PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Murasaki Bara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Makonouchi Ippo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ippo is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Zenbonzakura. Makonouchi Ippo has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Murasaki Bara's chin.

Bara
vs
Ippo

178 cm
18
160 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Heavy handed

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Murasaki Bara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Makonouchi Ippo!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Sano and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ippo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Ippo clinches.
Bara wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Ippo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ippo has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Ippo swats away the attempt to clinch by Bara.
Bara swings for the body but Ippo moves out of range.

Ippo pushes Bara up against the cage in a clinch.
Bara lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Bara swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bara looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Ippo works on Bara's body with a couple of short punches.
Ippo pushes Bara back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bara misses with some punches.

Ippo breaks the clinch.

Ippo forces Bara back against the cage and clinches.
Ippo is trying to pull guard but Bara has him pressed against the cage.
Bara is trying to break free.
A short right from Ippo on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ippo scores with a shot to the side of Bara's head.
Bara wants to break free but Ippo has control.
Bara is breathing heavily.
Bara swings wildly with an uppercut but Ippo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ippo taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Ippo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ippo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bara is fending him off so far but Ippo persists. Nope, Bara circles away and we're back to standing.
Bara looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Ippo connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Bara tries to clinch but Ippo moves out of range.

Ippo darts in and clinches Bara up against the cage.
Bara tries to break free but Ippo pushes him back against the cage.
Bara has had enough of the clinch but Ippo keeps him there for the moment.
Ippo blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Ippo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ippo keeps the fight on the outside.
Bara just misses with a punch to the body.
Ippo shoots in for a takedown but Bara shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Murasaki Bara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Makonouchi Ippo.

Ippo has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bara wants to break the clinch but can't.
Bara on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ippo works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Ippo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ippo takes the fight into the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ippo blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Ippo breaks the clinch.
Bara ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ippo moves away.
Bara tries to close the distance and clinch but Ippo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bara tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ippo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Ippo moves into the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ippo creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Ippo breaks from the clinch.
Bara loads up on a big right hand but Ippo slips the punch.
Ippo swats away the attempt to clinch by Bara.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ippo clinches up with Bara and pushes him back against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Ippo.

Ippo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
No luck for Ippo with that takedown attempt.
Ippo circles away from the clinch attempt.

Ippo feints and as Bara raises his hands in defense, Ippo changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ippo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bara is keeping the position for now.
Bara is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ippo sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ippo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ippo tries to free his leg and advance position but Bara is retaining full guard.
Ippo throwing strikes but missing.
Ippo advances position into side control!
Ippo fails to land a wild elbow strike.

Ippo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bara is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ippo moves into range and clinches up with Bara.

Ippo breaks from the clinch.
Bara fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ippo slips under a jab.

Ippo has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ippo has Bara pressed against the cage, preventing Bara from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ippo is working Bara over against the cage.

Ippo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ippo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ippo lands a glancing blow to the side of Bara's head.
Ippo swats away the attempt to clinch by Bara.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ippo closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bara to the mat! Bara manages to get full guard.

Bara pushes Ippo off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ippo bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Murasaki Bara is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ippo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bara defends it nicely.
Bara fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A little jabbing left from Ippo on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Makonouchi Ippo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ippo instigates a clinch.
Ippo is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Ippo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ippo moves into range and clinches up with Bara.
Ippo gets through Bara's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Ippo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ippo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bara is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

Ippo moves into the clinch successfully.

Ippo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bara fails with an attempt to clinch.

Ippo clinches up with Bara and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ippo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bara pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Ippo has taken the fight to the clinch.
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!

Ippo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bara displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ippo.
Murasaki Bara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Makonouchi Ippo.

Ippo closes the distance and clinches.
Bara misses with some punches.

Ippo breaks the clinch.

Ippo moves into range and clinches up with Bara.

Ippo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ippo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bara moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Bara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ippo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ippo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Bara is looking to counter punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ippo rushes Bara and presses him up against the cage.
Ippo is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Ippo manages to break the clinch.
Bara misses with a wild body shot.
Bara is looking to clinch.
Bara fails to land with a series of punches.
Ippo is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Ippo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bara sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ippo somewhat.

Bara gets tackled into the cage by Ippo. Ippo maintains the clinch.

Ippo breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ippo clinches.

Ippo jumps guard and drags Bara to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Ippo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bara can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Ippo pushes Bara off and gets back to his feet.
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!

Ippo shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Ippo is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Makonouchi Ippo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ippo moves into the clinch successfully.

Ippo manages to break the clinch.
Bara lands with an overhand left.
Bara fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bara wants to clinch up but Ippo keeps it at a distance.
Bara is looking to clinch.
Bara is looking to clinch.
Ippo misses with a wild combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bara tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Ippo pushes Bara up against the cage in a clinch.
Bara has had enough of the clinch but Ippo keeps him there for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ippo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bara takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Bara tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ippo swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bara bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Ippo's head backwards.
Bara swings for the body but Ippo moves out of range.
Bara wants to clinch up but Ippo keeps it at a distance.
Despite the aggression on Ippo's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Bara tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ippo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice uppercut there from Ippo.
Bara throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bara on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Ippo rushes Bara and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A hook to the body from Ippo.
Ippo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Good body shot from Ippo.

Ippo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ippo with a nice cross.

Ippo moves into the clinch.
Ippo taking a breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ippo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Ippo forces Bara back against the cage and clinches.
Ippo lands a body punch in the clinch.
Ippo digs a right hand underneath Bara's ribcage. Bara let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Ippo decides to pull guard.
Makonouchi Ippo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ippo looking to control.
Ippo wants to get back to his feet but Bara is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ippo lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ippo controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ippo trying to control but Bara is working from the bottom.
Ippo slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Ippo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ippo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ippo sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Bara's guard.
Ippo is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Ippo not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ippo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Well, if Ippo is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Ippo's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bara has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Makonouchi Ippo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ippo has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Makonouchi Ippo!
A victorious Makonouchi Ippo thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.