PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lockon Stratos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazunari Tashiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stratos
vs
Tashiro

197 cm
23
191 lbs
3 - 12 - 0

197 cm
33
185 lbs
6 - 9 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lockon Stratos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazunari Tashiro!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shigeki Fujiwara and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stratos blocks a head kick by Tashiro.
Stratos turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Stratos scores with a head kick.
Stratos tries a head kick but it misses.
Tashiro tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lockon Stratos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A nice inside leg kick there by Stratos. That's going to slow Tashiro down.
Stratos throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Stratos throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Tashiro slips a jab and a cross from Stratos.
Tashiro circles away from the clinch attempt.
Stratos throws a nice inside leg kick.
Stratos takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Tashiro looks gassed!
Tashiro misses with a head kick.
Tashiro blocks a head kick by Stratos.
Stratos wants to clinch up but Tashiro keeps it at a distance.
Stratos misses with a series of wild punches.
Tashiro throws a head kick but Stratos moves out of range.
Stratos throws a series of strikes that have Tashiro backpedaling.
Tashiro has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Stratos.

Stratos rushes Tashiro and presses him up against the cage.
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!
Tashiro blocks an elbow strike.
Tashiro on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tashiro is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Stratos is keeping busy.
Tashiro has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Stratos is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Tashiro wants a takedown.
Stratos throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tashiro blocks it with crossed arms.
Stratos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tashiro has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Tashiro blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Knees in the clinch landing for Stratos.
Tashiro is trying to break the clinch but Stratos has him pressed against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
The referee calls for Tashiro to work.
Stratos really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Stratos lands an elbow just above Tashiro 's eye.
Stratos misses with a knee strike.
Tashiro jumps guard but Stratos stands there with Tashiro around his waist. Tashiro gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Lockon Stratos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kazunari Tashiro.
Stratos prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stratos with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tashiro on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Stratos tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Tashiro avoids it.
Stratos throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tashiro blocks it with crossed arms.
Tashiro working hard to break the clinch.
Tashiro manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Stratos connects with a nasty looking knee right to Tashiro's face.
Tashiro drops down looking for an ankle pick but Stratos pulls his leg out and moves away.
Stratos throws a series of punches but Tashiro avoids them all with ease.
A punch combination from Stratos misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stratos tries to clinch but Tashiro is having none of it.
Stratos pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stratos scoring well with a low kick there.
Tashiro throws a hook but Stratos avoids it easily.
Stratos throws a head kick but Tashiro moves out of range.
Stratos misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Stratos motions for Tashiro to come forward. Stratos throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Stratos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tashiro paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tashiro tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A head kick misses from Tashiro.
Stratos misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tashiro throws a head kick that misses.
Stratos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tashiro swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Tashiro checks a leg kick.
Tashiro misses with a head kick.
Stratos throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tashiro.
Stratos misses with a double jab.
Stratos throws a head kick but Tashiro moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stratos fails to land with a series of punches.
Tashiro throws a leg kick which misses Stratos's front leg but catches the back leg as Stratos tries to avoid it.
Tashiro throws a sloppy head kick and Stratos moves out of range easily.
Stratos wants to clinch up but Tashiro keeps it at a distance.
Stratos throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Tashiro's head.
Stratos scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Tashiro closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tashiro jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Stratos walks away with a smile on his face. Tashiro gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Stratos throws a head kick but Tashiro moves out of range.
Tashiro throws a head kick but Stratos moves out of range.
Stratos cracks the inside of Tashiro's front leg.
A head kick misses from Stratos.

Tashiro clinches up with Stratos and pushes him back against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tashiro wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Stratos lands a good knee to the midsection. Tashiro won't want to take too many of those.

Tashiro breaks from the clinch.
Stratos throws a series of punches but Tashiro avoids them all with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lockon Stratos dominated that round.
That's time! Stratos's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Tashiro avoids the head kick by Stratos.
Stratos plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Stratos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stratos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Stratos avoids the head kick by Tashiro.

Tashiro has Stratos up against the cage in a clinch.
Tashiro looking to stall.
Tashiro on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Tashiro takes a knee to the side of the body.
Tashiro managing to block the knees to the body from Stratos.
Stratos lands a good knee to the midsection. Tashiro won't want to take too many of those.
Tashiro is breathing heavily.
Tashiro is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Stratos is defending well.
Stratos misses with a knee strike.
Stratos with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Stratos tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tashiro successfully pulls guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Stratos wants to stand but Tashiro is controlling his posture from full guard.
Tashiro trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Tashiro scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Tashiro misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Stratos turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Stratos chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Stratos moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Stratos is looking to clinch but Tashiro is avoiding it.
Stratos blocks a head kick by Tashiro.
Stratos lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Tashiro backs up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stratos throws a nice looking combination but Tashiro bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tashiro tries a head kick but it misses.
Stratos throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tashiro.
Tashiro tries a head kick but it misses.
Stratos misses with a double jab.
Tashiro throws a sloppy head kick and Stratos moves out of range easily.
Tashiro misses with a head kick.
Stratos lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A punch combination from Stratos misses.

Tashiro closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Tashiro managing to block the knees to the body from Stratos.
Tashiro lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Tashiro is looking for a takedown.
Tashiro avoids the elbow strike from Stratos, against the cage.
Stratos putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Tashiro in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Stratos.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tashiro changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Stratos fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Lockon Stratos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kazunari Tashiro.
Stratos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tashiro paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Stratos avoids the head kick by Tashiro.
Stratos lands a leg kick that knocks Tashiro off balance momentarily.
Stratos looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Stratos closes the distance and pushes Tashiro back into the cage.
Tashiro tries a knee to the head but Stratos blocks it.
Stratos with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tashiro has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Stratos after a bit of a struggle.
Tashiro takes a knee to the side of the body.
Lockon Stratos has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Stratos tries a knee to the head but Tashiro blocks it.
Stratos throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tashiro blocks it with crossed arms.
Tashiro's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Tashiro pulls guard effortlessly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tashiro controls Stratos momentarily but Stratos frees himself.

Tashiro working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Stratos doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Stratos manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Tashiro looking for a guillotine here but Stratos defends easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stratos wants to stand but Tashiro has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Tashiro looking for a triangle here. Stratos is fighting it but it looks tight! Tashiro pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Stratos is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Kazunari Tashiro!
Kazunari Tashiro decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.