PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Blackwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ichiro Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ichiro Yamamoto will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Blackwell
vs
Yamamoto

162 cm
25
167 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
23
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Global Empire MMA Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marcus Blackwell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ichiro Yamamoto!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blackwell stalks Yamamoto and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Yamamoto's face. Yamamoto staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Ichiro Yamamoto has been cut.
Yamamoto shoots in but no luck this time.
Blackwell circles away from the clinch attempt.

Blackwell has taken the fight to the clinch.
Yamamoto looking to stall.
Blackwell is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Blackwell wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Blackwell wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Blackwell is looking for a takedown.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Blackwell breaks the clinch.
Blackwell throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Blackwell throws a front kick that sends Yamamoto stumbling back into the cage.
Blackwell looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A leg kick checked by Yamamoto.
Blackwell thows a leg kick but Yamamoto checks it
and Yamamoto counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Blackwell moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Blackwell bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Yamamoto is trying to control Blackwell's posture but Blackwell avoids it.
Blackwell grinds an elbow into Yamamoto's temple.
A lull in the action here as Blackwell stalls from top position.
Blackwell wants to control but Yamamoto is keeping him busy.
Blackwell scoring with punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blackwell lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Blackwell throws an elbow but Yamamoto slips to the side and avoids it well.
Blackwell in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Yamamoto is looking for a sweep.
Yamamoto struggling a bit here.
Yamamoto avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Blackwell.
Yamamoto taking punishment in the form of punches.

Blackwell goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Yamamoto has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Blackwell but great work by Yamamoto.
Yamamoto prevents Blackwell from escaping the position.
Blackwell struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Blackwell down.
Yamamoto wants to stand but Blackwell has his arm trapped.
Blackwell is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Yamamoto's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Blackwell tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Yamamoto has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Blackwell tries to hold on but Yamamoto postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto controlling his opponent.
Blackwell wants to control but Yamamoto is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Blackwell is looking to improve his position but Yamamoto isn't that keen on the idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Blackwell dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ichiro Yamamoto's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Yamamoto tries to clinch but Blackwell moves away
and Blackwell connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Blackwell throws a series of punches but Yamamoto avoids them all with ease.

Yamamoto drives through and clinches with Blackwell against the cage.

Blackwell escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Some wild striking there from Blackwell.
Yamamoto shoots for a takedown but Blackwell saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Blackwell misses with a double jab
and Yamamoto counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Yamamoto throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Blackwell's head.
Yamamoto throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Blackwell counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Marcus Blackwell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Blackwell throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Yamamoto sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Yamamoto looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yamamoto being controlled here momentarily.
Yamamoto wants to control from the top but Blackwell keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackwell has control of Yamamoto's left arm, preventing Yamamoto from doing any damage.
Blackwell's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Marcus Blackwell wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Blackwell lands a nice looking body shot.
Blackwell tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Yamamoto counters with a shoot takedown. Blackwell fights it but they end up in guard.
Yamamoto stopping the sweep attempt from Blackwell.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Blackwell is working an open guard so Yamamoto takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yamamoto throws a nice outside leg kick.
Blackwell scores with a three punch combo!
Blackwell cracks Yamamoto with a good jab.
Marcus Blackwell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick from Yamamoto lands but Blackwell takes it in his stride.
Yamamoto throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Blackwell's head.
Blackwell connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Yamamoto momentarily.

Blackwell instigates a clinch.
Blackwell is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Yamamoto misses with a knee to the head.

Blackwell is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Yamamoto can't fight it off and eventually Blackwell manages to take the fight to the floor. Yamamoto looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Blackwell is looking to work some ground and pound but Yamamoto has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackwell wants to control from the top but Yamamoto keeps moving.
Blackwell won't allow Yamamoto to sweep him here.
Marcus Blackwell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Blackwell tries to free his leg and advance position but Yamamoto is retaining full guard.
Yamamoto wants to get back to his feet but Blackwell is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Blackwell might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Blackwell gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Blackwell throws a head kick but Yamamoto moves out of range.
Yamamoto checks a leg kick nicely.
Yamamoto shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Marcus Blackwell is winning the standup battle so far.
A punch combination from Blackwell misses.
Yamamoto closes the distance and clinches up with Blackwell, looking for a takedown. Yamamoto pushes Blackwell against the cage but Blackwell circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Marcus Blackwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ichiro Yamamoto.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A clash of legs there as Yamamoto blocks the low kick.
Yamamoto throws a nice head kick!
Blackwell keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Yamamoto takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Blackwell misses with a series of wild punches.
Blackwell lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Yamamoto backs up against the cage.
Yamamoto scores with a head kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Blackwell closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Yamamoto tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Yamamoto is trying to break the clinch but Blackwell is controlling him.
Yamamoto keeps control of Blackwell as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Yamamoto misses with the head strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Marcus Blackwell will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ichiro Yamamoto's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Both fighters circling a little - Yamamoto finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Blackwell misses with a wild body shot.
Yamamoto with a poor takedown
and Blackwell counters with a two punch combo.
Yamamoto rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Blackwell moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Blackwell lunges at Yamamoto with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Yamamoto's hand.
Yamamoto shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Blackwell but Blackwell pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Yamamoto shoots in for a takedown but Blackwell shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Marcus Blackwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ichiro Yamamoto.

Blackwell gets a takedown into half guard.
Ground and pound from Blackwell.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Blackwell content to control rather than advance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Blackwell postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Yamamoto to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackwell jabs Yamamoto right on the nose. Yamamoto blinks but takes it well.
Blackwell misses with a leg kick
and Yamamoto counters with a nice body kick.
Blackwell throws a low kick but Yamamoto moves out of range easily.
Blackwell dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Blackwell scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Yamamoto is rocked!
Blackwell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yamamoto is still on wobbly legs! Can Blackwell finish him?
Blackwell lands a hook that stumbles Yamamoto back into the cage. Blackwell follows up with a straight and another hook that land right on the button, dropping Yamamoto to the canvas! Blackwell pounces and lands several unanswered shots - Yamamoto has had enough and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Marcus Blackwell!
Marcus Blackwell took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Global Empire MMA Gear for their support in the buildup to the fight.