PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Aurelliano Bustamante (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenji Yoshihira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kenji Yoshihira is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Bustamante
vs
Yoshihira

173 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

185 cm
23
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Aurelliano Bustamante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenji Yoshihira!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Taro Takaoka and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yoshihira misses with a series of wild punches.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Yoshihira, right into the meat.
Bustamante has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Bustamante misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A head kick misses from Yoshihira.
Yoshihira lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Bustamante backs up against the cage.
Yoshihira scores with a jab. Bustamante acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Bustamante shoots in and gets a takedown into Yoshihira's guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Bustamante postures up.
Bustamante stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yoshihira swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bustamante is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Bustamante passes Yoshihira's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Yoshihira trying to control here.
Bustamante stops Yoshihira from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bustamante is looking to advance position but Yoshihira won't allow it.
Yoshihira is looking to escape.
Bustamante wants to stand up but Yoshihira has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Yoshihira pushes Bustamante off looking to stand but Bustamante dives back in and keeps control.
Yoshihira looks gassed!
Bustamante working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Yoshihira is trying to control but Bustamante manages to pass to mount!
Yoshihira throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Bustamante wants to control the pace but Yoshihira is squirming around nicely.
Bustamante is landing with some decent strikes but Yoshihira is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bustamante wants to control the pace but Yoshihira is squirming around nicely.
Yoshihira tries to reverse the position but Bustamante maintains control.
Yoshihira is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Bustamante looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Yoshihira is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Yoshihira is squirming around, avoiding Bustamante's attempts to control the action.
Yoshihira is desperately trying to improve his position but Bustamante has a good base and remains in mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bustamante tries to control but Yoshihira wriggling away.
Bustamante working Yoshihira over with strikes here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bustamante is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Yoshihira is surviving well by controlling Bustamante's body position as best he can.

Bustamante is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Yoshihira finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Horrible takedown by Bustamante or perhaps it was just good defense by Yoshihira which made him look bad.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Yoshihira enables Bustamante to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Yoshihira manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Yoshihira is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Yoshihira trying to strike off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yoshihira is working an open guard so Bustamante takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Yoshihira swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Yoshihira tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bustamante paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Bustamante closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Yoshihira to the mat! Yoshihira manages to get full guard.
Yoshihira is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Yoshihira escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bustamante gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Yoshihira looking for subs off his back but Bustamante has passed one foot through into half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Bustamante decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aurelliano Bustamante dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bustamante looks for a takedown but Yoshihira sprawls well.
Yoshihira displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bustamante.
Bustamante tries to close the distance and clinch but Yoshihira swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bustamante closes this distance looking for a takedown but Yoshihira circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aurelliano Bustamante. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yoshihira pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Yoshihira moves into the clinch.
Bustamante blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Yoshihira manages to break the clinch.
Bustamante wants to clinch.
Yoshihira throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshihira connects with a body shot.
Yoshihira doesn't manage to clinch there - Bustamante circles away.
Yoshihira plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Yoshihira is breathing heavily.
Bustamante looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Yoshihira moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Yoshihira throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Yoshihira closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Yoshihira throws a right and a left that Bustamante avoids nicely.
Aurelliano Bustamante is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Bustamante shoots in and gets a takedown into Yoshihira's guard.
Bustamante slips nicely into half guard.
Bustamante prevents Yoshihira from standing back up.
Aurelliano Bustamante overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Yoshihira looking for submissions off his back.

Yoshihira looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Yoshihira wants to get back to full guard but Bustamante has passed into side control.

Bustamante decides to stand up, so the ref orders Yoshihira to his feet.
Bustamante tries for a takedown but Yoshihira sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Bustamante closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Yoshihira wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Bustamante decides to stand up, so the ref orders Yoshihira to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bustamante fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Yoshihira closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Yoshihira lands in his opponent's guard.
Yoshihira tries to free his leg and advance position but Bustamante is retaining full guard.

Bustamante looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Yoshihira trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Yoshihira must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bustamante not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Yoshihira's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Bustamante looking for subs off his back but Yoshihira has passed one foot through into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!

Yoshihira is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Bustamante is just riding it out for now. Yoshihira eventually gives up the hold.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bustamante is looking to control Yoshihira's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Bustamante avoid being mounted?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kenji Yoshihira will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Bustamante tries to clinch there but Yoshihira circles away.
Bustamante fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Yoshihira instigates a clinch.
Bustamante tries to pull guard but Yoshihira won't allow it.
Yoshihira lands an elbow inside that Bustamante shrugs off.
Yoshihira working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Bustamante avoids a wild elbow strike from Yoshihira.

Yoshihira manages to break the clinch.

Yoshihira clinches up with Bustamante and pushes him back against the cage.
Bustamante wants to take the fight to the mat but Yoshihira manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aurelliano Bustamante. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yoshihira taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshihira scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Bustamante throws an elbow that misses.
Yoshihira tries to pull guard but Bustamante forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Yoshihira takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A frustrated look appears on Bustamante's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bustamante tries to score a body lock takedown but Yoshihira shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Bustamante breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Yoshihira misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bustamante takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Bustamante avoids the head kick by Yoshihira.
Yoshihira stuffs the takedown.
Yoshihira throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Bustamante closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Yoshihira's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bustamante scores with punches from side control.
Yoshihira tries to bench press Bustamante off him but Bustamante keeps the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yoshihira can't do much from the bottom here.
Yoshihira is looking for a sweep.
Bustamante trying to control the position but Yoshihira is working away.

Bustamante decides to stand back up. Bustamante steps back and let's Yoshihira get back to his feet.
Yoshihira tries to clinch but Bustamante is having none of it.
Bustamante throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Yoshihira's waist but Yoshihira gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bustamante off to one side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshihira stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Yoshihira wants it to stay on the feet.
Yoshihira tries to clinch but Bustamante is having none of it.
Yoshihira connects with an inside leg kick.
Yoshihira throws a chopping leg kick but Bustamante manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Bustamante uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Yoshihira.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Bustamante.
Yoshihira tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Bustamante trying to control the action but Yoshihira is working from the bottom.
Yoshihira is trying to control Bustamante's posture but Bustamante avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bustamante wants to control but Yoshihira is keeping him busy.
Yoshihira wants to control but Bustamante postures up.
Bustamante moves into full mount!
Yoshihira tries to hold on but Bustamante pushes him away.
Bustamante tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bustamante lands with some strikes.

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 Aurelliano Bustamante.
I think Bustamante 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Aurelliano Bustamante!
Aurelliano Bustamante opened up his post fight interview with a scream to camera that he wants a title shot! Whether he deserves the shot will be up to the management of the organization, so I guess he'll have to wait and see.