PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Edmund Dantes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshihiro Imanari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Dantes
vs
Imanari

180 cm
28
165 lbs
15 - 7 - 1

172 cm
30
165 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160
Sparta Fightware

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 15 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Edmund Dantes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yoshihiro Imanari!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Phil Schofield and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Imanari fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Dantes avoids it really well and circles away.
Dantes lands a nice leg kick that just misses Imanari's sensitive parts.
Dantes shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Imanari eats them both and turns towards Dantes to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Imanari throws a left and a right that both miss
and Dantes counters with a solid body kick.
Dantes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Imanari blocks a jab.
A nice leg kick lands there from Dantes.
Dantes has been working on his boxing with his coaches at ACME! Thai Boxing Academy 13 ELITE COACHES & SAUNA in the buildup to the fight.
Imanari checks the leg kick nicely there.
Dantes throws a hook but Imanari avoids it easily.
Dantes lands with a right hand.
Imanari takes a jab right on the kisser.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Dantes.
Imanari shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dantes as he jumps to the side.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Dantes.
Nice sprawl there from Dantes as Imanari shoots in.
Edmund Dantes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoshihiro Imanari.
Dantes throws a quick inside leg kick.

Imanari has closed the distance and engaged Dantes in a clinch.
Dantes effectively controlling the action here.

Imanari pulls guard successfully.
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.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Dantes pushing down on Imanari's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Dantes seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Imanari is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Imanari won't allow Dantes to pass to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Imanari is looking to improve his position.
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!
Imanari is still trying to improve position.
Dantes working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Imanari's thigh. Imanari counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Imanari can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Dantes controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imanari has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Dantes has passed into side control.
Dantes in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Imanari takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Dantes throws an elbow but Imanari slips to the side and avoids it well.
Imanari is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Imanari is not content to let Dantes control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Imanari is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Dantes asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Imanari tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Dantes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Dantes working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Dantes misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dantes in the domination position with Imanari hanging on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Dantes misses the shot to the body.
Dantes connects with a jab.
Imanari misses with a takedown

and Dantes counters with a single leg into guard. Imanari didn't expect that.
Imanari keeping moving, preventing Dantes from controlling successfully.
Imanari tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Imanari keeping full guard, as Dantes tries to pass.
Dantes pushes down on Imanari's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Dantes is thwarting Imanari's attempts to control the position.
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.
Dantes passes to full mount!
Dantes looking to finish Imanari with some ground and pound. This is bad for Imanari!
Imanari tries to hold on but Dantes pushes him away.
Dantes lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Imanari is squirming around, avoiding Dantes's attempts to control the action.
Dantes lands a heavy elbow.
Dantes punishing his opponent with strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Imanari taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dantes looking to control but Imanari is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Edmund Dantes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dantes is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Imanari is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Imanari manages to regain half guard. Good work.
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. Dantes connects with a nice short shot to Imanari's temple.
Imanari is trying to control but can't.
Imanari is trying is best to control the position here.
Dantes wants to free his trapped foot but Imanari is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Imanari wants to control but Dantes is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imanari is trying to get back to full guard.
Dantes is trying to control. Imanari wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Dantes prevents Imanari from improving his position.
Dantes not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Dantes is looking to advance position but Imanari won't allow it.
Dantes lands strikes from half guard.
Dantes tries to pass to full mount but Imanari defends it.
Dantes working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Dantes.
Dantes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Imanari defending well though.
Imanari slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Dantes trying to control the position from guard on top but Imanari is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dantes 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.
Dantes won't allow Imanari to sweep him here.
Imanari is trying to control the position but Dantes postures up.
Imanari is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Imanari looking to control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dantes trying to control the position from guard on top but Imanari is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edmund Dantes dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Imanari takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Dantes dodges the punch combination from Imanari.
Dantes shoots in but Imanari avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A low kick from Imanari is predictable there
and Dantes counters with a good low kick that Imanari was not able to check.
Nice sprawl there from Dantes as Imanari shoots in.
Imanari tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dantes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Imanari pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Imanari throws a leg kick
and Dantes counters with a thumping low kick.
Dantes takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Edmund Dantes is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dantes stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Dantes wants it to stay on the feet.
Imanari lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Dantes circles away quickly and effectively.
A big left from Dantes misses.
Imanari doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Dantes counters with a slapping leg kick.
Edmund Dantes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoshihiro Imanari.
Dantes bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Dantes finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Imanari takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Imanari checks a leg kick.
Dantes digs a good hook to Imanari's body.
Dantes throws a jab but it's blocked by Imanari.
Imanari's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dantes shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Dantes was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Dantes working the ground and pound from side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Imanari is trying to control Dantes's posture but Dantes avoids it.
Dantes content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Imanari managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Dantes.
Imanari is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Dantes takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Imanari is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imanari is staying active underneath Dantes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Dantes passes to full mount!
Dantes prevents Imanari from getting the reversal.
Edmund Dantes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dantes looking to control but Imanari is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Yoshihiro Imanari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Imanari tries to reverse the position but Dantes maintains control.
Dantes tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Dantes dominating with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dantes looking to control and managing it successfully.
Dantes has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edmund Dantes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dantes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edmund Dantes!
A very excited looking Edmund Dantes made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.