PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Katsu Yamasaki (ranked 699 p4p, 924 weight class) and Daniel Maverick (ranked 104 p4p, 136 weight class). Katsu Yamasaki could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Daniel Maverick's chin.

Yamasaki
vs
Maverick

176 cm
24
157
7 - 3 - 0

172 cm
21
161
7 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Katsu Yamasaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Daniel Maverick!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Konstantin Menshow and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maverick scores with a spinning back kick!
Yamasaki swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Maverick throws a sloppy head kick and Yamasaki moves out of range easily.
Yamasaki feinted with a counter takedown.
Yamasaki keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maverick.
Yamasaki throws an off balance right hand
and Maverick counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Yamasaki throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Maverick only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Maverick drops his hands momentarily and Yamasaki takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Yamasaki throws a body shot but no joy.
Yamasaki takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Maverick looks to land a body kick but Yamasaki moved away.

Yamasaki darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
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!

Yamasaki is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Maverick has managed to free his arm - good work.

Yamasaki is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Maverick tries to get to full guard but Yamasaki has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yamasaki is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Yamasaki is looking for a kimura here.
Maverick is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Yamasaki wants to pass the guard but Maverick is defending well.
Yamasaki has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Maverick trying to control here.

Yamasaki is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Maverick has managed to free his arm - good work.

Yamasaki looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Maverick is trying to maintain the position but Yamasaki is very close to passing his half guard.

Yamasaki is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamasaki takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Maverick is defending against the submission attempts here by Yamasaki.
Maverick is looking to control Yamasaki's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Maverick avoid being mounted?

Yamasaki is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Yamasaki winds up and cracks Maverick with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Yamasaki is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Maverick sees it coming and defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maverick is trying to control but can't.
Yamasaki wants to take a breather but Maverick is having none of it.
Maverick won't allow Yamasaki to pass to mount.

Yamasaki is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Maverick doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Yamasaki.

Yamasaki is working for a kimura but Maverick is defending it quite comfortably.

Yamasaki seems to be looking for submissions.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Maverick is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Katsu Yamasaki dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Maverick moves away from the strike by Yamasaki.
Maverick has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Yamasaki throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yamasaki avoids the head kick by Maverick.
Maverick takes a swing at Yamasaki's ribcage but misses.
Yamasaki moves away from the strike by Maverick.

Yamasaki looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Maverick!

Yamasaki is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Maverick is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Yamasaki cracks Maverick with a big right hand but Maverick just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Yamasaki tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Yamasaki wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Maverick, who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamasaki tries to advance to mount but Maverick denies him.
Yamasaki is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maverick can do to turn this around?
Maverick tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Yamasaki wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Yamasaki looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Yamasaki tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Yamasaki has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
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.

Yamasaki goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Maverick has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Yamasaki but great work by Maverick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamasaki gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Yamasaki looking for submissions off his back.
Yamasaki keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Yamasaki gets back to full guard.
Maverick must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Maverick has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Yamasaki is proving hard to escape from.
Maverick wants to control from the top but Yamasaki keeps moving.
Yamasaki tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yamasaki looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Maverick is defending well. Yamasaki quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Maverick has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Yamasaki celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Katsu Yamasaki!
A determined Katsu Yamasaki didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!