PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Yoshihiro Imanari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryuken Yanagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Imanari
vs
Yanagi

172 cm
27
165 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

175 cm
31
165 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $140

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yoshihiro Imanari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ryuken Yanagi!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Ivan Kurochkin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yanagi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Yanagi has his takedown stuffed

and Imanari counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Yanagi!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Imanari tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Imanari wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yanagi keeps working.
Imanari creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Imanari landing a few strikes.
Imanari creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Imanari is working Yanagi over with some ground and pound from side control.
Check out the look on Imanari's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Imanari tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Imanari 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari trying to control the position but Yanagi is working away.
Imanari working the head with strikes.
Imanari working the head and body with strikes.
Yanagi managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Imanari.
Yanagi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Imanari lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yanagi manages to get back to half guard.
Imanari passes to full mount!
Yanagi taking shots to the head.
Yanagi is looking to get to half guard.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Imanari looking for a guillotine from mount but Yanagi is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yanagi keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Yanagi bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yanagi pushing down on Imanari's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Yanagi seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Imanari is trying to maintain the position but Yanagi is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yanagi takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Yanagi is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Yanagi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Yanagi with the ground and pound but Imanari uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Yanagi wants to control from the top but Imanari keeps moving.
Yanagi with a nice head shot there.
Yanagi throws an elbow that misses. Imanari uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Yanagi's guard. Nice move by Imanari!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yanagi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Imanari pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yanagi is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshihiro Imanari dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Yanagi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Imanari counter with a right hand.
Yanagi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Imanari counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Imanari lands a nice short elbow.
Imanari wants to control but Yanagi is keeping him busy.
Imanari is really struggling to control Yanagi but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Imanari sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Imanari is nestled in close to Yanagi, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yanagi wants to improve his position but Imanari is controlling well.
Yanagi is refusing to be controlled, as Imanari sits in half guard.
Yanagi wants to sweep but Imanari has passed to side control!
Yanagi defending against the ground and pound.
Imanari taking a breather here.
We've been hearing that Imanari has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Yanagi defending against the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Imanari content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Imanari is looking to take a break and control but Yanagi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Imanari working the body and head with strikes.
Yanagi is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imanari lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Imanari wants to control but Yanagi is keeping him busy.
Imanari is working Yanagi over with some ground and pound from side control.
Yoshihiro Imanari overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yanagi parries the strikes from Imanari easily there. Imanari is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Yanagi to escape.
Yanagi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Imanari just content to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Imanari tries to score with some ground and pound. Yanagi controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Yanagi taking a bit of punishment here - Imanari scoring with strikes.
Yanagi manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Imanari wants to improve his position but Yanagi is controlling well.
Yanagi with the ground and pound but Imanari uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yanagi throws a big elbow that misses.
Yanagi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Imanari is keeping the position for now.
Yanagi scoring with punches to the head and body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshihiro Imanari dominated that second round.
That's time! Imanari's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Yanagi fails with the takedown
and Imanari counters with a good low kick that Yanagi was not able to check.
Yanagi blocks the body kick.
Yanagi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Imanari defends it nicely.
Yanagi fails with the takedown.
Yoshihiro Imanari has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryuken Yanagi.
Yanagi misses with a takedown attempt
and Imanari counters with a body kick that stops Yanagi in his tracks momentarily.
Nice sprawl there from Imanari as Yanagi shoots in.
Yanagi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Yanagi has his takedown stuffed
and Imanari counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Yanagi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Imanari counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Yanagi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Imanari counters with a head kick.
Yanagi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Imanari instigates a clinch.
Imanari is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Yanagi taking a breather.
A short uppercut from Imanari.
Yanagi slowing the pace effectively.
Yanagi has Imanari pressed against the cage, preventing Imanari from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Imanari leaning against his opponent.

Imanari escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Imanari fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yanagi doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Imanari counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Yanagi with a poor takedown
and Imanari counters with an outside leg kick.

Yanagi gets caught flat footed, as Imanari shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Imanari throws a big right hand that misses.
Imanari scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Imanari is working Yanagi over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Yanagi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Imanari looking to sit in guard and control but Yanagi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Imanari manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Yanagi manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imanari is looking to pass into half guard but Yanagi pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Yanagi is in guard.
Yoshihiro Imanari is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Yanagi wants to control from the top but Imanari keeps moving.
Yanagi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Yanagi throws a big elbow that misses.
Imanari looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Yanagi wants to control from the top but Imanari keeps moving.
Imanari keeping full guard, as Yanagi tries to pass.
Yanagi throwing strikes from guard but Imanari blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yanagi chips away with some ground and pound.
Yanagi slips nicely into half guard.
Imanari is looking for a sweep. Yanagi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Imanari manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Imanari is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Yanagi is aware though and is defending well.
Yanagi wants to pass the guard but Imanari is keeping the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Imanari tries to land a sweep but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoshihiro Imanari showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Imanari 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yoshihiro Imanari!
Yoshihiro Imanari really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $140 logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.