PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rick Hustle (ranked 1816 p4p, 236 weight class) and Yokuni Togashi (ranked 835 p4p, 116 weight class). Togashi comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Imagine Dragons - Radioactive kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Yokuni Togashi has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Rick Hustle's chin.

Hustle
vs
Togashi

150 cm
29
185 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

181 cm
24
177 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

Urban Fighter
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rick Hustle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yokuni Togashi!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hustle misses with a takedown attempt - Togashi sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Togashi throws out a counter right but Hustle avoids it with no problem.
Togashi with a hook.

It looks like Rick Hustle has been cut.
Hustle takes one to the side of the head.

Hustle closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Togashi pushes Hustle away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Hustle gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Togashi gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hustle has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Togashi flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Hustle throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hustle looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Togashi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Togashi is staying active underneath Hustle, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Togashi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Togashi wants to get back to his feet.
Togashi tries to roll over but Hustle keeps him under control.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Hustle content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hustle shoots for a double leg takedown but Togashi sprawls well. He's pushed Hustle's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hustle misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Togashi appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Hustle. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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.
Togashi lands the left hand.
Hustle looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Togashi is fending him off so far but Hustle persists. Nope, Togashi circles away and we're back to standing.
Hustle misses with a takedown attempt
and Togashi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Togashi punishes Hustle's body with a nice straight punch.
Togashi cracks Hustle with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Nice takedown defense from Togashi. No joy for Hustle on that attempt.
Hustle shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Togashi defends it nicely.
Yokuni Togashi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hustle misses with a takedown attempt
and Togashi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hustle tries for a takedown but Togashi circles away easily
and Togashi counters with a stiff right hand.
Togashi has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hustle drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Hustle working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Togashi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hustle trying to control but Togashi is working from the bottom.
Hustle sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Togashi's guard.
Togashi gets back to full guard.
Hustle trying to control the position from guard on top but Togashi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Togashi can do anything to dispel that myth.
Hustle works over Togashi with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hustle engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Hustle working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Togashi wants to sweep here but Hustle controlling him for the moment.
Hustle trying to control but Togashi is working from the bottom.
Hustle might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Togashi looking for a sweep. Not yet Togashi, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yokuni Togashi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rick Hustle's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hustle changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Togashi tries to avoid it but Hustle manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Togashi to the ground. Togashi escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Hustle closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hustle lands in his opponent's guard.
Togashi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Togashi wants to get back to his feet but Hustle is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hustle stopping the sweep attempt from Togashi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hustle is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hustle seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Togashi for as long as he can get away with.
Hustle wants to control from the top but Togashi keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hustle is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Rick Hustle overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hustle stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Togashi swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Hustle takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Nice straight punches there by Togashi. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Togashi.
Hustle shoots in and drives through. Togashi sprawls well.
Togashi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hustle gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Togashi.

Rick Hustle's cut is getting worse.
Hustle shoots and misses
letting Togashi counter with a right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Hustle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hustle has his takedown stuffed
and Togashi counters with a left to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hustle takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Hustle is rocked!
Togashi is stalking Hustle. Hustle circles to his left. Keeps circling left. Bam! Straight right from Togashi, and it's lights out! Hustle really payed the price for that rookie mistake.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:14 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Yokuni Togashi!
Yokuni Togashi thanked the fans post fight for their support.