PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ichigo Todayashi (ranked 4214 p4p, 5415 weight class) and Scott Trip (ranked 185 p4p, 226 weight class). Scott Trip is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Todayashi
vs
Trip

173 cm
26
138
2 - 4 - 0

175 cm
27
130
3 - 10 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ichigo Todayashi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Scott Trip!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Columbo Gatti and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Todayashi swats away the attempt to clinch by Trip.

Todayashi has closed the distance and engaged Trip in a clinch.
Todayashi lands a damaging elbow.
Trip drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Todayashi gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Trip taking a breather.
Todayashi avoiding damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Trip takes a knee to the side of the body.
Todayashi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Trip wants to break free but Todayashi has control.
Todayashi throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Todayashi breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trip with a poor takedown
and Todayashi counters with a one-two to the body.
Trip looks winded!

Todayashi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Trip, pushing him back against the cage.
A short right from Todayashi on the inside.
Todayashi struggles to land a body shot inside as Trip controls his hands.
Todayashi lands a body punch in the clinch.
Todayashi lands a nice knee to the body.
Todayashi crunches a lovely knee into Trip's ribcage.
Todayashi unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Todayashi manages to break the clinch.

Todayashi instigates a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Todayashi taking a breather.
Todayashi lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Todayashi controlling the action here for a moment.
Todayashi lands a nice elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Todayashi lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Trip prevents a takedown attempt there.
Trip looking to slow down the pace here.
Todayashi scores with a knee to the head.

Todayashi breaks the clinch.

Todayashi bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Todayashi trying to control the position but Trip is working away.
Todayashi tries to advance to mount but can't.

Todayashi decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Trip forces Todayashi back against the cage and clinches.

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.
Trip gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Todayashi.

Todayashi wants the takedown. Trip is fighting it off but Todayashi persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Trip's guard against the cage.
Todayashi wants to control from the top but Trip keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Trip working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Todayashi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Todayashi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Todayashi trying to control but Trip is working from the bottom.
Todayashi postures up.
Todayashi trying to control but Trip is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ichigo Todayashi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Todayashi takes the fight into the clinch.
Todayashi working Trip over with knees to the body.
Trip has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A shot in the inside from Todayashi.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Todayashi.
Trip looking to slow down the pace here.
Trip is working for takedown but Todayashi is calmly controlling the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice body punch from Todayashi.
Todayashi comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Scott Trip has been cut.
Todayashi landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Todayashi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Trip is breathing heavily.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Todayashi creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Todayashi scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Todayashi lands a knee to the body.
Todayashi stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Todayashi throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Trips head.
Todayashi looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Todayashi gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Trip is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Still in half guard, Todayashi seems content to control.

Todayashi stands up and beckons Trip to join him on the feet.

Todayashi clinches up with Trip and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Todayashi can't find room to land a body shot as Trip controls the action.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Todayashi pressing his opponent against the cage.
Todayashi lands a hook to the side of the head.

Todayashi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Todayashi takes the fight into the clinch.
Todayashi lands an elbow inside.
Todayashi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Todayashi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Trip fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Todayashi is trying hard to land a takedown here. Trip sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A nice side step and Trip releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

Todayashi moves into the clinch.
Todayashi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Todayashi lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Trip tries to score a body lock takedown but Todayashi shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ichigo Todayashi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Scott Trip.
Todayashi misses with some punches.

Todayashi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Todayashi moves into the clinch.

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

Todayashi drives through and clinches with Trip against the cage.
Todayashi lands a shoulder strike.
Trip being controlled against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Todayashi.
Todayashi scores with a shot to the side of Trip's head.
Trip wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Trip tries to pull guard but Todayashi forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ichigo Todayashi has scored more points in the clinch so far.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Todayashi takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Todayashi throws a knee to the head but misses.

Todayashi breaks from the clinch.
Trip shoots in but no luck this time.
Todayashi tries to clinch but Trip moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Todayashi. Trip does a little dance to reset his feet.
Todayashi tries for a takedown but Trip circles away easily
and Trip counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ichigo Todayashi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Scott Trip's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Todayashi shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Trip sprawls well. Trip wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Todayashi gets slowly back to his feet.
Todayashi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Todayashi throws a series of punches but Trip avoids them all with ease.

Todayashi clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Todayashi lands an elbow that stopped Trip in his tracks for a moment.
Todayashi gets underhooks to prevent Trip's takedown attempt.
Trip gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Todayashi.
Trip wants to get back to striking at distance but Todayashi won't allow it.
Trip takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trip can't break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Trip's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Trip tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Todayashi landing knees to the body.
Todayashi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Trip takes an elbow to the forehead.
Todayashi lands an elbow inside.
A short left from Todayashi.
Todayashi creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Trip's defenses.
Todayashi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Trip can do to turn this around?
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Todayashi.
Todayashi lands an elbow inside that Trip shrugs off.
Todayashi pushes Trip back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Nice elbow from Todayashi.
Todayashi is stalling here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Todayashi lands on the inside with an uppercut.
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!
Todayashi creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Trip's defenses.
Todayashi lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Todayashi scores with a knee to the head.
Todayashi lands a shot to the body.
Nice body punch from Todayashi.
Todayashi lands an elbow that stopped Trip in his tracks for a moment.
Todayashi connects with a nasty looking knee right to Trip's face.
Knees in the clinch landing for Todayashi.

Todayashi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Todayashi dives in and scores a takedown into Trip's guard.
Todayashi slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Todayashi gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Trip swats away the attempt to clinch by Todayashi.
Todayashi doesn't manage to clinch there - Trip circles away.
Trip swats away the attempt to clinch by Todayashi.
Todayashi backing away here, and Trip unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Todayashi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ichigo Todayashi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Trip displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Todayashi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Todayashi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Trip defends it nicely.
Todayashi is looking to clinch.
Todayashi looks for the body kick but Trip saw that one coming.
Ichigo Todayashi is winning the standup battle so far.
Trip shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Todayashi as he avoids it easily.
Trip lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Todayashi moves in looking to clinch but Trip pushes him off.
Todayashi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Trip counters with a lovely shot to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ichigo Todayashi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Todayashi 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 John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ichigo Todayashi!
During a confident post fight interview, Ichigo Todayashi thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.