PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sendo Yaomada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Knox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Knox has chosen Cinderella Man - Eminem as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Yaomada
vs
Knox

185 cm
21
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Intelligent

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 London, Sendo Yaomada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Knox!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, James Atkins and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yaomada shoots in for a double leg but Knox sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Yaomada changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Knox tries to avoid it but Yaomada manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Knox to the ground. Knox escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Yaomada shoots in for a double leg but Knox sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sendo Yaomada. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yaomada tries a head kick but it misses.
Nice sprawl there from Knox as Yaomada shoots in.
Knox tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Yaomada swivels and escapes.

Knox closes the distance and pushes Yaomada back into the cage.

Knox breaks from the clinch.
Knox tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Yaomada swivels and escapes.
Yaomada tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Knox swivels and escapes.
Yaomada tries for a takedown but Knox circles away easily
and Knox counters with a stiff right hand.
Knox lands a nice looking body shot.
Yaomada is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yaomada slaps away a takedown attempt from Knox, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Knox changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Yaomada looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox has knee on belly and moves into mount.

Knox goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Yaomada turns into him and now he's in Knox's guard.
Knox utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Yaomada throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Knox works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Knox wants to stand and escape but Yaomada is having none of it.
Knox wants to sweep here but Yaomada controlling him for the moment.

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.
Yaomada tries to free his leg and advance position but Knox is retaining full guard.
Yaomada has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Yaomada preventing the sweep.
Knox is trying to control the position but Yaomada postures up.
Knox looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yaomada is one step ahead there.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Knox fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Yaomada avoids it really well and circles away.
A shot to de liver by Yaomada. Beautiful body shot.
Knox avoids the head kick by Yaomada.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knox changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Yaomada tries to avoid it but Knox manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Yaomada to the ground. Yaomada escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Yaomada moves into range and clinches up with Knox.
Yaomada tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Yaomada tries to land knees in the clinch but Knox avoids the damage to the body.
Knox taking a breather.
A right hand to the body from Yaomada.
Yaomada is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Knox pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Knox prevents a takedown attempt there.

Knox ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Knox no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Yaomada controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Knox trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yaomada stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Knox swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Yaomada trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Knox manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Knox won't allow Yaomada to get back to his feet.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Yaomada holds on and takes a little breather.
Knox trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Yaomada manages to escape and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Knox dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Yaomada displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Knox.
Knox tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Yaomada swivels and escapes.
Knox slaps away a takedown attempt from Yaomada, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Yaomada shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Knox as he jumps to the side.
Sendo Yaomada is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Knox shoots and misses

and Yaomada counters by clinching up.
Sendo Yaomada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Knox.
Yaomada jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Knox walks away with a smile on his face. Yaomada gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Knox stuffs the takedown.
Knox blocks a leg kick.
Yaomada fails with a takedown attempt.
Yaomada fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox wants to clinch

and Yaomada counters by moving into the clinch.
Yaomada fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Yaomada is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Knox manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Knox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Knox tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Yaomada paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Yaomada misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Knox with a lazy takedown attempt

and Yaomada counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Yaomada.
Yaomada jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Knox walks away with a smile on his face. Yaomada gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Yaomada looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knox lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Yaomada stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Yaomada wants it to stay on the feet.
Knox tries for a takedown but Yaomada sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Yaomada forces Knox back against the cage and clinches.
Yaomada tries for a takedown. No joy.
Yaomada tries to pull guard but Knox holds him up against the cage and eventually Yaomada drops back down to his feet.
Knox drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Yaomada gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Yaomada tries to break the clinch but Knox is controlling the position.
Yaomada fails to pull guard.
Yaomada has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Knox avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Yaomada is trying to break the clinch but Knox is controlling him.
Knox is looking to control Yaomada's arms but Yaomada gets an underhook and turns him. Now Knox has his back to the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaomada looking for a takedown.
Knox prevents the takedown attempt.

Knox's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Yaomada misses with a takedown attempt - Knox sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Knox keeps the fight on the outside.
Knox tries a head kick but it misses.

Knox instigates a clinch.
Knox stalling in the clinch.

Knox manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Knox lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Yaomada!

Knox goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Yaomada turns into him and now he's in Knox's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox keeping moving, preventing Yaomada from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yaomada postures up in Knox's guard and throws a big left but Knox blocks it.
Knox trying to strike off his back.
Knox avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Knox looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Knox showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Yaomada's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Yaomada moves into the clinch.
Good body shot from Yaomada.
Yaomada wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Knox as Yaomada tries to tie him up.
Knox tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Yaomada just stands there and leans against the cage.
Yaomada tries to circle away but Knox has him pinned against the cage.
Yaomada misses with an elbow over the top.
Yaomada drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Knox gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Knox breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yaomada throws a head kick but Knox moves out of range.
Yaomada takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Yaomada tries to clinch but Knox is having none of it.
Knox circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaomada shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Knox but Knox pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Knox shoots in and drives through. Yaomada sprawls well.
Knox throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Yaomada's waist but Yaomada gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Knox off to one side.
Sendo Yaomada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Knox.
Horrible takedown by Yaomada or perhaps it was just good defense by Knox which made him look bad.
Knox misses with a jab to the body

and Yaomada counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Yaomada.
Knox tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Yaomada avoids it.
Knox trying to stall but Yaomada improves his position.
Yaomada is trying to break free.
Yaomada stops a takedown attempt from Knox.
Knox pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Knox tries for a takedown. No joy.
Knox tries to circle away but Yaomada has him pinned against the cage.
Yaomada tries for a takedown. No joy.

Yaomada successfully pulls guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yaomada looking to control.
Yaomada wants to stand but Knox is controlling the position.

Yaomada is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Knox stands and throws Yaomada's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Yaomada is not content to let Knox control the position.
Yaomada is trying to work for a sweep but Knox has mounted him!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaomada is looking to get to half guard.
Knox looking to finish with strikes here!
Knox controlling his opponent.
Knox is looking to work his way around to Yaomada's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Yaomada throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Yaomada is trying desperately to improve position.
Yaomada regains half guard.
Yaomada tries to get to full guard but Knox has control of the leg.
Knox trying to control from half guard but Yaomada is working away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yaomada tries to get to full guard but Knox has control of the leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sendo Yaomada.
I think Knox 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Knox!