PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sai Fukuta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Meguru Takayanagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takayanagi has chosen All Rounder Meguru as his entrance music. 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.

Fukuta
vs
Takayanagi

175 cm
28
155 lbs
14 - 17 - 1

171 cm
29
160 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 14 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Sai Fukuta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Meguru Takayanagi!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Ren Mimura and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fukuta thows a left - swing and a miss!
Takayanagi scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Fukuta has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Ultimate MMA Training Center in the buildup to the fight.
Fukuta throws a right and a left that Takayanagi avoids nicely.
Takayanagi takes one to the chin there.
Fukuta tries to clinch
and Takayanagi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Fukuta shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Takayanagi eats them both and turns towards Fukuta to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Takayanagi lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Sai Fukuta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
No joy there for Fukuta, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Fukuta misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Fukuta misses with a double jab

and Takayanagi counters with a shoot takedown. Fukuta fights it but they end up in guard.
Fukuta keeping moving, preventing Takayanagi from controlling successfully.

Fukuta has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Takayanagi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Takayanagi lands a couple of elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fukuta is trying to keep Takayanagi in close.
Takayanagi throwing strikes but missing.
Fukuta is wriggling around but Takayanagi manages to pass to half guard.

Fukuta looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Takayanagi blocks the strikes from Fukuta.
Fukuta throws a strike from the bottom but Takayanagi passes into side control!
Fukuta is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fukuta managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Takayanagi.
Fukuta is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Fukuta's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Takayanagi works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Takayanagi cracks Fukuta with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Fukuta is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Takayanagi tries for a kimura but Fukuta is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fukuta is pushing Takayanagi's head away, looking to escape. Takayanagi manages to hold on to the position though.
Takayanagi trying to control the position but Fukuta is working away.
Takayanagi scoring with punches and elbows.
Takayanagi grinds an elbow into Fukuta's temple.
Fukuta takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Fukuta tries to buck Takayanagi off but Takayanagi is having none of it.
Fukuta wants to control but Takayanagi postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fukuta sneaks back into half guard.
Fukuta is trying to maintain the position but Takayanagi is very close to passing his half guard.
Takayanagi wants to pass the guard but Fukuta is defending well.

Takayanagi is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Fukuta slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Takayanagi throws a strike but Fukuta rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Takayanagi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Fukuta postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Meguru Takayanagi dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A nice inside leg kick there by Takayanagi. That's going to slow Fukuta down.
That kick from Takayanagi tenderised Fukuta's leg. Fukuta is trying to keep his angry face on.
Fukuta lands with a cross.

Takayanagi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Takayanagi is looking to take a break and control but Fukuta is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fukuta is trying to maintain the position but Takayanagi is very close to passing his half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fukuta trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Takayanagi avoids the attempt from Fukuta to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fukuta can't escape the position.
Meguru Takayanagi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fukuta is working hard here to advance position.
Takayanagi scoring with strikes but Fukuta is staying in there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fukuta tries to hold on but Takayanagi postures up.
Fukuta is looking to improve his position but Takayanagi isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takayanagi landing punches.
Takayanagi punishing his opponent with strikes.
Fukuta is trying to escape the mount.
Fukuta is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Takayanagi with the ground and pound from mount.
Fukuta wants to hold on but Takayanagi pushes him away.
Fukuta is trying to escape the mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takayanagi looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fukuta is trying to escape the mount.
Fukuta wants to hold on but Takayanagi pushes him away.

Takayanagi jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Fukuta manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Fukuta is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Takayanagi asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Fukuta is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Takayanagi trying to control the position but Fukuta is working away.
Takayanagi cracks Fukuta with a big right hand but Fukuta just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Fukuta tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Takayanagi fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Fukuta tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Takayanagi avoids the attempt from Fukuta to control.
Fukuta is in a horrible position here. Takayanagi smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Meguru Takayanagi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Fukuta's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Takayanagi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Fukuta tries to avoid it but Takayanagi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Fukuta to the ground. Fukuta escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Fukuta throws a series of punches but Takayanagi moves out of range.
Fukuta misses with a few strikes there.
Fukuta scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Takayanagi buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Takayanagi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fukuta throws a body shot but no joy.
Takayanagi feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Fukuta's calf.
Takayanagi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Takayanagi looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takayanagi slips under a jab from Fukuta.
Fukuta keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Fukuta moves into the clinch.

Takayanagi has clasped his hands together around Fukuta's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fukuta bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Fukuta throws a body shot but no joy.
Fukuta misses with a series of wild punches.
Fukuta throws a combination that misses

and Takayanagi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
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. Takayanagi connects with a nice short shot to Fukuta's temple.
Takayanagi passes to full mount!
Takayanagi lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
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!
Takayanagi cracks Fukuta with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Takayanagi landing strikes from the mount and Fukuta is in trouble!
Fukuta is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sai Fukuta has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fukuta bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Fukuta pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Takayanagi is keeping the position for now.
Fukuta throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Takayanagi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Fukuta is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Takayanagi jumps into side control!
Takayanagi works to advance to full mount. Fukuta defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Takayanagi in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Takayanagi lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Takayanagi postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Fukuta looks a forlorn figure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takayanagi landing strikes, looking to finish!
Fukuta is looking to get to half guard.

Takayanagi goes for an armbar but Fukuta turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Fukuta.
Fukuta pushing down on Takayanagi's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Takayanagi wants to improve his position but Fukuta is controlling well.
Fukuta tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Takayanagi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takayanagi is pressing down on Fukuta's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fukuta wants to control from the top but Takayanagi keeps moving.
Takayanagi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Fukuta's guard.

Fukuta working for a triangle but Takayanagi defends it easily.

Fukuta looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Takayanagi passes into half guard.
Meguru Takayanagi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Takayanagi seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

And that's the end of the fight!
Meguru Takayanagi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Takayanagi winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Meguru Takayanagi!
Our winner, Meguru Takayanagi, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.