PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cleo Vasquez (ranked 6207 p4p, 0 weight class) and Baki Hanma (ranked 15817 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Hanma's choice of entrance music: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB9UvUJL_lE. Baki Hanma has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Vasquez
vs
Hanma

151 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
19
130 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cleo Vasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Baki Hanma!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vasquez gets a clinch.

Hanma's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Vasquez shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hanma's guard.
Vasquez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hanma works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vasquez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Vasquez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Hanma is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Vasquez throwing strikes but missing.
Vasquez throws a big elbow that misses.
Vasquez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hanma looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Vasquez 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.
Vasquez lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Vasquez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Vasquez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
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.
Vasquez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Vasquez postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hanma is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Vasquez, into his guard.

Hanma wants to control from the top but Vasquez keeps moving.
Vasquez is looking to stand up but Hanma isn't so interested in that idea.

Vasquez pushes Hanma off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez throws the left hand but Hanma avoids the punch easily.
Vasquez with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Vasquez moves into the clinch successfully.
Hanma tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Vasquez smiles and moves away.

Hanma gets a clinch.
Vasquez really is a fat lump.
Vasquez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Vasquez pulls guard.
Hanma trying to control the position from guard on top but Vasquez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vasquez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanma trying to control but Vasquez is working from the bottom.
Vasquez controls Hanma momentarily but Hanma frees himself.

Vasquez is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Vasquez gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Hanma regains guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hanma is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Vasquez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vasquez stands up over Hanma, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Vasquez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Vasquez throwing strikes from guard but Hanma blocks nicely.

Vasquez drops back, looking for a kneebar! Hanma looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Hanma looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Hanma!

Vasquez throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Vasquez darts in and clinches Hanma up against the cage.

Vasquez ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Vasquez no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Hanma in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Vasquez has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Hanma off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Hanma lands a jab-cross combination.

It looks like Cleo Vasquez has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hanma moves into the clinch successfully.
Vasquez lands with a left to the head.
Vasquez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hanma walks away with a smile on his face. Vasquez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Vasquez shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Vasquez showed some decent athleticism there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasquez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Vasquez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Hanma doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Vasquez.

Vasquez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Hanma wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Vasquez is working for a kimura but Hanma is defending it quite comfortably.

Vasquez 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.

Hanma is defending against the submission attempts here by Vasquez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vasquez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hanma is just riding it out for now. Vasquez eventually gives up the hold.

Vasquez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hanma has managed to free his arm - good work.

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.
Hanma tries to get to full guard but Vasquez has control of the leg.

Vasquez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hanma defends it well.

Vasquez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Vasquez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hanma sees it coming and defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cleo Vasquez dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Cleo Vasquez's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Vasquez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Vasquez seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Vasquez 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.
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. Vasquez connects with a nice short shot to Hanma's temple.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hanma is trying to maintain the position but Vasquez is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanma is looking to improve his position.

Vasquez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hanma has managed to free his arm - good work.
Hanma taking some punishment here, with Vasquez in his half guard.

Vasquez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hanma sees it coming and defends easily.

Vasquez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hanma defends it well.
Hanma wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hanma avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Vasquez.
Hanma tries to get to full guard but Vasquez has control of the leg.
Vasquez looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Vasquez is working for a submission of some sort.

Hanma is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Vasquez pulls his head out easily.
Hanma takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Hanma looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Vasquez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Vasquez is looking for a kimura but Hanma is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Vasquez to get the leverage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Vasquez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Hanma doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Vasquez.
Cleo Vasquez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Vasquez is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Vasquez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hanma is just riding it out for now. Vasquez eventually gives up the hold.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cleo Vasquez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Vasquez, 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cleo Vasquez!