PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between S Tiradentes C (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshihiro Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tanaka comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Stronger by Kanye West kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Yoshihiro Tanaka acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Tiradentes C
vs
Tanaka

150 cm
22
130 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

178 cm
21
145 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, S Tiradentes C!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yoshihiro Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Cecil Peabody and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tanaka scores a takedown into full mount!
Tanaka landing punches.
Tanaka looking to ground and pound but Tiradentes C is blocking nicely.
Tiradentes C tries to lock up and control but Tanaka gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Tanaka thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Tanaka pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Tiradentes C tries to hold on but Tanaka postures up.
Tanaka can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tiradentes C is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tiradentes C tries to hold on but Tanaka pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tanaka looking to secure an arm triangle but Tiradentes C defends it well.

Tanaka is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Tiradentes C is surviving well by controlling Tanaka's body position as best he can.
Tiradentes C is in all sorts of trouble here.
Tiradentes C is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Tanaka fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Tanaka fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
BOOM! Tanaka connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Tiradentes C bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Tanaka has an active guard here but Tiradentes C has managed to pass into half guard.
Tanaka looks gassed!
Tanaka is not content to let Tiradentes C control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tiradentes C sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tanaka defending well though.
Tanaka is not content to let Tiradentes C control the position.
Tanaka trying to control from the bottom.

Tanaka looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Tanaka tries to roll over but Tiradentes C keeps him under control.
Tiradentes C seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Tanaka bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Tanaka is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Tiradentes C has escaped the position, nice work there.
Tiradentes C wants to control but Tanaka postures up.
Tiradentes C is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Tanaka off and has taken his back!
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Tiradentes C's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Tiradentes C avoiding Tanaka 's attempts to control his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshihiro Tanaka dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tiradentes C misses with a takedown attempt

and Tanaka counters with a takedown into side control.

Tanaka is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tiradentes C knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Tiradentes C is not content to let Tanaka control the position.
Tanaka might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Tiradentes C kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Tanaka stands up and beckons Tiradentes C to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tiradentes C stuffs the takedown.
S Tiradentes C is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tanaka takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Tiradentes C swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Tanaka counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Tanaka.
Tanaka blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Tiradentes C could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Tanaka lands a nice uppercut.

Tanaka gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Tanaka looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Tiradentes C is trying to control the position but Tanaka postures up.
Tanaka must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Tanaka throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tiradentes C works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Tiradentes C looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Tanaka puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Tanaka is trying to control the action in half guard but Tiradentes C is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Tiradentes C taking some punishment here, with Tanaka in his half guard.
Tanaka seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tiradentes C does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Tanaka is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Tiradentes C has managed to free his arm - good work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Tiradentes C wants to clinch

and Tanaka counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Tanaka.

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

Tanaka scores with a takedown into Tiradentes C's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tanaka accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tiradentes C keeping full guard, as Tanaka tries to pass.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tiradentes C is on top in guard.
Tanaka looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tanaka throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshihiro Tanaka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Tiradentes C with a poor takedown

and Tanaka counters with a nice double leg into side control. Tiradentes C won't be happy with that.
Tanaka works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Tiradentes C is looking for a sweep.
Tanaka in side control, throwing shots but Tiradentes C defends.
You can see the frustration on Tiradentes C's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Tiradentes C tries to improve position but can't.

Tanaka tries for a kimura but Tiradentes C is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Tanaka decides to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tanaka rushes Tiradentes C and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Tanaka dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Tanaka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tiradentes C gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Tanaka counters by moving into the clinch.
Tiradentes C tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Tanaka just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for S Tiradentes C. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A nice left hand lands by Tanaka.

Tanaka lands a takedown into guard.
Tiradentes C wants to stand up but Tanaka is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka postures up in Tiradentes C's guard and throws a big left but Tiradentes C blocks it.
Tiradentes C is trying to keep Tanaka in close.
Tanaka looking to pass the guard.
Tiradentes C might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Tanaka postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka drops back, looking for a kneebar! Tiradentes C looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Tiradentes C looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Tiradentes C!
Tiradentes C trying to control the action but Tanaka is working from the bottom.
Yoshihiro Tanaka is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tiradentes C wants to stand but Tanaka is controlling his arm.
Tanaka tries to improve position but can't.
Tanaka can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Tiradentes C tries to stand but Tanaka is controlling his head.
Tanaka tries to improve position but can't.
Tiradentes C trying to control the action but Tanaka is working from the bottom.
Tanaka struggling a bit here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoshihiro Tanaka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tanaka winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yoshihiro Tanaka!