PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hiroshi Papo (ranked 4636 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yokihiro Ito (ranked 4625 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Papo
vs
Ito

160 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
25
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiroshi Papo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yokihiro Ito!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ito misses the shot to the body.

Papo shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Ito trying to control here.
Ito wants to get back to his feet.
Ito makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ito.

Ito is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ito is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Ito is looking for a triangle here but Papo uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ito is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ito is still trying to improve position.
Ito manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Ito wants to free his trapped foot but Papo is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Ito is trying to work for a kimura but Papo is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Papo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ito's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ito's back!
Ito can't escape the position.
Ito trying to control the position but Papo manages to sink in the hooks.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Papo is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Ito manages to reverse the position and now he's in Papo's guard. Nice work there by Ito.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ito looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Papo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Ito is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Papo is aware though and is defending well.
Ito is trying to hold Papo in close to prevent damage but Papo has managed to pass into half guard.
Ito is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ito is pressing down on Papo's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Ito is looking for a triangle but Papo pushes his legs off easily.

Ito working for submissions but it's allowed Papo to get to half guard.
Ito trying to get back to full guard but Papo takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Ito is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ito manages to regain half guard. Good work.
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 Hiroshi Papo will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Ito shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Papo as he avoids it easily.

Ito closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Papo quickly recovers to half guard.
Ito is thwarting Papo's attempts to control the position.

Ito is looking for a kimura here.
Papo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ito's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ito's back!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Papo gets his hands free as Ito looks to control.
Ito tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Papo takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ito tries to hold on but Papo postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papo with shots to the head and body - Ito looks very uncomfortable down there.
Ito is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ito regains half guard.
Ito is looking to improve his position.
Papo prevents Ito from standing back up.
Ito wants to get back to full guard but Papo has passed into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ito is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Ito is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Papo's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Ito actively working from the bottom here.
Papo not doing much here.
Ito is trying to control but can't.
Papo passes into side control, despite Ito's attempt to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ito is trying to control Papo's posture but Papo avoids it.
You can see the frustration on Ito's face as Papo controls the position.
Ito is pushing Papo's head away, looking to escape. Papo manages to hold on to the position though.
Ito tries to improve position but can't.
Ito is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Ito is looking to regain half guard here but Papo keeps moving and retains side control.
Ito struggling a bit here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ito looks for a takedown but Papo sprawls well.
Papo changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Papo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hiroshi Papo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Papo slows the pace down.
Ito tries to escape but Papo is in control.
Ito tries to bench press Papo off him but Papo keeps the position.
Ito trying his best to control but Papo has mounted him.
Ito is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Ito tries to lock up and control but Papo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ito is trying to escape the mount.
Ito is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiroshi Papo dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Papo.
Ito trying to control but Papo flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Ito trying to control but not successfully.
Ito can't escape the position.
Papo not allowing Ito to control his hands.
Ito tries to escape the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Ito is really stuck here.
Papo controlling from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Papo is not going to allow Ito to sit and survive in this position.
Ito turns into Papo and is now in his guard.
Ito looking to pass the guard.
Papo keeping moving, preventing Ito from controlling successfully.
Ito wants to pass the guard but Papo is keeping the position.
Ito preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Papo keeping moving, preventing Ito from controlling successfully.
Ito might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Papo haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

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

Ito working for submissions but it's allowed Papo to get to half guard.
Ito tries to roll over but Papo keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Papo is pressing down on Ito's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ito is holding on for now.

Ito with the active half guard here but Papo passes nicely into side control.
Ito wants to control but Papo postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ito sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hiroshi Papo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Papo has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hiroshi Papo!