PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Charlie River (ranked 807 p4p, 887 weight class) and Shinichiro Tomonaga (ranked 59 p4p, 65 weight class). River comes into the arena with Waylon Jennings - I've Always Been Crazy blaring out of the sound system. Shinichiro Tomonaga told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

River
vs
Tomonaga

170 cm
31
143
28 - 16 - 1

166 cm
30
145
17 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

Shadow Realm Apparel
Fantasy Threads

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 28 - 16 - 1, fighting out of New York, Charlie River!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Shinichiro Tomonaga!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Ron Honeybunn and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tomonaga stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from River.
River throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tomonaga has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by River.
River delivers a nice body kick.
River cracks a nice hook into Tomonaga's ribs.
River throws a body punch but Tomonaga moves out of range.
River connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
River swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Crunch! River slams his shin into Tomonaga's torso.
River swings for the body but Tomonaga moves out of range.
Tomonaga looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
River tries to clinch but Tomonaga is having none of it.
Tomonaga walks into a jab.
River has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Rivers Edge Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Tomonaga avoids the head kick by River.
A little jabbing left from Tomonaga on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
River fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Tomonaga.
River turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Tomonaga looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
River turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Tomonaga takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Tomonaga takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
River works Tomonaga's body with a nice hook.

Tomonaga gets tackled into the cage by River. River maintains the clinch.
River throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Tomonagas head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

River pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tomonaga doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Nice body punch from River.
River lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
River misses the body punch
and Tomonaga counters with a left and a right that stings River.
River lands a leg kick that knocks Tomonaga off balance momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tomonaga looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

It looks like Shinichiro Tomonaga has been cut.
Tomonaga takes one to the side of the head.
River just misses with a punch to the body.
Tomonaga looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from River - that will leave a mark!
River lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Tomonaga takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
River scoring well with a low kick there.

River closes the distance and pushes Tomonaga back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
River blocks an uppercut.

River breaks from the clinch.
River lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Tomonaga's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Tomonaga keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
As River backs off Tomonaga throws a huge counter combo but River manages to avoid it all.
Charlie River seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The fighters circling - River throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Tomonaga swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
River lands a right hook to the body.
A big right from River misses.
River tries to clinch up but Tomonaga circles away and keeps his distance.
Tomonaga lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
River throws a head kick but Tomonaga moves out of range.
Tomonaga takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Charlie River dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Shinichiro Tomonaga's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

River cracks Tomonaga with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
River misses with a wild combination.
River moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Tomonaga takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
River bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by River. That's going to slow Tomonaga down.
River misses with a hook to the body
and Tomonaga counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tomonaga takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
River lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
River fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Tomonaga on the side of the head.
River throws a leg kick which misses Tomonaga's front leg but catches the back leg as Tomonaga tries to avoid it.
River lands a nice shot to the body.
River swings for the body but Tomonaga moves out of range.
A nice side step and Tomonaga releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Tomonaga on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by River. River obviously looking to wear him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
River misses with an uppercut
and River takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
River throws a body kick that misses.
River ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tomonaga moves away.
River looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tomonaga keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from River.
It seemed like Tomonaga was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Tomonaga tries to move into range but River moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
River connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A telegraphed right hand from River misses the target.
Tomonaga looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tomonaga on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
River misses with a body punch
and Tomonaga counters with a three punch combo that has River backing up. River nods at Tomonaga to acknowledge the strikes.
River lets loose with a powerful body kick. Tomonaga will feel that in the morning.
Shinichiro Tomonaga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice body punch from River.
Tomonaga blocks the body kick.
River tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tomonaga was well out of range. Poor timing from River.
River misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tomonaga.
Tomonaga is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
River misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Tomonaga to counter with a crisp jab.

It looks like Charlie River has been cut.
River chopping away at his opponent's legs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
River misses the shot to the body.
River throws a body shot but no joy.
Tomonaga is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
River pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Charlie River is winning the standup battle so far.
River scores with a leg kick.
River connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
River misses with a hook to the body
and Tomonaga cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Charlie River dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Tomonaga has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from River.
River throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Tomonaga to counter with a crisp jab.
River moves in looking to clinch but Tomonaga pushes him off.
River is looking to clinch.
River is looking to clinch but Tomonaga is avoiding it.
As River backs off Tomonaga throws a huge counter combo but River manages to avoid it all.
River throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
River lands a leg kick that knocks Tomonaga off balance momentarily.
River cracks a nice hook into Tomonaga's ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
River misses with a lunging right hand
and Tomonaga counters with a straight right hand.
River is looking to wear down Tomonaga with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
River lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Tomonaga uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by River.
Tomonaga unleashes a big counter combination but River bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
You can see that Tomonaga has visibly slowed down as a result of the leg kicks
A lazy left from River finds it's target.
Tomonaga takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Tomonaga is rocked!
River scoring well with a low kick there.
River moves into range and connects with a jab.
Tomonaga is still on wobbly legs! Can River finish him?

That has opened up Shinichiro Tomonaga's cut even more.
River drops Tomonaga with a naaaaasty hook - Tomonaga is in real trouble here! River dives in to side control and pounds out his opponent for a TKO victory! The crowd goes nuts!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Charlie River!
Charlie River thanked the fans post fight for their support.