot from Yamamoto.
Tailgate tries to escape the position.

Tailgate fending off the submission attempt from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto is looking to finish with some ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
I really don't envy Tailgate right now.

Tailgate showing good submission defense here.
Tailgate rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Yamamoto has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Tailgate defend it? Yamamoto steps over the head and cranks it - Tailgate is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Yamamoto!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Isoroku Yamamoto!
Isoroku Yamamoto is the new light heavyweight champion!