PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between hakazi yakamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Austin Houston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think yakamoto might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to peace of mind. Houston has chosen Born of a Broken Man as his entrance music. 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.

yakamoto
vs
Houston

225 cm
25
198 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

190 cm
24
190 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 4 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, hakazi yakamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Austin Houston!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Alan Glass and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
yakamoto scores with a jab to the body.
yakamoto staying out of range there.

Houston gets the takedown into side control.
Houston in side control, just content to control the action for now.
yakamoto is trying to improve his position.
Houston wants to control for a moment but yakamoto uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Well, if Houston is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston is trying to control the action in half guard but yakamoto is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
yakamoto has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Houston is working away from the top position though.
Houston prevents yakamoto from improving his position.
Houston missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Houston trying to control from half guard but yakamoto is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Houston closes the distance and clinches.
yakamoto is trying to break the clinch but Houston is controlling him.
Houston tried to land a shot to the body but connects with yakamoto's elbow.
Houston lands a knee to the body.
yakamoto on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
yakamoto wants to get back to striking at distance but Houston won't allow it.
yakamoto is pressed up against the cage. Houston has hold of a leg and is looking to drag yakamoto down to the mat. yakamoto avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Austin Houston seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Houston throws a looping overhand right but yakamoto ducks down to avoid it.
Houston throws a predictable looking body shot
and yakamoto cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Houston looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
yakamoto throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
yakamoto really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Houston takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Houston drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Houston misses with a hook to the body
and yakamoto counters with a stiff right hand.
yakamoto misses with a jab, cross combination.
yakamoto ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Houston moves away.
Houston throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
yakamoto swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Houston moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houston tries a head kick but it misses.
yakamoto looks to land a right hand but Houston moved out of range.
Houston misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
yakamoto keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Houston throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
yakamoto misses with a wild body shot.
yakamoto thows a left - swing and a miss!
yakamoto defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Houston.
hakazi yakamoto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Austin Houston.
Houston looks for a takedown but yakamoto sprawls well.

Houston shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches yakamoto napping and manages to drive through into side control!
yakamoto is trying to improve his position.
Houston wants to control but yakamoto is keeping him busy.
yakamoto tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houston working the ground and pound but yakamoto is defending the strikes.
Houston content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
I looks like Houston might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Houston scores a takedown into full mount!
Houston throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for yakamoto because Houston loaded up on that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that hakazi yakamoto will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nice cross by yakamoto.
yakamoto is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Houston throws a nice head kick!
Nice takedown defense from yakamoto. No joy for Houston on that attempt.
Houston walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Good leg kick by Houston there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Houston takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Houston scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Houston gets a clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Houston lands a good knee to the midsection. yakamoto won't want to take too many of those.
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!
Houston throws a blind hook that connects with the side of yakamotos head.
yakamoto avoiding damage as Houston throws knees to the body.
Houston leaning against his opponent.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Houston.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
yakamoto on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Houston drops down looking for an ankle pick but yakamoto pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston moves in looking to clinch but yakamoto pushes him off.
A left lands for yakamoto.
Houston tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A nice leg kick lands there from Houston.
yakamoto throws a right hand that Houston ducks under and follows up with a left that Houston also avoids with ease.
yakamoto moves away from the strike by Houston.
Houston is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Houston fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. yakamoto looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
yakamoto is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Houston.
Houston tries to land knees in the clinch but yakamoto avoids the damage to the body.
yakamoto wants to break free but Houston has control.
Houston tries to land knees in the clinch but yakamoto avoids the damage to the body.
Houston stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A short right from Houston on the inside.
Houston stalling the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houston keeps control of yakamoto as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Houston unloads a knee to the mid-section.
A left hand lands to the body for Houston.
Houston is stalling here.
Houston trying to land knees to the body.
Houston dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Houston gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Houston thows a big elbow that misses.
Houston throws a big right hand that misses.
Houston has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Houston trying to control but yakamoto is working from the bottom.
Houston with a nice head shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houston lands a couple of digs.
yakamoto controls Houston momentarily but Houston frees himself.
Houston trying to control the position from guard on top but yakamoto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Houston controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Houston tries to free his leg and advance position but yakamoto is retaining full guard.
Houston with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four 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.
Houston wants to control from the top but yakamoto keeps moving.
yakamoto will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Houston looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Houston.
Houston moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
yakamoto is looking for a sweep.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Houston is putting a hurting on yakamoto here, landing some big shots from side control.
Houston sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but yakamoto is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Houston showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! yakamoto's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Houston throws a nice looking combination but yakamoto bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Houston on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
yakamoto throws a jab when Houston was well out of range.
yakamoto scores with a crisp jab that stopped Houston in his tracks.
yakamoto listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
yakamoto throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
yakamoto misses with a straight left.
Houston looks for a takedown but yakamoto sprawls well.
Nice uppercut there from yakamoto.
yakamoto moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
yakamoto avoids the body shot from Houston.
yakamoto tries to bum rush Houston with a series of wild strikes but Houston uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A looping hook to the body misses from Houston. yakamoto does a little dance to reset his feet.
yakamoto lands with a good body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Houston takes a swing at yakamoto's ribcage but misses.
Houston steps to the side to avoid the strikes from yakamoto.

Houston rushes yakamoto and presses him up against the cage.
Houston lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down yakamoto.
yakamoto avoids a wild elbow strike from Houston.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Houston obliges.
Houston pushes yakamoto back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Houston is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Houston lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Houston lands a right hand that snaps the head of yakamoto backwards.
Houston lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of yakamoto backwards.
Houston just leaning against yakamoto, taking a breather.
Houston tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A right hook to the body lands for Houston.
Houston lands a body shot in the clinch.

Houston ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Houston no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houston managing to control the position.
Let's hope that Houston 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.
Houston's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
yakamoto trying to control but Houston is working from the bottom.
Houston wants to sweep here but yakamoto controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houston is pulling down on yakamoto's head to control his posture.
Houston looking to control.
yakamoto wants to pass the guard but Houston is keeping the position.
Houston has yakamoto pulled in close to control his posture.
Houston looking to hit a scissor sweep but yakamoto is one step ahead there.

Houston looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Houston is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Houston has yakamoto pulled in close to control his posture.
Houston controls yakamoto momentarily but yakamoto frees himself.

Despite being in the dominant position, Austin Houston just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Houston is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in yakamoto's half guard.
yakamoto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Houston sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. yakamoto defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Houston really dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

yakamoto throws an overhand right that lands on Houston's shoulder, as Houston tries to avoid the shot.
The fighters circling - yakamoto throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Houston is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down yakamoto rather than just go for the knockout.
yakamoto throws a jab when Houston was well out of range.
yakamoto takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
yakamoto cracks Houston with a good jab.
Houston ducks under a wild hook from yakamoto.
Houston throws a head kick but yakamoto moves out of range.
yakamoto stuffs the takedown.
The crowd cheers as Houston lands an impressive looking overhand right. yakamoto doesn't seem phased though.

Houston feints and as yakamoto raises his hands in defense, Houston changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Houston showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Austin Houston has got the better of the ground game so far.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Houston trying to control the position from guard on top but yakamoto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston is looking to work some ground and pound but yakamoto has wrist control.
Houston showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Houston wants to pass the guard but yakamoto is keeping the position.
Houston wants to control from the top but yakamoto keeps moving.
yakamoto being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Houston wants to pass the guard but yakamoto is keeping the position.
Houston looking to sit in guard and control but yakamoto gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
yakamoto has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Despite being in the dominant position, Austin Houston just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Houston has yakamoto up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houston pushes yakamoto back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Houston turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Houston manages to end up in side control.
yakamoto being controlled for a moment.
hakazi yakamoto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Austin Houston is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Houston is looking to take a break and control but yakamoto is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houston in side control, just content to control the action for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Austin Houston comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Houston has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 37:39
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 37:39
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 37:39

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Austin Houston!