PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kai Yamaguchi (ranked 226 p4p, 34 weight class) and Tommy Gavin (ranked 357 p4p, 46 weight class). Yamaguchi's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Yama Yama. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Yamaguchi
vs
Gavin

176 cm
33
160 lbs
28 - 9 - 1

183 cm
30
160 lbs
14 - 5 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Urban Fighter

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 28 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kai Yamaguchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tommy Gavin!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab, jab by Gavin - just one landing.
Gavin lands a nice shot that snaps Yamaguchi's head back.
Yamaguchi looks to throw the jab but Gavin is out of range.
Yamaguchi loads up on a big right hand but Gavin slips the punch.
Jab by Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Yamaguchi throws a leg kick but Gavin moved away.
Yamaguchi lands a jab to Gavin's midsection.
A nice inside leg kick there by Yamaguchi. That's going to slow Gavin down.
Gavin misses with a kick to the body.
Yamaguchi misses with a wild body shot.
Gavin connects with a looping right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yamaguchi throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Yamaguchi lands with a cross.
Yamaguchi just misses with a punch to the body.
Gavin ducks under a wild hook from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi misses the jab.
Yamaguchi thows a body kick. Gavin tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Gavin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Yamaguchi has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamaguchi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gavin.
Gavin tries to bum rush Yamaguchi with a series of wild strikes but Yamaguchi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Yamaguchi avoids the head kick by Gavin.
Yamaguchi throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Gavin is looking to land body kicks.
Gavin does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Yamaguchi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice uppercut lands for Yamaguchi. That snapped Gavin's head back.
Nice shot lands for Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi throws a lazy right hand but Gavin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Good leg kick by Yamaguchi there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Yamaguchi tries to work over Gavin's front leg with a kick but Gavin checks it.

Gavin has managed to clinch.
Yamaguchi swings wildly with an uppercut but Gavin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yamaguchi struggles to land a body shot inside as Gavin controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gavin lands a left hand that snaps the head of Yamaguchi backwards.
Yamaguchi takes a shot to the head.
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!
Gavin misses with some punches.
Yamaguchi goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yamaguchi lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Yamaguchi lands a shoulder strike.
I was talking to Yamaguchi's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Gavin goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yamaguchi misses with some punches.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gavin.
Yamaguchi blocks a body shot from Gavin.
Yamaguchi prevents a body shot from Gavin.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Gavin creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Gavin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gavin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Yamaguchi fails to land.
Yamaguchi lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Yamaguchi tries to throw a body punch but Gavin avoids it by throwing Yamaguchi back against the cage.
Yamaguchi has a couple of punches blocked by Gavin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamaguchi's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Gavin scores with a shoulder strike.
Gavin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Yamaguchi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Yamaguchi prevents a body shot from Gavin.
Yamaguchi cracks Gavin with a nice body shot.
Gavin scores with a shoulder strike.
Gavin tries to work over Yamaguchi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch on the inside from Yamaguchi fails to land.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Yamaguchi.
Gavin blocks an uppercut.
Yamaguchi throws a head punch that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gavin.
Yamaguchi lands a nice uppercut.
Gavin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gavin blocks an uppercut.
Gavin tries to throw a body punch but Yamaguchi avoids it by throwing Gavin back against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Gavin fails to land.
Nice body punch from Yamaguchi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yamaguchi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gavin stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi misses with some punches.
Gavin working aggressively here.
Yamaguchi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Yamaguchi lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Yamaguchi fails to land.
Gavin working aggressively here.
Gavin throws a head punch that misses.
Yamaguchi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Yamaguchi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gavin.
Yamaguchi tries to work over Gavin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yamaguchi lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Gavin backwards.
Gavin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yamaguchi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Gavin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nice body punch from Yamaguchi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kai Yamaguchi will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nice body kick there by Gavin.
Gavin throws out a loose jab but Yamaguchi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kai Yamaguchi is winning the standup battle so far.
Nice straight punches there by Yamaguchi. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi misses with a hook to the body

and Gavin counters by moving into the clinch.
Yamaguchi's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Gavin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Gavin working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Gavin struggles to land a body shot inside as Yamaguchi controls his hands.
Gavin tries a body shot but Yamaguchi blocks it.
Yamaguchi misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yamaguchi misses with a body punch.
Gavin tries to work over Yamaguchi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamaguchi softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Gavin misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gavin has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Yamaguchi seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Gavin can turn it around.
Gavin lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi has Gavin pressed against the cage.
Tommy Gavin seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Gavin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Yamaguchi working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamaguchi blocks an uppercut.
Gavin working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Gavin misses with the head strike.
Gavin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yamaguchi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Yamaguchi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Yamaguchi goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yamaguchi throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Gavin blocks an uppercut.
Gavin misses with a punch on the inside.
Gavin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Yamaguchi softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Yamaguchi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Gavin backwards.
Yamaguchi can't find room to land a body shot as Gavin controls the action.
Gavin misses with a short punch on the inside.

Yamaguchi breaks from the clinch.
Nice body kick there by Yamaguchi.
Gavin misses with a shot to the body
and Yamaguchi counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Gavin is lucky that one didn't land flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gavin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gavin lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Yamaguchi lands with a shot to the body.
Gavin sizes up Yamaguchi with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Yamaguchi misses with a leg kick.
Yamaguchi throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Yamaguchi fakes the leg kick and cracks Gavin in the body.
Gavin will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Gavin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gavin.
Kai Yamaguchi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yamaguchi takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Gavin tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Gavin has Yamaguchi up against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi blocking some punches.
Gavin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gavin prevents a body shot from Yamaguchi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gavin misses with a punch on the inside.
Gavin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Yamaguchi lands a body punch in the clinch.
A short right from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi lands with a light punch inside.
Yamaguchi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yamaguchi scores with a hook to the body.
Gavin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A head punch on the inside from Gavin fails to land.
Gavin has a couple of punches blocked by Yamaguchi.
Gavin prevents a body shot from Yamaguchi.
Gavin has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A head punch on the inside from Gavin fails to land.
Gavin misses with a punch on the inside.
Yamaguchi swings wildly with an uppercut but Gavin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yamaguchi has a couple of punches blocked by Gavin.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Yamaguchi.
A nice right hand lands inside from Yamaguchi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamaguchi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Gavin working aggressively here.
Gavin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yamaguchi scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short left from Gavin.
Gavin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gavin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A shot in the inside from Yamaguchi.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi misses with a punch to the body.
Gavin tries a body shot but Yamaguchi blocks it.
Yamaguchi tries to throw a body punch but Gavin avoids it by throwing Yamaguchi back against the cage.
Gavin blocks a body shot from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gavin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Yamaguchi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi misses with a short punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kai Yamaguchi will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Gavin checks a low kick from Yamaguchi.
Gavin scores with a sloppy right hand. Yamaguchi should have avoided that one.
Yamaguchi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yamaguchi does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Yamaguchi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Gavin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yamaguchi manages to avoid it.
Yamaguchi jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Yamaguchi clinches up against the cage.
Yamaguchi lands a shot to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gavin.
Gavin lands with a right to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamaguchi lands a shot to the body.
A right hand to the body from Gavin.
Gavin lands a hook to the side of the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi trying to control the position but instead, Gavin has worked for underhooks and has pushed Yamaguchi into the cage.
Gavin prevents a body shot from Yamaguchi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamaguchi scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Yamaguchi lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Gavin backwards.
Yamaguchi misses with the head strike.
Gavin blocks a body shot from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi working aggressively here.
Yamaguchi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Yamaguchi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gavin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short uppercut from Gavin.
Yamaguchi misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch on the inside from Gavin fails to land.
Gavin misses with a punch to the body.
Yamaguchi lands a left hand.
A short body shot lands from Gavin as the two fighters clinch.
Yamaguchi working aggressively here.
Yamaguchi scores with a hook to the body.
Tommy Gavin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gavin softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Gavin lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
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!
Yamaguchi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Yamaguchi tries to work over Gavin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Gavin lands with a short shot to the head.
Yamaguchi working aggressively here.
Yamaguchi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gavin cracks Yamaguchi with a nice body shot.
Yamaguchi can't find room to land a body shot as Gavin controls the action.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gavin.
Gavin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Yamaguchi's elbow.
Gavin is working Yamaguchi over against the cage.
Gavin misses with a body punch.
Gavin misses with a punch on the inside.
Yamaguchi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Yamaguchi misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gavin tries a body shot but Yamaguchi blocks it.
A body shot lands from Gavin.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yamaguchi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gavin throws a head punch that misses.
Gavin blocking some punches.
Gavin lands a nice uppercut.
Yamaguchi tries a body shot but Gavin blocks it.
Yamaguchi cracks Gavin with a nice body shot.
Yamaguchi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A short right from Gavin.
Yamaguchi goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yamaguchi throws a head punch that misses.
Gavin goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yamaguchi lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Gavin backwards.
Gavin looking to throw knees to the head but Yamaguchi is blocking nicely.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Yamaguchi.
Gavin has a couple of punches blocked by Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi struggles to land a body shot inside as Gavin controls his hands.
Yamaguchi works on Gavin's body with a couple of short punches.
Gavin goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yamaguchi misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gavin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Yamaguchi lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Gavin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Yamaguchi has a couple of punches blocked by Gavin.
Gavin lands with a light punch inside.
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!
Yamaguchi lands with a short shot to the head.
Yamaguchi misses with a punch to the body.
Yamaguchi works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Gavin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yamaguchi tries to work over Gavin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Gavin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gavin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gavin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yamaguchi lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Yamaguchi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gavin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gavin tries to work over Yamaguchi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nice body punch from Gavin.
Kai Yamaguchi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gavin blocking some punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tommy Gavin.
I think Yamaguchi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kai Yamaguchi!
After winning the bout, Kai Yamaguchi thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.