PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Martin Morales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taba Tabashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Morales
vs
Tabashi

165 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

155 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite 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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Martin Morales!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taba Tabashi!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Sano and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tabashi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tabashi throws a predictable looking body shot
and Morales counters with a three punch combo that has Tabashi backing up. Tabashi nods at Morales to acknowledge the strikes.
Tabashi lands a nice looking body shot.
Morales throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Tabashi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Tabashi throws a head kick that misses.
Morales lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tabashi circles away quickly and effectively.
Tabashi lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Tabashi misses with a body punch
and Morales counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Tabashi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tabashi connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Tabashi throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tabashi. Morales does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tabashi misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Morales does no damage.
Tabashi punishes Morales's body with a nice straight punch.
Left hook, right uppercut from Morales.
Tabashi scores with a head kick.
Tabashi throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Morales misses with a double jab.
Tabashi throws out a loose jab but Morales uses good head movement to avoid it.
A jab lands there for Tabashi.
Tabashi digs a good hook to Morales's body.
Tabashi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Tabashi rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Morales counters with a two punch combo.
Tabashi scores with a jab to the body.
Tabashi is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Morales rather than just go for the knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tabashi lands with a right hand.
Morales fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tabashi scores with a kick to the body.
Tabashi should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
A combination from Morales does no damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Morales stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Tabashi.
Tabashi misses with an uppercut
and Morales makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Morales uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Tabashi.
Tabashi throws a head kick but Morales moves out of range.
Tabashi just misses with a punch to the body.
Tabashi bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Morales.
Tabashi throws an overhand right that lands on Morales's shoulder, as Morales tries to avoid the shot.
Tabashi tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Tabashi throws a front kick that sends Morales stumbling back into the cage.
Morales blocks a head kick by Tabashi.
Tabashi turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nice body kick there by Tabashi.
Tabashi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tabashi throws a front kick aimed at Morales's knee but Morales avoids it well.
A clash of legs there as Morales blocks the low kick.
Tabashi goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tabashi misses the body punch
and Morales counters with a straight right hand.
Morales avoids the head kick by Tabashi.
Tabashi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Morales fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Tabashi looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Morales throws a nice looking combination but Tabashi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tabashi lands a lovely overhand right.
Morales ducks under a wild hook from Tabashi.
A punch combination from Tabashi misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Morales uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Tabashi.
An inside leg kick lands from Tabashi.
Morales is working the combinations to good effect here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tabashi swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Morales counters with a one-two to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taba Tabashi dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Morales throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Morales 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.
Morales misses with the combination.
Morales misses with a two punch combination.
Morales misses with the combination.
Tabashi throws a quick inside leg kick.
Tabashi throws a body kick that misses.
Tabashi scoring well with a low kick there.
Tabashi lands a really nice looking cross but Morales seems unphased.
Tabashi lands a leg kick that knocks Morales off balance momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot to the liver by Tabashi. Beautiful body shot.
Tabashi lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Taba Tabashi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Morales fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tabashi throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Morales counters with a nice uppercut.
Tabashi connects with an inside leg kick.
Morales fails to land with a series of punches.
Tabashi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tabashi connects with a solid leg kick.
Tabashi throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Taba Tabashi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tabashi scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tabashi misses with a low kick as Morales jumps back.
Tabashi misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Morales counters with a three punch combo that has Tabashi backing up. Tabashi nods at Morales to acknowledge the strikes.
Tabashi misses with a lunging right hand
and Morales counters with a two punch combo.
Tabashi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tabashi misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Morales counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Tabashi connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Tabashi scores with a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tabashi lands a right hook to the body.
Tabashi throws a lazy uppercut
and Morales counters with a two punch combo.
Tabashi misses with a body kick.
Tabashi scoring well with a low kick there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tabashi takes one to the chin there.
Morales takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A combination from Morales does no damage.
Morales throws a series of strikes that have Tabashi backpedaling.
Tabashi dodges the punch combination from Morales.
Tabashi throws a poor cross that misses
and Morales cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tabashi throws the kick towards the body but Morales avoids it.
Tabashi throws a poor cross that misses
and Morales counters with a right hand to the body.
Tabashi jabs Morales to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Tabashi takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tabashi throws a predictable looking body shot
and Morales counters with a series of strikes. Tabashi will be more careful next time no doubt.
Tabashi lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Morales at a distance.
Sloppy strikes from Morales. Those never looked like landing.
Tabashi bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Morales's head.
Tabashi connects with a solid leg kick.
Morales keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tabashi.
Tabashi throws a lazy right hand but Morales sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Tabashi is looking to land body kicks.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tabashi swings away with a body shot that misses
and Morales makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Morales falls off balance throwing a combination
and Tabashi counters with a right hand to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taba Tabashi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Tabashi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Morales.
Tabashi throws a series of punches but Morales avoids them all with ease.
Tabashi has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Tabashi dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Morales. That did some damage!
Tabashi looks to land a combination. Morales sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Martin Morales is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tabashi rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Morales counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Both fighters circling a little - Tabashi finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Tabashi scores with a kick to the midsection.
Morales will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Tabashi swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Morales counters with a right hand to the body.
Tabashi lands a leg kick that knocks Morales off balance momentarily.
Morales throws a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tabashi misses with a wild body shot.
Tabashi sizes up Morales with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A slapping leg kick lands for Tabashi.
Morales takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Tabashi with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Tabashi throws a series of punches but Morales moves out of range.
Morales takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Tabashi lands a body shot.
Morales lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Tabashi backs up against the cage.
Morales misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tabashi lands with an uppercut that bounces Morales off the cage and back into range.
Taba Tabashi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tabashi misses with a body punch
and Morales counters with a right hand to the body.
Morales blocks a head kick by Tabashi.
Tabashi misses with a body punch
and Morales counters with a three punch combo that has Tabashi backing up. Tabashi nods at Morales to acknowledge the strikes.
Morales is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Morales misses with the combination.
A chopping leg kick lands by Tabashi.
Morales checks a leg kick.
Tabashi lands with a thumping leg kick.
Tabashi lands a jab to Morales's midsection.
Morales checks the leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tabashi misses with a head kick.
Tabashi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Tabashi throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Morales tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Tabashi connects with a nice looking jab.
Morales is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Morales on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Tabashi has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Tabashi there as he acknowledges the shot.
Tabashi misses with a body shot
and Morales cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tabashi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Morales scores with a one two! Tabashi had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morales fails to land with a series of punches.
A solid body kick from Tabashi.
Tabashi lands with a nice body punch.
Tabashi throws an overhand right that lands on Morales's shoulder, as Morales tries to avoid the shot.
Morales throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tabashi.
Tabashi throws the left hand but Morales avoids the punch easily.
Tabashi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Tabashi throws an off balance right hand
and Morales connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tabashi throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Martin Morales has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tabashi misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Morales counters with a one-two to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taba Tabashi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tabashi 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taba Tabashi!