PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Noryuki Takahashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sang Suk Yong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sang Suk Yong has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Noryuki Takahashi's chin.

Takahashi
vs
Suk Yong

177 cm
25
155 lbs
8 - 10 - 0

176 cm
20
155 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite 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 8 - 10 - 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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sang Suk Yong!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Alan Glass and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Suk Yong with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Suk Yong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Suk Yong misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Takahashi.
Suk Yong uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Takahashi.
Takahashi tries to clinch up but Suk Yong circles away and keeps his distance.
Takahashi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Suk Yong.
Suk Yong swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Suk Yong throws a right and a left that both miss.

Takahashi gets a takedown into half guard.
Suk Yong tries to roll over but Takahashi keeps him under control.
Takahashi throwing shots but Suk Yong is blocking nicely.
Suk Yong trying to control but Takahashi postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suk Yong keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Takahashi is trying to control the action in half guard but Suk Yong is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Suk Yong trying to hold on to Takahashi's head to control him but Takahashi postures up.
Takahashi tries to pass the half guard into mount. Suk Yong knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Takahashi sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Noryuki Takahashi wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Suk Yong pushes Takahashi up against the cage in a clinch.
Suk Yong fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Takahashi manages to break the clinch.
Suk Yong misses with a wild combination.
Suk Yong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Suk Yong looks to land a left hand but Takahashi moved out of range nicely.
Suk Yong tries a low kick but Takahashi avoids it.
Nice sprawl there from Suk Yong as Takahashi shoots in.
Suk Yong swats away the attempt to clinch by Takahashi.
Takahashi slips a jab and a cross from Suk Yong.
Suk Yong swats away the attempt to clinch by Takahashi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suk Yong scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Suk Yong throws a jab but it's blocked by Takahashi.
Takahashi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Suk Yong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Takahashi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Suk Yong lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Suk Yong misses with a combination
and Takahashi counters with an outside leg kick.
Takahashi shoots in for a takedown but Suk Yong shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Takahashi needs to keep his hands up - Suk Yong had a free shot at his head there.
Suk Yong swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Takahashi counters with a head kick. That will keep Suk Yong thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Suk Yong defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Takahashi.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Noryuki Takahashi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Takahashi drives through and clinches with Suk Yong against the cage.
Suk Yong can't get the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Takahashi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Suk Yong throws a head kick but Takahashi moves out of range.
Takahashi moves away from the strike by Suk Yong.
The fight stays on the outside here - Takahashi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A looping hook to the body misses from Suk Yong. Takahashi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Suk Yong throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Suk Yong misses with a head kick.

Suk Yong shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Suk Yong looks gassed!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takahashi has his hands on Suk Yong's head, controlling the position.
Suk Yong lands a couple of elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sang Suk Yong dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nice defenses there by Takahashi.
Sang Suk Yong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Suk Yong scores with a punch to the head.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Takahashi.

Takahashi decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Suk Yong throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Takahashi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Takahashi tries to clinch there but Suk Yong circles away.
Takahashi throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Suk Yong looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Suk Yong cracks Takahashi with a good jab.
Suk Yong keeps the fight on the outside.
Takahashi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Suk Yong manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi is looking to clinch but Suk Yong is avoiding it.
Suk Yong throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Takahashi slips a jab and a cross from Suk Yong.
Suk Yong throws a sloppy head kick and Takahashi moves out of range easily.
Suk Yong throws a head kick that misses

and Takahashi counters by clinching up.
Takahashi lands an uppercut.
Takahashi putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Suk Yong in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Suk Yong throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Suk Yong throws a head punch that misses.
Takahashi lands a body shot.
Takahashi lands a shot to the body.
Suk Yong is breathing heavily.
Suk Yong tries to stall but Takahashi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Suk Yong misses with an elbow strike.
Suk Yong working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Suk Yong tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Takahashi avoids it.
Takahashi lands a nice elbow.
Suk Yong is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Suk Yong lands an elbow that stopped Takahashi in his tracks for a moment.
Takahashi creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Suk Yong's defenses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi avoiding damage as Suk Yong throws knees to the body.
Takahashi trying to control the position but instead, Suk Yong has worked for underhooks and has pushed Takahashi into the cage.

Takahashi pulls guard.
Suk Yong throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Takahashi wants to stand up but Suk Yong is controlling him.
Suk Yong being controlled here momentarily.
Suk Yong trying to control the position from guard on top but Takahashi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Suk Yong is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Sang Suk Yong hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Suk Yong throws a leg kick but Takahashi checks it.
Takahashi ducks under a wild hook from Suk Yong.
Suk Yong throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

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.
Suk Yong tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Suk Yong throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Takahashi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Suk Yong manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Suk Yong misses with a combination

and Takahashi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Suk Yong's guard.
Suk Yong trying to control the position.
Takahashi trying to control the position from guard on top but Suk Yong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Takahashi advances position into side control!
Takahashi working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Noryuki Takahashi dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Suk Yong lands with a right hand.
Suk Yong lets loose with a powerful body kick. Takahashi will feel that in the morning.
Suk Yong loads up on a big right hand but Takahashi slips the punch.
Jab by Suk Yong.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Suk Yong!
Takahashi tries to clinch there but Suk Yong circles away.
Suk Yong misses with a head kick.
Takahashi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Takahashi lets loose with a powerful body kick. Suk Yong will feel that in the morning.
Takahashi doesn't manage to clinch there - Suk Yong circles away.
Suk Yong shoots and misses

and Takahashi counters by moving into the clinch.
Takahashi comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Takahashi manages to break the clinch.
Suk Yong fails with the takedown

and Takahashi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi lands an elbow that stopped Suk Yong in his tracks for a moment.
Takahashi is pushing Suk Yong up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Suk Yong will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Takahashi up against the cage.
Takahashi tries for a takedown. No joy.
Suk Yong throws an elbow but it misses.
Takahashi blocks an elbow strike.
Takahashi lands a body shot in the clinch.
Suk Yong stalling the fight.
Suk Yong tries for a takedown. No joy.
Noryuki Takahashi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sang Suk Yong.
Takahashi fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Takahashi blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Takahashi breaks from the clinch.
Takahashi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Takahashi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Suk Yong paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Suk Yong doesn't manage to clinch there - Takahashi circles 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.
Suk Yong throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Takahashi counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Suk Yong!
Takahashi controlling the pace for now.
Suk Yong is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Takahashi avoids the attempt from Suk Yong to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi tries to control but Suk Yong wriggling away.
Takahashi thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Suk Yong is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

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.
You get the feeling that Suk Yong really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Suk Yong tries to hold on but Takahashi pushes him away.
Suk Yong is desperately trying to improve his position but Takahashi has a good base and remains in mount.
Suk Yong wants to control but Takahashi is having none of it.
Noryuki Takahashi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Takahashi tries to control but Suk Yong wriggling away.
Takahashi controlling from mount.

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 Noryuki Takahashi.
I think Takahashi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28

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