PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Franklin Weber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fabio Yoshida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fabio Yoshida has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Franklin Weber's chin.

Weber
vs
Yoshida

157 cm
23
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Franklin Weber!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fabio Yoshida!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Hirohito Nitta and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Weber dives in for a single leg takedown but Yoshida sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Yoshida jumps into guard, dragging Weber to the mat.
Yoshida working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Weber.
Weber controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Yoshida holds on and takes a little breather.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Yoshida working for submissions but it's allowed Weber to get to half guard.
Yoshida preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Weber trying to control from half guard but Yoshida is working away.
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.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Weber'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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Yoshida darts in trying to clinch

and Weber counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Weber looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Yoshida is working an open guard so Weber takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yoshida feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Weber had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yoshida defends it easily.
Yoshida won't allow Weber to get back to his feet.

Weber looking for a guillotine here but Yoshida defends easily.
Weber avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Weber is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Yoshida stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Weber swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Weber is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Yoshida is looking to work some ground and pound but Weber has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida postures up in Weber's guard and throws a big left but Weber blocks it.
Yoshida missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Weber is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Yoshida is controlling him.

Yoshida drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Yoshida jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Yoshida working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Yoshida trying to control the position from guard on top but Weber is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Weber escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Yoshida gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Yoshida thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Weber manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yoshida ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Yoshida no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Weber could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Weber lands a couple of digs.
Yoshida keeping full guard, as Weber tries to pass.
Weber looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Yoshida looks winded!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Weber missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Yoshida wants to clinch.
Yoshida stuffs the takedown.

Yoshida shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Yoshida was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Weber is trying to improve his position.

Yoshida goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Weber rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Yoshida's guard! Nice work there by Weber!
Weber might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Weber sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weber working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Yoshida's head.
Weber looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Weber forces his way into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Weber is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Weber is trying to control the action in half guard but Yoshida is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Weber perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Yoshida avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Weber.
Franklin Weber overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yoshida is trying to stand up here but Weber is controlling him well.
Weber works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Weber can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Yoshida is looking to escape.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Weber cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Weber looking to control and managing it successfully.
Yoshida tries to hold on but Weber pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Weber controlling the pace for now.
Yoshida really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Weber cracks Yoshida with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Weber working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Weber controlling from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Weber unloading with bombs!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franklin Weber dominated that second round.
That's time! Weber's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Weber enables Yoshida to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Weber manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Weber is looking for a triangle but Yoshida pushes his legs off easily.
Yoshida must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Weber wants to stand up but Yoshida is controlling him.

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

Weber working for a triangle but Yoshida defends it easily.
Weber is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Yoshida gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Yoshida rushes Weber and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weber takes a knee to the side of the body.

Yoshida lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Yoshida wants to pass to mount but Weber is defending the position.
Weber tries to get to full guard but Yoshida has control of the leg.
Weber regains full guard. Nicely done.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Yoshida working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Weber is wriggling around but Yoshida manages to pass to half guard.
Weber wants to get back to his feet.
Weber moves into full guard.
Yoshida passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Weber parries the strikes from Yoshida easily there. Yoshida is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Weber to escape.

Yoshida looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Yoshida throws a strike aimed at the side of Weber's head but Weber avoids it well.

Weber throws Yoshida to one side and escapes!

Yoshida clinches up with Weber and pushes him back against the cage.

Yoshida pulls guard successfully.
Yoshida can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Weber controls the pace.
Weber trying to control but Yoshida is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Weber postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Weber trying to control but Yoshida is working from the bottom.

Franklin Weber has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Yoshida throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Weber tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Yoshida is in Weber's guard.

Weber is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Yoshida presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Yoshida with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Weber is trying to break the clinch but Yoshida has him pressed against the cage.
Weber is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Yoshida is trying to trip Weber. He has hold of a leg but Weber is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Yoshida persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida stops Weber from standing up.
Weber manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Weber looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Weber working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Yoshida takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Weber looking to control and managing it successfully.
Fabio Yoshida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Franklin Weber is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Yoshida throwing hammer fists to the chest of Weber. What's that going to do exactly?

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Fabio Yoshida.
I think Weber 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Franklin Weber!