PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hugo Neto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshida Kotaro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Neto
vs
Kotaro

180 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
20
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hugo Neto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Yoshida Kotaro!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Mauricio Rocha and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kotaro throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Kotaro is looking to clinch.

Kotaro closes the distance and pushes Neto back into the cage.
Kotaro landing knees to the head.

It looks like Hugo Neto has been cut.
Neto on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Neto is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Kotaro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kotaro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neto swats him away and circles back towards the center.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kotaro is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Neto takes a knee right on the jaw!

Kotaro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Neto tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kotaro swivels and escapes.
Yoshida Kotaro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Neto looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kotaro thuds his shin into the meat of Neto's side.
Kotaro throws a leg kick which misses Neto's front leg but catches the back leg as Neto tries to avoid it.

Kotaro darts in and clinches Neto up against the cage.

Neto manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Neto wants to stand and escape but Kotaro is having none of it.
Kotaro wants to pass the guard but Neto is keeping the position.
Kotaro must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Neto is breathing heavily.
Kotaro is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kotaro wants to control from the top but Neto keeps moving.
Kotaro looking to pass the guard.
Kotaro not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Neto wants to stand up but Kotaro is controlling him.

That's two 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
An inside leg kick lands from Kotaro.
Kotaro throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Kotaro throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Neto.

Kotaro rushes Neto and presses him up against the cage.
Neto fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hugo Neto. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kotaro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kotaro thuds his shin into the meat of Neto's side.

Kotaro closes the distance and pushes Neto back into the cage.
Kotaro is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kotaro with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kotaro scores a nice knee to the body.
Kotaro working Neto over with knees to the body.

Kotaro breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kotaro lands a nice looking body kick.
Kotaro connects with a high kick.
Kotaro throws a head kick that half lands.

Kotaro clinches up against the cage.

Kotaro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kotaro moves into range and clinches up with Neto.
Kotaro landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Kotaro is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Kotaro breaks the clinch.
Kotaro scores with a kick to the body.
Kotaro throws a nice outside leg kick.
Yoshida Kotaro is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kotaro plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Neto throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kotaro cracks the inside of Neto's front leg.
Kotaro lands a head kick. Neto smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A head kick from Kotaro lands but Neto takes it in his stride.
Kotaro throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Kotaro closes the distance and pushes Neto back into the cage.
A knee to the head by Kotaro.
Neto takes a knee right on the jaw!
Kotaro looking to throw knees to the head but Neto is blocking nicely.

Neto ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Neto no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Neto keeping moving, preventing Kotaro from controlling successfully.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Neto wants to stand but Kotaro is controlling the position.
Kotaro showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kotaro wants to pass the guard but Neto is keeping the position.
Kotaro postures up.
Kotaro really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Neto. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Kotaro gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kotaro looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Kotaro moves into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kotaro connects with a nasty looking knee right to Neto's face.
Kotaro scores a nice knee to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Neto as Kotaro tries to tie him up.
Neto takes a knee right on the jaw!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshida Kotaro dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hugo Neto's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kotaro has closed the distance and engaged Neto in a clinch.
Kotaro lands a knee to the head.
Kotaro wants to stall.
Kotaro stalling against the cage.
Kotaro tries a knee to the head but Neto blocks it.
Kotaro throws a knee to the head but misses.
Neto tries to pull guard but Kotaro won't allow it.
Kotaro putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Neto in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Kotaro landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Neto tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kotaro just stands there and leans against the cage.
Neto is trying to break free.
Kotaro landing knees to the head.
Kotaro crunches a lovely knee into Neto's ribcage.
Kotaro is trying to force a seperation but Neto has the dominant position.
Kotaro tries to break the clinch but Neto is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kotaro lands a nice knee to the body.

Kotaro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Neto swats away the attempt to clinch by Kotaro.
Kotaro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kotaro pushes Neto away with a front kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kotaro throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kotaro is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Neto tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Kotaro tries to clinch up but Neto circles away and keeps his distance.

Neto closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Kotaro tries to bench press Neto off him but Neto keeps the position.
Neto in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Kotaro is trying to control Neto's posture but Neto avoids it.
Kotaro is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kotaro struggling a bit here.
An elbow from Neto crashes against the mat.
Neto tries to stand but Kotaro is controlling his head.
Kotaro tries to get back to half guard but can't.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Kotaro gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kotaro landing knees to the head.
A knee to the head by Kotaro.
Kotaro with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kotaro lands a nice knee to the body.
Kotaro working Neto over with knees to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Kotaro utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Kotaro's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kotaro throws a head kick that Neto semi-blocks.
Kotaro plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Kotaro is looking to clinch.

Kotaro moves into the clinch.
Kotaro taking a breather.
Kotaro connects with a nasty looking knee right to Neto's face.
Kotaro connects with a nasty looking knee right to Neto's face.
Neto wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kotaro has him pressed against the cage.
Kotaro unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Kotaro crunches a lovely knee into Neto's ribcage.

Neto breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neto tries for a takedown but Kotaro sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hugo Neto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Kotaro, right into the meat.

Kotaro pushes Neto up against the cage in a clinch.
Kotaro lands a knee to the head.
Kotaro connects with a knee to the head.
Kotaro is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kotaro with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Neto can't break the clinch.
Kotaro lands a knee to the head.
Neto has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kotaro is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Neto avoiding damage as Kotaro throws knees to the body.
Kotaro wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Neto has him pressed against the cage.
Kotaro with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Kotaro breaks from the clinch.
Kotaro tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Neto paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Kotaro instigates a clinch.
Neto managing to block the knees to the body from Kotaro.
Neto has had enough of the clinch but Kotaro keeps him there for the moment.
Kotaro utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Kotaro lands a good knee to the midsection. Neto won't want to take too many of those.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshida Kotaro showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Hugo Neto's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Neto has taken the fight to the clinch.

Kotaro breaks the clinch.
Neto takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Kotaro keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Kotaro lands with a slapping head kick.
Neto takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Kotaro instigates a clinch.
A knee to the head by Kotaro.
Kotaro lands a good knee to the midsection. Neto won't want to take too many of those.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kotaro.

Kotaro breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Neto takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Kotaro displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Neto.
Kotaro tries to clinch up.
Kotaro moves in looking to clinch but Neto pushes him off.
Kotaro scores with a kick to the midsection.

Kotaro gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Kotaro scores with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kotaro tries a knee to the head but Neto blocks it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kotaro'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.
Neto misses with a knee strike.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Neto takes a knee right on the jaw!
Kotaro tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kotaro landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kotaro lands a good knee to the midsection. Neto won't want to take too many of those.
Kotaro throws a knee to the head but misses.
Neto tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hugo Neto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knees to the body from Kotaro.
Kotaro lands a nice knee to the body.
Kotaro misses with a knee strike.

Neto breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hugo Neto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kotaro displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Neto.

Kotaro moves into the clinch successfully.
A knee to the head by Kotaro.
Neto tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kotaro just stands there and leans against the cage.
Kotaro lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Kotaro crunches a lovely knee into Neto's ribcage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Neto takes a knee right on the jaw!
Kotaro tries to stall but Neto uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Come on Kotaro - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Kotaro lands a good knee to the midsection. Neto won't want to take too many of those.
Kotaro using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Kotaro's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Neto shoots in looking for a takedown. Kotaro tries to sprawl out of it but Neto keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kotaro manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kotaro tries to close the distance and clinch but Neto swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Neto avoids the head kick by Kotaro.
Kotaro lands with a kick to the ribs.

Kotaro has Neto up against the cage in a clinch.
Kotaro tries a knee to the head but Neto blocks it.
Kotaro throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kotaro misses with a knee to the head.
Neto with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kotaro trying to control the position but instead, Neto has worked for underhooks and has pushed Kotaro into the cage.
Neto will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.

Kotaro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kotaro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kotaro scoring well with a low kick there.
Neto takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Kotaro lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Neto on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Neto fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A solid leg kick lands there for Kotaro.
Kotaro lands a head kick. Neto smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Neto keeps the fight on the outside.
Kotaro fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Neto.
Kotaro moves out of range of the strikes.
Yoshida Kotaro is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Kotaro gets a clinch.

Kotaro escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kotaro throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Kotaro clinches.
Kotaro with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kotaro unloads a knee to the mid-section. Neto lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Neto is trying to break the clinch but Kotaro has him pressed against the cage.
Neto looking for a takedown.
Neto is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Neto tries to pull guard but Kotaro holds him up against the cage and eventually Neto drops back down to his feet.
Neto wants to get back to striking at distance but Kotaro won't allow it.
Hugo Neto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kotaro landing knees to the head.
Neto looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Kotaro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nice body kick from Kotaro.
Kotaro lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Kotaro lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kotaro lands a nice looking body kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Kotaro finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Kotaro chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Neto takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Kotaro scores with a spinning back kick!

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoshida Kotaro comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kotaro 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 26:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yoshida Kotaro!