PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Takahiro Yoshida (ranked 3852 p4p, 4642 weight class) and Tao Zhang (ranked 0 p4p, 477 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Yoshida
vs
Zhang

175 cm
25
162
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
165
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takahiro Yoshida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tao Zhang!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zhang is defended easily by Yoshida.
Yoshida fails to land the takedown.
Zhang shoots in for a takedown but Yoshida shows good takedown defense.
Zhang slaps away a takedown attempt from Yoshida, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Zhang shoots for a double leg takedown but Yoshida sprawls well. He's pushed Zhang's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Takahiro Yoshida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tao Zhang.
Zhang throws a right hand that Yoshida ducks under and follows up with a left that Yoshida also avoids with ease.
Yoshida keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A quick step to the side and Yoshida tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yoshida ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zhang moves away.
Zhang looks for a takedown but Yoshida sprawls well.

Zhang gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Yoshida to score an easy takedown into full guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yoshida drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Yoshida jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zhang can do anything to dispel that myth.

Yoshida is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Yoshida works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Yoshida seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Zhang is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Takahiro Yoshida!