PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between James Byant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kanye Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Yamamoto's choice of entrance music: No Way Out by ZZ. James Byant could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Kanye Yamamoto's chin.

Byant
vs
Yamamoto

180 cm
20
135 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

169 cm
25
145 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Byant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kanye Yamamoto!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Emerson Jorge and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yamamoto throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Byant.
Yamamoto lands a nice shot to the body.
Byant will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Byant dodges the punch combination from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Byant stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Yamamoto is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Byant's half guard.

Byant looking for submissions off his back.
Byant tries to roll over but Yamamoto keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byant is working hard here to advance position.
Yamamoto is looking to take a break and control but Byant is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Byant is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Byant looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Byant avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Yamamoto.

Byant actively working from the bottom here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Byant with a poor takedown
and Yamamoto counters with a nice body kick.
Byant is breathing heavily.
Byant takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

It looks like James Byant has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Byant has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Byant there as he acknowledges the shot.
Yamamoto shoots in for a double leg but Byant sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Yamamoto misses with a wild combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto lands a nice shot to the body.
Yamamoto doesn't manage to clinch there - Byant circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kanye Yamamoto dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Byant's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Yamamoto fails with the takedown.
Yamamoto misses with a takedown attempt

and Byant counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Byant really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

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

Byant drops back looking for a leg! Yamamoto is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Yamamoto manages to kick Byant off! Byant jumps back into Yamamoto's guard.
Yamamoto wants to sweep here but Byant controlling him for the moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byant trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Yamamoto is looking for a triangle but Byant pushes his legs off easily.
Byant works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Byant is looking for a kimura but Yamamoto is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Byant to get the leverage.

Byant is working for a submission of some sort.
Yamamoto gets full guard.

Yamamoto working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Byant doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Byant manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Byant passes Yamamoto's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Byant is working for a kimura but Yamamoto is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Byant is looking for a kimura here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yamamoto wants to control but Byant is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Byant seems to be working for a kimura but Yamamoto defends the submission attempt.

Byant is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Yamamoto defends it well.
Yamamoto is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yamamoto trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Byant is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Yamamoto defends it well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice straight punches there by Yamamoto. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Yamamoto.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Yamamoto throws a nice looking combination but Byant bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Byant fails with the takedown
and Yamamoto counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Byant with a lazy takedown attempt
and Yamamoto counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Byant dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on James Byant's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Byant ducks right into an uppercut from Yamamoto.
A solid leg kick lands there for Yamamoto.
Byant misses with a takedown
and Yamamoto counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byant needs to keep his hands up - Yamamoto had a free shot at his head there.
Byant shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Yamamoto counters with a three punch combo that has Byant backing up. Byant nods at Yamamoto to acknowledge the strikes.
Byant with a poor takedown

and Yamamoto counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Byant. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yamamoto tries for a kimura but Byant is defending well.

Yamamoto is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Byant has escaped the position, nice work there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Byant is trying to get back to half guard.

Yamamoto tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Yamamoto is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Byant is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Byant tries to buck Yamamoto off but Yamamoto is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yamamoto tries for a kimura but Byant is defending well.
Byant gets back to half guard.

Byant looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Byant looking for submissions off his back.
Yamamoto wants to take a breather but Byant is having none of it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Byant tries for a takedown but Yamamoto circles away easily
and Yamamoto connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kanye Yamamoto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yamamoto misses with a two punch combination.
Yamamoto is looking to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kanye Yamamoto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Yamamoto 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kanye Yamamoto!