PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Irvin Reed (ranked 7409 p4p, 0 weight class) and Noboru Tanaka (ranked 5892 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Reed
vs
Tanaka

221 cm
24
178 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

182 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Irvin Reed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Noboru Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Taro Takaoka and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reed with a poor takedown
letting Tanaka counter with a right hand.
Tanaka has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

Reed manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Tanaka on his heels. He'll look to pass Tanaka's guard now, I'm sure.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tanaka has momentary wrist control but Reed slips an elbow through the middle.
Reed really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Reed in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Reed throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tanaka works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Reed with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Reed won't allow Tanaka to get back to his feet.
Reed postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Reed throwing strikes from guard but Tanaka blocks nicely.
Reed 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reed throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tanaka works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Reed trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Reed drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Tanaka manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Reed has Tanaka in his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Reed is looking for a triangle but Tanaka pushes his legs off easily.
Reed is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Tanaka is controlling him.

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

Reed gets tackled into the cage by Tanaka. Tanaka maintains the clinch.
Tanaka misses with a knee to the head.
Reed dodges an elbow strike from Tanaka.
Tanaka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reed looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Tanaka tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Reed avoids it.

Reed turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Tanaka explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Reed avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Reed fails with a takedown attempt.
Reed fails with the takedown
and Tanaka counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Irvin Reed. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reed shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Tanaka counters with an outside leg kick.
Reed gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Tanaka cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Reed shoots and misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Reed has his takedown stuffed
and Tanaka connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Reed shoots in for a takedown but Tanaka shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Reed, pushing him back against the cage.
Tanaka is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Reed is defending well for now.
Tanaka tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Reed avoids it.
Reed looking to stall.
Tanaka is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Reed is defending well.
Tanaka lands a good knee to the midsection. Reed won't want to take too many of those.
Reed is breathing heavily.
Tanaka taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Tanaka looking to throw knees to the head but Reed is blocking nicely.
Tanaka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Tanaka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Reed changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Tanaka tries to avoid it but Reed manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Tanaka to the ground. Tanaka escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Tanaka doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Noboru Tanaka dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Tanaka keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Reed throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tanaka's waist but Tanaka gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Reed off to one side.
Tanaka unleashes a big counter combination but Reed bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Tanaka closes the distance and pushes Reed back into the cage.

Reed pulls Tanaka into guard.
Tanaka is standing up over Reed. Reed looks to escape but Tanaka dives into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reed sneaks back into half guard.

Tanaka escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka shoots in for a double leg but Reed sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Reed fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Irvin Reed. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tanaka fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Reed, pushing him back against the cage.
Tanaka with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Reed takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reed drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

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

Reed clinches with his opponent.
Tanaka drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Reed gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Reed is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Reed tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Tanaka just stands there and leans against the cage.

Tanaka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reed goes for a double leg but Tanaka avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Tanaka continues to drive forward.

Reed darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Reed thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Reed missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Tanaka wants to get back to his feet.

Reed looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Tanaka blocking the ground and pound attempt from Reed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reed not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Reed winds up and cracks Tanaka with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Reed thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Tanaka's head.
Reed misses with a head shot. Tanaka uses the momentum to regain guard.
Tanaka wants to get back to his feet but Reed is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Reed throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Noboru Tanaka will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Reed looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tanaka is fending him off so far but Reed persists. Nope, Tanaka circles away and we're back to standing.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Reed swats him away and circles back towards the center.
As Tanaka tries to get set, Reed tries to push him back and clinch up but Tanaka manages to avoid the attempt.
Reed misses with a takedown
and Tanaka counters with a big head kick but Reed shrugs it off.
Reed fails with the takedown.
Tanaka throws out a counter right but Reed avoids it with no problem.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Irvin Reed. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reed with a lazy takedown attempt
and Tanaka counters with a left to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reed fails to land the takedown.
Tanaka steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Reed.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tanaka effectively controlling the action here.

Tanaka breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Some wild striking there from Tanaka.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reed fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Reed shoots and misses
and Tanaka counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Tanaka shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Reed but Reed pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Reed fails with a takedown attempt.
Tanaka looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reed tries for a takedown but Tanaka circles away easily
and Tanaka makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Reed looks for a takedown but Tanaka sprawls well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Reed fails with the takedown.
Noboru Tanaka is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four 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.
Reed shoots and misses
and Tanaka counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Tanaka is looking to slow Reed down with leg kicks.
Reed shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tanaka as he avoids it easily.
Reed shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Tanaka as he jumps to the side.
Tanaka appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Irvin Reed has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Reed shoots and misses
and Tanaka counters with a lovely shot to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Noboru Tanaka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tanaka 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 26:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Noboru Tanaka!