PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Takashi Isso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hajime Susumu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Isso's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Shiawase Nara Te o Tatakō by NobodyKnows+. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Isso
vs
Susumu

180 cm
23
159 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

170 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

CROWN

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takashi Isso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hajime Susumu!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Susumu thows a body shot but no joy.
Isso bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Isso avoids the head kick by Susumu.
Susumu fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Isso.
Isso blocks a low kick nicely.
Susumu misses with a kick to the body.
Isso blocks a leg kick.
Susumu throws a good cross that connects.

Isso drives through with a takedown into guard.
Susumu keeping full guard, as Isso tries to pass.
Isso is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Susumu working a defensive guard here.
Isso in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Susumu is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Susumu manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Isso is just holding on here. Susumu manages to take his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Isso tries to break free.
A lull in the action here.

Susumu patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Susumu is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Isso staying busy and making it hard for Susumu to control.
Susumu doesn't have the hooks in and Isso manages to turn into his guard.
Susumu is trying to control the position but Isso postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Susumu looking to hit a scissor sweep but Isso is one step ahead there.
Isso throws and elbow that misses. Susumu uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Isso's guard. Nice move by Susumu!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Isso is on top in guard.
Isso trying to control the position from guard on top but Susumu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Isso tries to free his leg and advance position but Susumu is retaining full guard.
Susumu keeping moving, preventing Isso from controlling successfully.
Susumu wants to sweep here but Isso controlling him for the moment.
Isso tries to free his leg and advance position but Susumu is retaining full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Susumu tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Susumu preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hajime Susumu will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Isso moves out of range of the body kick from Susumu.
Susumu stuffs the takedown.
Susumu fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Isso.
Susumu looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Susumu throws a head kick that Isso semi-blocks.
Susumu looks to land a body kick but Isso moved away.
Susumu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Isso on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Susumu. Susumu obviously looking to wear him down.
Isso avoids the head kick by Susumu.
Susumu throws a low kick but it's checked well by Isso.
Isso looks to score with a jab to the body but Susumu is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Susumu throws a head kick but Isso moves out of range.
Isso moves out of range of the body kick from Susumu.
Susumu connects with a right hand. Isso shakes it off.
Susumu lets loose with a powerful body kick. Isso will feel that in the morning.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Susumu throws a leg kick that misses.
Susumu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Susumu goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Susumu lands a right hook to the body.
Susumu scores with a decent looking hook.
Susumu throws a head kick but Isso moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Susumu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Susumu throws a low kick but Isso avoids it.
Susumu thows a left - swing and a miss!
Isso stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Susumu misses with a head kick.
Susumu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Susumu is looking to land body kicks.
Susumu throws a front kick aimed at Isso's knee but Isso avoids it well.
A shot to de liver by Susumu. Beautiful body shot.
Susumu lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Susumu avoids the head kick by Isso.
Susumu swings for the body but Isso moves out of range.
Susumu moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Susumu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A lazy left from Susumu finds it's target.
Susumu connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Susumu scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Susumu buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Susumu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hajime Susumu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Isso fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Susumu manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Susumu scores with a punch to the head.
Nice body punch from Susumu.
A head kick misses from Susumu.
Isso chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Susumu can pounce on him.
Susumu lands a head kick. Isso smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Isso fails to land the takedown.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Susumu looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Isso sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Isso takes a kick to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hajime Susumu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Susumu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Isso throws a big shot that misses.
Susumu has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Susumu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Susumu with a hook.
Isso moves out of range of the leg kick from Susumu.
Susumu throws a head kick that misses.
Isso looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Isso avoids a kick to the body.
Susumu throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Isso's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Susumu thuds a left hand into Isso's body.
Susumu throws a low kick, looking for Isso's leg but Isso calmly moves out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Susumu throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Isso shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Susumu working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Isso drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Susumu manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Isso has Susumu in his guard.
Isso looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Susumu puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Susumu frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Susumu with the ground and pound from mount.
Isso is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Susumu is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Isso has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Isso!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Susumu looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Susumu working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Isso.
Susumu looking to control.

Isso thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hajime Susumu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Susumu managing to control the position.
Takashi Isso has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Isso looking to pass the guard.
Susumu trying to keep a closed guard but Isso is proving a slippery customer.
Susumu is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hajime Susumu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Susumu 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 26:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hajime Susumu!