PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Noryuki Takahashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Seth Blind (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Noryuki Takahashi had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Takahashi
vs
Blind

177 cm
24
155 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

180 cm
24
145 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Noryuki Takahashi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Seth Blind!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takahashi lands a head kick. Blind smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

It looks like Seth Blind has been cut.
Seth Blind seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Blind shoots for a double leg takedown but Takahashi sprawls well. He's pushed Blind's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Takahashi takes the fight into the clinch.
Blind wants a takedown.

Takahashi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Blind tries to score a power double leg takedown but Takahashi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Blind somewhat.
Noryuki Takahashi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Seth Blind.
Takahashi misses with a head kick.
Blind is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Takahashi.
Blind shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Takahashi as he avoids it easily.
Takahashi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Takahashi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Blind is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blind is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Blind regains full guard. Nicely done.

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

Takahashi has taken the fight to the clinch.
Blind has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Takahashi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Blind looks gassed!
Blind wants a takedown but no success here.
Blind is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Takahashi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Blind walks forward, straight into a front kick from Takahashi.

Takahashi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Takahashi is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Takahashi pulls Blind into guard.
Blind pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Takahashi is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Takahashi is on top in guard.
Takahashi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Takahashi advances position into side control!
Takahashi is staying tight to Blind's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Blind is looking to regain half guard here but Takahashi keeps moving and retains side control.

Takahashi decides to stand back up. Takahashi steps back and let's Blind get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Takahashi closes the distance and clinches.
Takahashi lands with a right to the head.

Takahashi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Blind avoids the head kick by Takahashi.

Takahashi rushes Blind and presses him up against the cage.

Takahashi has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Blind uses from the top position.
Takahashi wants to stand up but Blind is controlling him.
Takahashi looking to control.
Blind looking to sit in guard and control but Takahashi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Takahashi's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi stopping the sweep attempt from Blind.

Takahashi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Blind, up you get!
Takahashi lands a nice looking body shot.

Takahashi closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Takahashi lands in his opponent's guard.
Blind is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Noryuki Takahashi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Seth Blind's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Takahashi works over Blind's head and body with a nice combination.
Blind tries for a takedown but Takahashi circles away easily
and Takahashi counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Blind is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Takahashi has a takedown stuffed.
Takahashi feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Blind's calf.

Takahashi shoots in and bounces Blind off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Blind is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Blind with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Takahashi can't handle though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blind trying to control the position.
Takahashi pushing down on Blind's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Takahashi stalling.
Blind wants to improve his position but Takahashi is controlling well.
Well, if Takahashi 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.
Blind is refusing to be controlled, as Takahashi sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Takahashi content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Takahashi wants to take a breather but Blind is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blind wants to control but Takahashi is keeping busy.
Blind wants to improve his position but Takahashi is controlling well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Takahashi fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Blind avoids it really well and circles away.
Blind takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Blind shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Takahashi counters with a nice low kick that buckles Blind's knee momentarily.

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.

Takahashi rushes Blind and presses him up against the cage.
Takahashi scores with a shot to the side of Blind's head.

Takahashi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Takahashi lands a head kick. Blind smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Takahashi closes the distance and pushes Blind back into the cage.

Takahashi manages to pull guard.
Blind throwing strikes but missing.
Takahashi trying to keep a closed guard but Blind is proving a slippery customer.
Blind trying to control the position from guard on top but Takahashi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Takahashi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Blind manages to get himself to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Noryuki Takahashi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Seth Blind's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Takahashi feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Takahashi postures up.

Blind throws his legs up looking for a submission but Takahashi uses it to pass to side control.
Blind is looking to regain half guard here but Takahashi keeps moving and retains side control.

Takahashi stands up and beckons Blind to his feet.

Takahashi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Blind is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Takahashi lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Takahashi's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Blind is squirming around, avoiding Takahashi's attempts to control the action.

That's two 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.
Blind sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Takahashi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Blind is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Well, if Takahashi 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.
Blind is looking for a sweep. Takahashi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blind wants to sweep but Takahashi has passed to side control!
Blind tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Takahashi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Takahashi cracks Blind with a big right hand but Blind just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Takahashi stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Takahashi shoots in for a takedown but Blind shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A shot to de liver by Takahashi. Beautiful body shot.

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.
Takahashi doesn't manage to clinch there - Blind circles away.
Blind tries to clinch up

and Takahashi counters by clinching up.
Blind goes for a takedown in the clinch but Takahashi prevents it.
Takahashi stops a takedown attempt from Blind.

Takahashi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Noryuki Takahashi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Blind fails with the takedown
and Takahashi counters with a head kick.
Noryuki Takahashi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Seth Blind.

Takahashi clinches up against the cage.

Takahashi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Blind clinches but Takahashi breaks the clinch

and Takahashi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Takahashi.

And that's the end of the fight!
Noryuki Takahashi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Takahashi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 30:26
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:26
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Noryuki Takahashi!