PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Robbie Longstaff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryuji Baku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Longstaff
vs
Baku

200 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Robbie Longstaff!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryuji Baku!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Longstaff tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Baku misses with a low kick.
Longstaff avoids the body shot from Baku.
Longstaff looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Baku is fending him off so far but Longstaff persists. Nope, Baku circles away and we're back to standing.
Baku attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Baku tries to clinch up but Longstaff circles away and keeps his distance.
Longstaff keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Baku throws the left hand but Longstaff avoids the punch easily.
Baku tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Longstaff paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Longstaff avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Baku fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Longstaff looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Longstaff instigates a clinch.

Longstaff jumps guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Baku has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Longstaff is proving hard to escape from.
Longstaff has Baku pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Longstaff has his foot on Baku's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Baku works his way back into a safe position though.
Longstaff pulls Baku in close to prevent any damage.
Baku wants to stand but Longstaff is controlling his posture from full guard.
Baku is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Longstaff thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Baku wants to control from the top but Longstaff keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Baku would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Longstaff seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Longstaff clinches up against the cage.

Baku breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Longstaff throws a right and a left that Baku avoids nicely.
Baku looks to score with a jab to the body but Longstaff is just out of range.

Longstaff drives through and clinches with Baku against the cage.
Longstaff is working for takedown but Baku is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robbie Longstaff. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Longstaff lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Longstaff blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Baku breaks from the clinch.
Baku throws a nice inside leg kick.
Ryuji Baku seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Baku fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Longstaff avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Longstaff circles away from the clinch attempt.
Baku throws the kick towards the body but Longstaff avoids it.
Baku fails to land the takedown.
Baku looks gassed!
Baku tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Longstaff has closed the distance and engaged Baku in a clinch.
Baku tries for a takedown but Longstaff manages to get underhooks.
Baku prevents a takedown attempt there.
Baku has had enough of the clinch but Longstaff keeps him there for the moment.
Longstaff has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Longstaff has Baku pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Baku manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Longstaff goes for a takedown in the clinch but Baku prevents it.
Longstaff's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Baku escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Baku throws a leg kick which misses Longstaff's front leg but catches the back leg as Longstaff tries to avoid it.
Longstaff's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Longstaff duly obliges.
Baku takes one to the side of the head.
Longstaff avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Baku takes one to the side of the head.
Nice takedown defense from Baku. No joy for Longstaff on that attempt.
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!
Both fighters circling a little - Baku finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Robbie Longstaff will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Baku tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Longstaff fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Baku slaps away a takedown attempt from Longstaff, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Baku fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Longstaff shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Baku as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robbie Longstaff. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baku lands a leg kick that knocks Longstaff off balance momentarily.
Baku lands a leg kick that knocks Longstaff off balance momentarily.
Baku scores with a leg kick.
Baku fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Longstaff manages to avoid it.
Baku lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Baku, right into the meat.
Longstaff slips a jab and a cross from Baku.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baku lands a nice looking body kick.
Baku feints and then cracks Longstaff's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Longstaff down.
Baku throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

It looks like Robbie Longstaff has been cut.
Baku is looking to clinch.
Baku tries to clinch up but Longstaff circles away and keeps his distance.
A telegraphed right hand from Baku misses the target.
Longstaff on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Good leg kick by Baku there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Baku swings for the body but Longstaff moves out of range.
Baku fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Longstaff.
Baku lands with a nice body kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Baku.
Good work by Longstaff as he checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baku throws a leg kick but Longstaff sees it coming and moves out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Baku throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Longstaff's waist but Longstaff gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Baku off to one side.

Longstaff closes the distance and pushes Baku back into the cage.
Longstaff avoiding damage.
Longstaff gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Baku.
Baku blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Longstaff content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Baku wants to get back to striking at distance but Longstaff won't allow it.
Longstaff is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Baku looking to throw knees to the head but Longstaff is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Longstaff jumps guard and drags Baku to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Longstaff controlling the position.
Longstaff will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Longstaff wriggles free and stands up.
Longstaff tries for a takedown but Baku sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Longstaff ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
A chopping leg kick lands by Baku.
Baku wants to clinch up but Longstaff keeps it at a distance.
A nice inside leg kick there by Baku. That's going to slow Longstaff down.
Ryuji Baku seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Baku moves in looking to clinch but Longstaff pushes him off.
A solid body kick from Baku.
Baku shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Longstaff sprawls well. Longstaff wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Baku gets slowly back to his feet.

Baku gets tackled into the cage by Longstaff. Longstaff maintains the clinch.
Longstaff really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baku looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Longstaff keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Baku's efforts to push away.

Longstaff manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Longstaff has Baku pulled in close to control his posture.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baku wanted to stand there but Longstaff had control of the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Longstaff throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Baku avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryuji Baku showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Robbie Longstaff's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Longstaff fails in his attempt to clinch.
Longstaff misses with a kick to the body.
Baku tries to score a power double leg takedown but Longstaff sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Baku somewhat.
A head kick misses from Baku.
Baku thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Longstaff if he has to take too many more of those.
Nice sprawl there from Baku as Longstaff shoots in.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Longstaff shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Baku as he jumps to the side.
Baku is looking to slow Longstaff down with leg kicks.
Longstaff takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Longstaff keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Baku misses with a kick to the body.
Baku throws a series of strikes that have Longstaff backpedaling.
Robbie Longstaff is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Longstaff fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Baku avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robbie Longstaff. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baku keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Baku.
Baku swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Baku fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Longstaff looks for a takedown but Baku sprawls well.
Baku pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baku slaps away a takedown attempt from Longstaff, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Baku plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Baku throws a head kick that misses.
Baku throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Baku looks for a takedown but Longstaff sprawls well.

Longstaff forces Baku back against the cage and clinches.
Baku prevents the takedown attempt.
Baku can't get the takedown.

Longstaff pulls guard successfully.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Longstaff is trying to control the position but Baku postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baku trying to control the position from guard on top but Longstaff is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Longstaff tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Longstaff looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Robbie Longstaff just wasn't active enough.
Longstaff on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Baku. Baku obviously looking to wear him down.
Longstaff shoots in looking for a takedown but Baku manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Longstaff's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Baku fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Longstaff gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Baku has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Longstaff avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Longstaff wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Baku has him pressed against the cage.
Baku is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Longstaff pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Longstaff has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Baku clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Longstaff not allowing Baku to control his hands.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baku trying to get back to his feet but Longstaff is in full control for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Longstaff just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Baku really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Longstaff. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Baku wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ryuji Baku.
I think Baku 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Robbie Longstaff!