PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shinya Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takeshi Yamazaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takeshi Yamazaki has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Yamamoto
vs
Yamazaki

167 cm
19
147 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
148 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Valhalla Fight Wear

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinya Yamamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takeshi Yamazaki!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Hirohito Nitta and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yamazaki shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Yamazaki working Yamamoto over with strikes.
Yamazaki scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Yamamoto has hold of Yamazaki's hands but Yamazaki slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Yamazaki performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Yamamoto has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Yamazaki is working away from the top position though.

Yamamoto looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Yamamoto is trying to get back to full guard.
Yamazaki winds up and cracks Yamamoto with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamazaki with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Yamamoto trying to control from the bottom.
Yamamoto tries to get to full guard but Yamazaki has control of the leg.
Yamazaki is controlling the pace.
Yamazaki working the head and body with strikes.

Yamamoto looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Yamazaki not doing much here.

Yamazaki looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Yamazaki seems to be working for a kimura but Yamamoto defends the submission attempt.
Yamazaki sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Yamamoto defending well though.

Yamazaki is working for a submission of some sort.
Yamamoto slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamazaki engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Yamazaki postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Yamamoto has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Yamazaki can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Yamazaki trying to control but Yamamoto is working from the bottom.
Yamamoto looking to control but Yamazaki passes into half guard.
Yamamoto is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamazaki trying to pass the guard but Yamamoto defending well.

Yamazaki is looking for a kimura here.
Yamamoto is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yamazaki is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Yamazaki controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeshi Yamazaki dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Yamamoto tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Yamazaki paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Yamamoto closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Yamamoto lands in his opponent's guard.
Yamamoto trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Yamamoto looking to sit in guard and control but Yamazaki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Yamazaki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Yamamoto has his foot on Yamazaki's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yamazaki works his way back into a safe position though.
Yamamoto is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yamazaki controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamazaki lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Yamazaki gets to his feet - Yamamoto follows without any prompting.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Yamamoto is trying to break the clinch but Yamazaki is controlling him.
Yamazaki tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Yamamoto being controlled against the cage.

Yamazaki manages to pull guard.
Yamazaki has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yamazaki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Yamamoto pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yamazaki is keeping the position for now.
Yamazaki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Yamamoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamazaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yamamoto looking to pass the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Yamamoto accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Yamazaki keeping full guard, as Yamamoto tries to pass.
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!

Yamazaki has his foot on Yamamoto's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yamamoto works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamazaki keeping moving, preventing Yamamoto from controlling successfully.

Yamazaki is looking for a triangle but Yamamoto pushes his legs off easily.

Yamamoto has gone for a leg lock! Yamazaki slips out almost immediately though and dives into Yamamoto's guard.
Yamamoto being controlled here, momentarily.
Yamazaki working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yamamoto looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Yamazaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamamoto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yamamoto keeping full guard, as Yamazaki tries to pass.
Yamazaki trying to control but Yamamoto is working from the bottom.

Yamamoto looking for a guillotine here but Yamazaki defends easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yamazaki lands a couple of digs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeshi Yamazaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Yamazaki throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Yamazaki slaps away a takedown attempt from Yamamoto, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Yamamoto looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Yamazaki tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Yamazaki dodges the punch combination from Yamamoto.

Yamazaki shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Yamazaki is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Yamamoto looking for a sweep. Not yet Yamamoto, not yet.
Yamazaki slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Yamamoto 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamazaki pushing down on Yamamoto's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Yamazaki perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Yamazaki scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The fighters are battling for position here. Yamamoto manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Yamazaki won't allow Yamamoto to sweep him here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Yamazaki drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Yamazaki jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Yamazaki trying to control but Yamamoto is working from the bottom.
Yamazaki works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Yamamoto trying to control but Yamazaki postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamazaki lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Yamazaki wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yamamoto keeps working.
Yamamoto is looking for a sweep. Yamazaki is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Yamazaki stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yamamoto avoids the body shot from Yamazaki.
Yamazaki misses with a body kick.

Yamazaki changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Yamamoto looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto is working to avoid the ground and pound but Yamazaki connects with a decent elbow.
Yamamoto is looking to reverse the position.
The referee asks Yamazaki politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Yamazaki prefers to stall for the moment though.
Yamamoto is trying to improve his position.
Shinya Yamamoto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yamazaki lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Yamazaki decides to stand up, so the ref orders Yamamoto to his feet.
Yamamoto lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Yamazaki circles away quickly and effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Yamazaki.
Yamazaki controlling from side mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yamamoto tries to buck Yamazaki off but Yamazaki is having none of it.
A lull in the action here as Yamazaki stalls from top position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yamamoto is not content to let Yamazaki control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takeshi Yamazaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Yamazaki has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takeshi Yamazaki!