PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Japheth Vasya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Conor Byrne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Byrne has chosen I'm Shipping Up To Boston as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Vasya
vs
Byrne

176 cm
22
130 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

162 cm
18
131 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Hulk Supplementz
Chikara Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Japheth Vasya !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Conor Byrne!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Byrne as Vasya shoots in.
Byrne drops Vasya with a beautiful combination! Vasya stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Byrne is looking for the KO!

Vasya is rocked!

It looks like Japheth Vasya has been cut.

Byrne has closed the distance and engaged Vasya in a clinch.
Oh Vasya is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Vasya keeps control of Byrne as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Vasya seems to have got his legs back now.

Byrne breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vasya checks a leg kick.
Vasya moves out of range of the strikes.
Vasya misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Byrne goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Byrne sends Vasya crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Byrne is motioning to the referee to let Vasya up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
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!
Vasya moves out of range of the body kick from Byrne.

Byrne rushes Vasya and presses him up against the ropes.
Byrne wants to get back to striking at distance but Vasya won't allow it.
Byrne is trying to break the clinch but Vasya has him pressed against the ropes.
Byrne tries to land knees in the clinch but Vasya avoids the damage to the body.

Byrne breaks from the clinch.
Vasya takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Vasya is breathing heavily.
Vasya staying out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne throws a hook but Vasya blocks it.
Nice sprawl there from Byrne as Vasya shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Japheth Vasya . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Byrne throws a big shot that misses.
Byrne throws a hook but Vasya blocks it.
Byrne throws a half hearted mid kick.
Vasya slips a jab from Byrne.
Byrne swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Byrne swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Byrne misses with a looping left.
Byrne is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Nice cross by Byrne.
Vasya needs to keep his hands up - Byrne had a free shot at his head there.

Vasya gets a takedown into half guard.
Vasya really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Byrne tries to kick Vasya off but Vasya keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasya prevents Byrne from improving his position.

Vasya is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Byrne doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Vasya .

Vasya wants to work for an arm triangle but Byrne is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Vasya wants to pass the guard but Byrne is defending well.

Vasya is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Vasya is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Byrne to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasya won't allow Byrne to get back to his feet.
Vasya looking to pass the guard.
Byrne looking for a sweep. Not yet Byrne, not yet.
Vasya pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Byrne is keeping the position for now.
Byrne wants to stand but Vasya is controlling the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Vasya slips nicely into half guard.

Vasya is looking for a kimura here.

Vasya is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's four 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.
Byrne manages to get to full guard.

Byrne stands up and beckons Vasya to his feet.
Byrne thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Vasya if he has to take too many more of those.
Vasya avoids the head kick by Byrne.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Byrne there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Conor Byrne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vasya fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Byrne.
Byrne looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Vasya shoots in and drives through. Byrne sprawls well.
Vasya avoids a punch combination nicely.
Vasya tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Byrne swivels and escapes.
Byrne tries to clinch but Vasya is having none of it.
Conor Byrne is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Byrne wants to clinch.
Vasya steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Byrne.
Vasya changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Byrne tries to avoid it but Vasya manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Byrne to the ground. Byrne escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Byrne.
Byrne looks to land a body kick but Vasya moved away.
Vasya avoids a kick to the body.
Byrne stuffs the takedown attempt from Vasya . Vasya gets slowly back to his feet.
Vasya defending well as Byrne loads up on a big left hand.
Vasya looks for a takedown but Byrne sprawls well.
Vasya defending well as Byrne loads up on a big left hand.
Byrne misses with a body kick.
Vasya showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Byrne.
Vasya shoots in but no luck this time.
Byrne throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Byrne with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Vasya shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Vasya was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Vasya working for a submission but Byrne is keeping him at bay.

Vasya goes for an armbar but Byrne turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Byrne.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Vasya has a closed guard, preventing Byrne from standing up.

Vasya had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Byrne is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Vasya Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Byrne's back instead.
Byrne manages to reverse the position and now he's in Vasya 's guard. Nice work there by Byrne.

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

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Vasya bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Byrne's guard.
Vasya won't allow Byrne to get back to his feet.
Byrne can't keep his opponent in guard - Vasya advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Vasya wants to work for an arm triangle but Byrne is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Vasya working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Byrne's thigh. Byrne counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Vasya drops back, looking for a kneebar! Byrne looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Byrne looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Byrne!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vasya is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Byrne is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Vasya is looking to get to half guard.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Byrne wants to finish this one by submission but Vasya is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Byrne.
Vasya looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Vasya turns into Byrne and is now in his guard.
Byrne looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Vasya looking to pass the guard.

Vasya drops back, looking for a kneebar! Byrne looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Byrne looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Byrne!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vasya is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Vasya looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Conor Byrne dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Japheth Vasya 's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Byrne throws a jab when Vasya was well out of range.

Vasya bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Byrne can't do much from the bottom here.

Vasya is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Byrne has escaped the position, nice work there.
Byrne is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Vasya working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Vasya advances to mount.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne gets back to half guard.

Vasya is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Byrne is just riding it out for now. Vasya eventually gives up the hold.
Byrne regains full guard. Nicely done.
Vasya will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Vasya drops back looking for a submission - "I'm sorry sir, but I'm gunna break your leg" says Vasya as he cranks on the unfortunate limb! Byrne screams and taps out before any major damage is done! Don't mess with Vasya ! Nice submission victory there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:52 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Japheth Vasya !