PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between donald cerrone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takaku Fuke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

cerrone
vs
Fuke

185 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

166 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

New Era Nutrition (156Q REC/STA $50)
Bargain Basement Best Buy (only $20)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, donald cerrone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takaku Fuke!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Shimada and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
cerrone doesn't manage to clinch there - Fuke circles away.
cerrone rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fuke moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
cerrone connects with a single shot there.

It looks like Takaku Fuke has been cut.

Fuke gets a takedown into half guard.
cerrone is looking to control Fuke's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can cerrone avoid being mounted?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
cerrone is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Fuke keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Fuke uses his free foot to push down on cerrone's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for cerrone.
cerrone wants to control but Fuke is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuke can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as cerrone is looking to escape.
Fuke throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for cerrone because Fuke loaded up on that one.

cerrone defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Fuke.
Fuke looks gassed!
cerrone is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Fuke scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish cerrone?
cerrone sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
cerrone is trying to maintain the position but Fuke is very close to passing his half guard.
Fuke wants to control but cerrone is keeping him busy.

Fuke stands up out of the half guard.
cerrone works the jab nicely.
cerrone shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Fuke counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
cerrone is staying active underneath Fuke, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
cerrone makes his way to full guard. A much better position for cerrone.
Fuke throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as cerrone works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Fuke trying to control the position from guard on top but cerrone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
cerrone is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Fuke is controlling him.
Fuke postures up in cerrone's guard and throws a big left but cerrone blocks it.

That's four 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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nice defenses there by Fuke.
Fuke keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from cerrone.
cerrone fails to land the takedown.

Fuke clinches.

Fuke breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
cerrone throws a shot from downtown. Fuke moves away and avoids it.

Fuke clinches with his opponent.

Fuke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
cerrone wants to clinch

and Fuke holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Fuke breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takaku Fuke dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Takaku Fuke's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A big right from cerrone misses.
Fuke throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
cerrone throws a series of punches but Fuke avoids them all with ease.
cerrone lunges at Fuke with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Fuke's hand.
Fuke bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
cerrone with a lazy takedown attempt

and Fuke counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in cerrone's guard now.
Fuke trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Fuke gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
cerrone tries to clinch but Fuke moves away

and Fuke holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Fuke throws a blind hook that connects with the side of cerrones head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Fuke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
cerrone loads up on a big right hand but Fuke slips the punch.
Fuke blocks a jab.

Fuke clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuke working aggressively here.

Fuke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
cerrone throws a hook but Fuke blocks it.
cerrone throws a combination that misses

and Fuke counters by moving into the clinch.
Fuke lands with a light punch inside.
cerrone blocking some punches.
Fuke misses with a punch on the inside.
cerrone really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Fuke doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Fuke's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
cerrone scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
cerrone looks to land a left hand but Fuke moved out of range nicely.
cerrone is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
A slow jab from cerrone misses its intended target.

Fuke gets the takedown into side control.
Fuke tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fuke stands up and we're back to a striking position.
cerrone misses with a wild combination.
cerrone gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Fuke counters by clinching up.
A short right from Fuke on the inside.
cerrone wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for donald cerrone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fuke scores with a shoulder strike.

Fuke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
cerrone shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Fuke counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Fuke.
Fuke throws a big right hand that misses.
Fuke must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Fuke wants to get up but he can't break cerrone's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fuke wants to control from the top but cerrone keeps moving.
Fuke thows a big elbow that misses.

Fuke decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Fuke shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Fuke trying to control the position from guard on top but cerrone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fuke content to stall in guard here.
Fuke looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fuke stops cerrone from standing up.
Fuke is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Let's hope that Fuke has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takaku Fuke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Takaku Fuke's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Fuke fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with cerrone, pushing him back against the cage.
Fuke lands with a light punch inside.
Fuke works on cerrone's body with a couple of short punches.
Fuke is working cerrone over against the cage.
Fuke lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down cerrone.
Fuke lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Fuke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
cerrone lands with a straight right. Fuke didn't see that one coming.

Fuke scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
cerrone is looking to control Fuke's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can cerrone avoid being mounted?
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fuke wants to take a breather but cerrone is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
cerrone trying to hold on to Fuke's head to control him but Fuke postures up.
Fuke is looking to take a break and control but cerrone is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

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.
Fuke rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but cerrone moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
cerrone swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
cerrone is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Fuke will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Fuke shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
cerrone misses with a double jab.
cerrone wants to clinch but Fuke slips to the side

and Fuke counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Fuke decides to return to a standing position.
cerrone jabbing away but nothing is landing.
cerrone darts in trying to clinch

and Fuke counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
donald cerrone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fuke trying to control the position from guard on top but cerrone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fuke gets to his feet - cerrone follows without any prompting.
cerrone shoots and misses

and Fuke counters by moving into the clinch.
Fuke scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Fuke lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Fuke escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
cerrone closes the distance looking to clinch

and Fuke counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Fuke looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
cerrone is staying active underneath Fuke, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
cerrone is looking to escape.
Fuke throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Fuke is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Fuke throwing shots but cerrone is blocking nicely.
Fuke is trying to control. cerrone wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fuke is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Fuke thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed cerrone's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takaku Fuke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Fuke 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takaku Fuke!