PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Eric Kiriyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kijuro Okamato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kijuro Okamato will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Kiriyama
vs
Okamato

169 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

169 cm
19
174 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Eric Kiriyama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kijuro Okamato!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kiriyama scores with a nice right hand.
Okamato throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Okamato is looking to clinch.

Kiriyama looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Okamato pushes Kiriyama off but Kiriyama dives into side control.
Kiriyama trying to control the position but Okamato is working away.
Kiriyama controlling from side mount.
Okamato sneaks back into half guard.
Okamato wants to improve his position but Kiriyama is controlling well.

Kiriyama is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kiriyama slows the pace down in half guard.
Kiriyama is looking to take a break and control but Okamato is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kiriyama perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Kiriyama trying to control from half guard but Okamato is working away.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Eric Kiriyama wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Okamato shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kiriyama but Kiriyama pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Kiriyama closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Okamato is looking to improve his position.
Okamato looks winded!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Kiriyama connects with a nice short shot to Okamato's temple.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okamato wants to get back to his feet.
Okamato wants to improve his position but Kiriyama is controlling well.
Kiriyama is pressing down on Okamato's thigh, looking to free his foot. Okamato is holding on for now.

Okamato is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Kiriyama pulls his head out easily.
Kiriyama tries to pass the half guard into mount. Okamato knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Okamato tries to kick Kiriyama off but Kiriyama keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Kiriyama connects with a nice short shot to Okamato's temple.
Kiriyama performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kiriyama wants to pass to mount but Okamato is defending the position.
Kiriyama drops an elbow to the side of Okamato's head.
We've been informed that Okamato has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Kiriyama is looking for a kimura but Okamato is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kiriyama to get the leverage.
Okamato is looking for a sweep. Kiriyama is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kiriyama lands strikes from half guard.
Okamato on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Okamato is in trouble now - Kiriyama has advanced to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okamato tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kiriyama lands a nice shot to the head.
Kiriyama tries to control but Okamato wriggling away.
Kiriyama controlling his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kiriyama working away from the top, dropping strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kiriyama controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Kiriyama dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Okamato tries for a takedown but Kiriyama sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Okamato shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Okamato was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Okamato tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Okamato has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kiriyama parries the strikes from Okamato easily there. Okamato is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Kiriyama to escape.
Kiriyama gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Kiriyama is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Okamato is breathing heavily.

Kiriyama looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okamato not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Kiriyama won't allow Okamato to pass to mount.
Kiriyama is looking to improve his position.
Kiriyama controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

Okamato is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kiriyama tries to roll over but Okamato keeps him under control.

Kiriyama looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Kiriyama is not content to let Okamato control the position.
Kiriyama has his hands clasped together around Okamato's back. He's all about the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kiriyama swats away the attempt to clinch by Okamato.
Kiriyama throws a head kick that misses.
Kijuro Okamato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kiriyama avoids the head kick by Okamato.
Okamato wants to clinch
and Kiriyama counters with a straight right hand.
Kiriyama shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kiriyama keeps the fight on the outside.
Eric Kiriyama is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Okamato has his takedown stuffed
and Kiriyama counters with a left to the body.

Kiriyama looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kiriyama accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Okamato is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kiriyama stops Okamato from standing up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okamato pulls Kiriyama in close to prevent any damage.
Kiriyama wants to control from the top but Okamato keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kijuro Okamato will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Kiriyama throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Okamato was covering up waiting for the punch and Kiriyama finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Kiriyama is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Kiriyama not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Kiriyama gets to his feet. Okamato looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Kiriyama closes this distance looking for a takedown but Okamato circles away.
Okamato fails in his attempt to clinch.
Okamato tries to clinch but Kiriyama moves out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okamato fails with the takedown.
Kiriyama listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Okamato moves in looking to clinch but Kiriyama pushes him off.
Kiriyama fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Okamato avoids it really well and circles away.

Okamato closes the distance and clinches.
Okamato gets through Kiriyama's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Okamato stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Okamato with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Okamato misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kiriyama tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Okamato just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Kiriyama. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kiriyama scores a nice knee to the body.

Kiriyama jumps guard and drags Okamato to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Okamato trying to control the position from guard on top but Kiriyama is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Okamato has gone for a leg lock! Kiriyama slips out almost immediately though and dives into Okamato's guard.
Kiriyama postures up.
Kiriyama wants to control from the top but Okamato keeps moving.
Okamato looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Kiriyama prevents Okamato from getting back to his feet.
Kiriyama slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Okamato wants to get back to his feet but Kiriyama is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

We're going to have a standup here because Eric Kiriyama wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Kiriyama avoids the head kick by Okamato.
Kiriyama could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Kiriyama throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Okamato was covering up waiting for the punch and Kiriyama finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Okamato trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kiriyama's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Kiriyama trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Okamato trying to control the position here.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Kijuro Okamato hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Kiriyama fails with an attempt to clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Kiriyama has closed the distance and engaged Okamato in a clinch.
Okamato lands a knee to the head.

Kiriyama manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Kiriyama showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kiriyama has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Kiriyama!