PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kenji Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Tyre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Jones
vs
Tyre

190 cm
25
148 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

184 cm
26
147 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenji Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Stephen Tyre!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Ren Mimura and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Jones tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Tyre counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Jones!
Tyre controlling the position easily from mount.
Jones is squirming around, avoiding Tyre's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tyre controlling from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is squirming around, avoiding Tyre's attempts to control the action.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Stephen Tyre wasn't active enough on the ground.
Jones throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Jones throws a left and a right that both miss

and Tyre counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Tyre.
Jones tries to stall but Tyre uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Tyre manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Jones controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Jones has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tyre is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tyre passes Jones's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Jones is concentrating on defense, preventing Tyre from advancing position.
Tyre is thwarting Jones's attempts to control the position.
Tyre wants to take a breather but Jones is having none of it.
Tyre works his way into side control.
Jones is not content to let Tyre control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tyre in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Jones wants to control but Tyre postures up.
Tyre has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Tyre controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tyre tries to control but Jones wriggling away.
Jones tries to lock up and control but Tyre gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Tyre takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Jones is just holding on here. Tyre manages to take his back.
Tyre biding his time, looking for the opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Tyre dodges the punch combination from Jones.
Kenji Jones is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tyre misses with a few strikes there.
Jones moves to clinch but Tyre breaks away

and Tyre counters by clinching up.
Tyre is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tyre gets through Jones's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Jones breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jones tries to clinch up but Tyre circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Jones rushes Tyre and presses him up against the cage.
Tyre gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Jones.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Tyre.
Jones prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jones breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tyre tries to clinch but Jones moves out of range.
Tyre tries to close the distance and clinch but Jones swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Tyre clinches up with Jones and pushes him back against the cage.
Tyre looking to throw knees to the head but Jones is blocking nicely.
Tyre lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Jones fails to pull guard.
Tyre tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Tyre tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Jones has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tyre is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenji Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Jones breaks from the clinch.

Tyre moves into the clinch.

Jones breaks from the clinch.
Tyre falls off balance throwing a combination
and Jones counters with a series of strikes. Tyre will be more careful next time no doubt.
Jones falls off balance throwing a combination
and Tyre counters with a leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tyre has closed the distance and engaged Jones in a clinch.
Jones is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Tyre pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Tyre goes for a takedown attempt but Jones pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jones misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Tyre misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Jones looks to throw the jab but Tyre is out of range.
Jones wants to clinch

and Tyre moves into the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Tyre seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
Tyre using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Jones has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tyre scores with a knee to the head.
Jones blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Jones is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Jones breaks the clinch.

Jones has managed to clinch.
Tyre is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Jones tries to pull guard but Tyre holds him up against the cage and eventually Jones drops back down to his feet.
Tyre stalls.
Jones really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Knees to the body from Tyre.
Tyre missing with knees to the body.

Tyre ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Tyre no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Tyre pulls Jones in to control the position.
Jones sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

We're going to have a standup here because Kenji Jones wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Jones misses with a jab, cross combination.
Jones throws a right and a left that both miss.
Jones throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Tyre counters by clinching up.
Tyre tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Jones lands an elbow that stopped Tyre in his tracks for a moment.
Tyre tries for a takedown but Jones manages to get underhooks.
Jones has had enough of the clinch but Tyre keeps him there for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Stephen Tyre will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Jones looks to land a combination but Tyre avoids it well.
Jones tries to clinch up
and Tyre counters with an inside leg kick.
Jones slips a jab and a cross from Tyre.
Jones is looking to clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Jones as Tyre shoots in.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Jones.
Jones swings for the body but Tyre moves out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloppy strikes from Jones. Those never looked like landing.
Some wild striking there from Tyre.
Jones rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tyre moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Tyre counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Tyre.
Tyre trying to stall but Jones improves his position.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Tyre as Jones tries to tie him up.
Tyre taking a breather.

Tyre breaks from the clinch.
Jones misses with a wild combination.
Tyre fails with the takedown.
Tyre lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Jones throws a combination. Tyre tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tyre chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Tyre fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kenji Jones seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Jones gets a clinch.
Tyre tries to land a knee to the head but Jones blocks with his arms.
Tyre leaning his opponent against the cage.
Tyre throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jones blocks it with crossed arms.
Tyre is trying to push Jones away but Jones has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Jones wants to break the clinch but can't.

Jones decides to pull guard.
Tyre slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones trying to keep a closed guard but Tyre is proving a slippery customer.
Jones keeping moving, preventing Tyre from controlling successfully.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Stephen Tyre wasn't active enough on the ground.

Jones moves into range and clinches up with Tyre.
Tyre is looking to control Jones's arms but Jones gets an underhook and turns him. Now Tyre has his back to the cage.
Jones scores with a shot to the side of Tyre's head.
Tyre tries a knee to the head but Jones blocks it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Tyre has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Jones uses from the top position.

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.
Tyre keeping moving, preventing Jones from controlling successfully.
Tyre trying to keep a closed guard but Jones is proving a slippery customer.
Jones sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Jones with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jones tries to free his leg and advance position but Tyre is retaining full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Stephen Tyre.
I've got Tyre winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Tyre!