PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Yuki Ebata (ranked 6092 p4p, 4386 weight class) and Tao Ishinoba (ranked 591 p4p, 508 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Ebata
vs
Ishinoba

190 cm
24
170
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
25
175
2 - 1 - 0

Decent elbows
Cuts easily

Solid Muay Thai
Prefers standup

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuki Ebata!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Tao Ishinoba!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shirou Masuda and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ishinoba has managed to clinch.
Ishinoba tries to throw a body punch but Ebata avoids it by throwing Ishinoba back against the ropes.
Ebata is trying to maintain a safe position but Ishinoba gets an underhook and turns Ebata into the ropes.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ebata.
Ebata is trying to break the clinch but Ishinoba has him pressed against the ropes.
Ebata is looking to break free of the clinch but Ishinoba has double underhooks.
Ishinoba cracks Ebata with a nice body shot.
A frustrated look appears on Ebata's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ebata is trying to stall.
Ishinoba digs a right hand into Ebata's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Ebata's gas tank.
Ishinoba effectively controlling the action here.
Ebata really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Good body shot from Ishinoba.
Ishinoba softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Ishinoba cracks Ebata with a nice body shot.
Ebata misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ishinoba breaks from the clinch.

Ishinoba rushes Ebata and presses him up against the ropes.
Ebata wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Ishinoba escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ishinoba darts in and clinches Ebata up against the ropes.
Ishinoba stalling against the ropes.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Ishinoba manages to break the clinch.
Tao Ishinoba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ishinoba pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ebata seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Ishinoba delivers a nice body kick.

Ishinoba moves into range and clinches up with Ebata.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ishinoba.
Ishinoba unloads a knee to the mid-section. Ebata lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Ebata misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Ebata has had enough of the clinch but Ishinoba keeps him there for the moment.
Ishinoba has Ebata pressed against the ropes, preventing Ebata from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Ishinoba pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ishinoba moves into the clinch.
Ebata tries to break the clinch but Ishinoba is controlling the position.
Ishinoba working some nice short punches in the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ebata can't break the clinch.

Ishinoba breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ebata tries to keep at a distance but Ishinoba has taken the fight into the clinch.
Ebata wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ebata looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Ishinoba is struggling to control the position.
Ebata wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ebata can't break the clinch.
Ebata is trying to break free.
Ebata tries to circle away but Ishinoba has him pinned against the ropes.
Ishinoba stalling.
Ishinoba tries to throw a body punch but Ebata avoids it by throwing Ishinoba back against the ropes.
Ebata wants to get back to striking at distance but Ishinoba won't allow it.
Ebata tries to circle away but Ishinoba has him pinned against the ropes.
A short right from Ebata on the inside.
Ebata wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ishinoba digs a right hand into Ebata's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Ebata's gas tank.
Ebata has had enough of the clinch but Ishinoba keeps him there for the moment.
Ebata is trying to stall.
Ishinoba stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Ishinoba controlling the action here for a moment.
Ishinoba has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Ebata seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Ishinoba can turn it around.
Ishinoba gets through Ebata's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ishinoba lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Ishinoba pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ishinoba has closed the distance and engaged Ebata in a clinch.

Ishinoba manages to break the clinch.
Ebata moves out of range of the body kick from Ishinoba.
Ishinoba tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ishinoba tries to score with a low kick but Ebata moves his leg out of the way.
Ebata checks the leg kick.
Ebata fires out a quick counter leg kick but Ishinoba just manages to avoid it.
Ishinoba scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Ebata doesn't seem bothered though.
Ebata throws a right and a left that Ishinoba avoids nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ebata wants to clinch up but Ishinoba keeps it at a distance.

Ishinoba gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ishinoba struggles to land a body shot inside as Ebata controls his hands.
Ebata throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ishinoba blocks it with crossed arms.
Ishinoba has Ebata pressed against the ropes, preventing Ebata from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ishinoba will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ebata up against the ropes.
Ebata misses with a body punch.
Ishinoba manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ishinoba's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ebata tries to clinch but Ishinoba is having none of it.
Ishinoba looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ebata misses with a body shot.
Yuki Ebata is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ishinoba scoring well with a low kick there.
Ebata wants to clinch up but Ishinoba keeps it at a distance.
Ishinoba fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ebata throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ebata throws a leg kick
and Ishinoba counters with an outside leg kick.
Ishinoba misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ishinoba rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ebata moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ebata on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Ebata throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ebata connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Ishinoba momentarily.
Ishinoba misses with a body kick.
Ishinoba rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ebata moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ishinoba lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ishinoba scores with a body shot.
Ishinoba has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ishinoba lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ishinoba ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ebata looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ishinoba tries to bum rush Ebata with a series of wild strikes but Ebata uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ebata was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Ishinoba jabs Ebata to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Ishinoba gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Ishinoba has Ebata pressed against the ropes, preventing Ebata from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
Ebata is trying to force a seperation but Ishinoba has the dominant position.
Ebata prevents a body shot from Ishinoba.
Ebata is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ishinoba is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ishinoba taking a breather.
A right hook to the body lands for Ishinoba.

Ishinoba breaks the clinch.
Ishinoba misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ebata doesn't manage to clinch there - Ishinoba circles away.
Ebata wants to clinch up but Ishinoba keeps it at a distance.
Ishinoba on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Ebata misses with a low kick.
Ishinoba unleashes a big counter combination but Ebata bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Ishinoba moves into range and clinches up with Ebata.
Tao Ishinoba seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Ebata is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ishinoba is keeping busy.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ishinoba misses with a low kick.
Tao Ishinoba seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ebata checks a low kick from Ishinoba.
Ebata tries to clinch up but Ishinoba circles away and keeps his distance.
Ishinoba goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Ishinoba ducks right into an uppercut from Ebata.
Ebata throws a head kick that misses.

Ishinoba drives through and clinches with Ebata against the ropes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A frustrated look appears on Ebata's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ishinoba tries a body shot but Ebata blocks it.
Ebata is looking to break free of the clinch but Ishinoba has double underhooks.
Ebata looking to slow down the pace here.
Ebata tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ishinoba avoids it.
Ishinoba is stalling here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tao Ishinoba showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Ebata throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Ishinoba lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Ishinoba scores with a kick to the midsection.
Ishinoba misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ishinoba lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Ebata misses with a head kick.
Ebata throws an overhand right that lands on Ishinoba's shoulder, as Ishinoba tries to avoid the shot.

Ishinoba gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ishinoba lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Ebata or not.

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

Ishinoba moves into range and clinches up with Ebata.
Ishinoba misses with a punch to the body.
Ebata is trying to break free.
A left hand lands to the body for Ishinoba.
A knee to the head by Ishinoba.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ishinoba misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ishinoba manages to break the clinch.
Ebata looks to clinch
and Ishinoba counters with a three punch combo that has Ebata backing up. Ebata nods at Ishinoba to acknowledge the strikes.
Ishinoba with a nice calf kick.
Ishinoba ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ebata moves away.
Ebata thinks about countering with a head kick.
Ishinoba showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ebata.
Ishinoba lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ishinoba.
Ishinoba misses with a double jab.

Ishinoba closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Ebata is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Ebata lands a body punch.
Ebata looking to slow down the pace here.
Tao Ishinoba is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Ishinoba.
Ishinoba has Ebata pressed against the ropes.
Ishinoba blocks an elbow strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ebata wants to stall.
Ishinoba keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ebata's efforts to push away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ebata tries to throw a body punch but Ishinoba avoids it by throwing Ebata back against the ropes.
Ebata is trying to stall.
Ishinoba keeps control of Ebata as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ebata taking a breather.
Ishinoba keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ebata's efforts to push away.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

That's four 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.
Ebata is trying to break free.
Ishinoba controlling the action here for a moment.
Ishinoba avoiding damage.
Ebata taking a breather.
Yuki Ebata has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ishinoba lands a hook that snaps the head of Ebata backwards.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tao Ishinoba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ishinoba has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tao Ishinoba!