PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kunimitsu Tezuka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dominick Faber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dominick Faber looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Tezuka
vs
Faber

210 cm
19
143 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

177 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kunimitsu Tezuka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dominick Faber!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Fujiwara and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tezuka shoots in for a takedown but Faber shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Faber looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Tezuka gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Faber doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Faber swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tezuka drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Faber gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Faber swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Tezuka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A chopping leg kick lands by Tezuka.
Tezuka shoots for a takedown but Faber saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kunimitsu Tezuka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tezuka closes this distance looking for a takedown but Faber circles away.
Faber defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Tezuka.
Tezuka closes this distance looking for a takedown but Faber circles away.
Tezuka shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Faber defends it nicely.

Tezuka takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tezuka decides to pull guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Faber throws a big right hand that misses.
Faber trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Tezuka wants to sweep but no luck.
Tezuka really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Tezuka managing to control the position.

Tezuka looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Tezuka looking to hit a scissor sweep but Faber is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tezuka throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Faber postures up in Tezuka's guard and throws a big left but Tezuka blocks it.
Tezuka is pulling down on Faber's head to control his posture.
Tezuka will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Tezuka manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Faber manages to get himself to full guard.
Faber can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tezuka controls the pace.
Tezuka pushing down on Faber's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tezuka thows a huge punch but Faber dodges it nicely.
Tezuka is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber is looking to get back to full guard here but Tezuka has managed to pass to side control instead.
Tezuka working the ground and pound from side control.
An elbow from Tezuka crashes against the mat.
Faber is letting Tezuka control him for a moment.
Faber struggling a bit here.
Tezuka throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Tezuka decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Faber stuffs the takedown.
Tezuka throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Faber's waist but Faber gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Tezuka off to one side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tezuka misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Faber stuffs the takedown.
Tezuka dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Tezuka misses with a takedown attempt - Faber sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Faber slaps away a takedown attempt from Tezuka, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Faber throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Tezuka scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tezuka shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Faber but Faber pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Tezuka fails with a takedown attempt.
Faber misses with a wild combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kunimitsu Tezuka dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Tezuka shoots in but Faber avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Faber misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Dominick Faber seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Faber stuffs the takedown attempt from Tezuka. Tezuka gets slowly back to his feet.
Tezuka fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kunimitsu Tezuka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tezuka fails with a takedown attempt.
Faber displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tezuka.
Faber blocks a low kick nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faber shoots in and drives through. Tezuka sprawls well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tezuka shoots in for a takedown but Faber shows good takedown defense.
Faber misses with a two punch combination.
Faber takes a kick to the side of the head.
Tezuka shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Faber pinned against the cage. Faber gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Faber swinging wildly here.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tezuka can't get the takedown.

Tezuka has clasped his hands together around Faber's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Faber struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tezuka throws a strike aimed at the side of Faber's head but Faber avoids it well.
Tezuka has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Check out the look on Tezuka's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Tezuka tries for a kimura but Faber is defending well.
Faber tries to buck Tezuka off but Tezuka is having none of it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Faber is trying to escape the position but Tezuka is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Tezuka stands up and beckons Faber to his feet.
Faber tries to clinch up

and Tezuka counters by clinching up.

Tezuka manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Tezuka shoots in looking for a takedown. Faber tries to sprawl out of it but Tezuka keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Faber manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Faber misses with a takedown attempt - Tezuka sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Tezuka misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Faber keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tezuka fails with a takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tezuka.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Faber tries to clinch there but Tezuka circles away.
Tezuka showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Faber.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Tezuka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Tezuka has managed to clinch.

Tezuka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tezuka lands a leg kick that knocks Faber off balance momentarily.
Tezuka thows a body shot but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tezuka.
Nice sprawl there from Faber as Tezuka shoots in.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kunimitsu Tezuka dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Some wild striking there from Faber.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Tezuka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tezuka tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Faber swivels and escapes.

Tezuka closes the distance and pushes Faber back into the cage.
Faber working aggressively here.

Tezuka pulls guard successfully.

Tezuka looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Tezuka uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Faber throws a head kick that misses
and Tezuka finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Tezuka scores with a body shot.

Tezuka fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Faber, pushing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faber doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tezuka taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Tezuka successfully pulls guard.
Faber throws a strike but Tezuka rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Faber looking for a sweep. Not yet Faber, not yet.
Tezuka is stalling in the full guard.
Faber is looking to stand back up but Tezuka counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Faber.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tezuka missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Faber pushes Tezuka off but Tezuka dives into side control.
Faber wants to get back to his feet but Tezuka drags him back down.
Tezuka in side control, throwing shots but Faber defends.

Tezuka looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Faber bucks up and tries to throw Tezuka off but instead Tezuka has got his back!
Tezuka controls the action.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tezuka is persistently looking for the submission but Faber is defending it well.
What can Faber do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Tezuka somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Tezuka avoiding Faber 's attempts to control his hands.
Tezuka lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Faber has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Tezuka.
Tezuka slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Faber defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Tezuka's arms.
Tezuka is riding his opponent, not letting Faber buck him off.
Faber is trying to stand back up.
Tezuka lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Tezuka.
Tezuka has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Faber's body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kunimitsu Tezuka showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tezuka has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kunimitsu Tezuka!