PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Michael Heandler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yamato Ryuichi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Heandler might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Theme . This should be fireworks!

Heandler
vs
Ryuichi

172 cm
19
137 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

172 cm
22
142 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Heandler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Yamato Ryuichi!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Daniel Cesar and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ryuichi lands with a thumping leg kick.

Ryuichi decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half 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.
Ryuichi blocks the strikes from Heandler.
Heandler wants to control but Ryuichi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Heandler blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ryuichi.
Ryuichi winds up and cracks Heandler with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Heandler is trying to maintain the position but Ryuichi is very close to passing his half guard.
Ryuichi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ryuichi is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Heandler!
Ryuichi unloading with bombs!
Heandler is in a horrible position here. Ryuichi smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Heandler working to try and regain half guard.
Ryuichi controlling from mount.
Ryuichi punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ryuichi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Heandler tries to hold on but Ryuichi pushes him away.
Heandler is breathing heavily.
Ryuichi lands with some strikes.
Ryuichi is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Heandler can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Ryuichi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Heandler. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ryuichi landing strikes from the mount.
Ryuichi prevents Heandler from getting the reversal.
Ryuichi controlling from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Heandler tries to hold on but Ryuichi postures up.
Ryuichi controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ryuichi cracks Heandler with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Ryuichi with shots to the head and body - Heandler looks very uncomfortable down there.
Heandler is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ryuichi landing strikes from the mount.
Ryuichi lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Ryuichi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ryuichi fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Ryuichi controlling from mount.
A nice elbow there by Ryuichi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ryuichi punishing his opponent with strikes.
Ryuichi lands a heavy elbow.
Ryuichi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ryuichi postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Heandler looks a forlorn figure.
Ryuichi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Heandler hang on?
Heandler throwing hammer fists to the chest of Ryuichi. What's that going to do exactly?
Ryuichi controlling the pace for now.
Ryuichi lands a nice shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ryuichi controlling the pace for now.
Ryuichi's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Despite being in the dominant position, Yamato Ryuichi just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ryuichi moves into range and clinches up with Heandler.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ryuichi.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Knees to the body from Ryuichi.
Ryuichi landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Ryuichi crunches a lovely knee into Heandler's ribcage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ryuichi throws a quick inside leg kick.

Ryuichi scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ryuichi scoring with punches and elbows.
Ryuichi lands an elbow.
Ryuichi in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Ryuichi lands a decent elbow from side control.
Ryuichi controls the position.
Ryuichi lands a few punches from side control.
Ryuichi is staying tight to Heandler's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
You can see the frustration on Heandler's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Heandler is trying to escape the position but Ryuichi is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Check out the look on Ryuichi's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Heandler is letting Ryuichi control him for a moment.
Ryuichi scores with a couple of short elbows.
Ryuichi cracks Heandler with a big right hand but Heandler just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Ryuichi working away.
Yamato Ryuichi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ryuichi is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Heandler's shoulder. That is not cool.
Ryuichi lands a few punches from side control.
Ryuichi staying calm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Ryuichi advances nicely into full mount.
Ryuichi controlling from the full mount.

Despite being in the dominant position, Yamato Ryuichi just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ryuichi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Heandler moves away.
Ryuichi dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Heandler. That did some damage!

Ryuichi scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Heandler wants to control but Ryuichi is keeping busy.
Ryuichi seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heandler trying to control from the bottom.
Ryuichi wants to pass the guard but Heandler is defending well.
Ryuichi lands with a punch from half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Heandler trying to control from the bottom.
Well, if Ryuichi is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Let's hope that Ryuichi has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Heandler is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ryuichi scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ryuichi slows the pace down in half guard.
Heandler missing with punches from the bottom.
Ryuichi prevents Heandler from improving his position.
Ryuichi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yamato Ryuichi 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!

Ryuichi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Ryuichi content just to control the position here.

Despite being in the dominant position, Yamato Ryuichi just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ryuichi forces Heandler back against the cage and clinches.
Ryuichi lands a nice knee to the body.
Ryuichi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Ryuichi landing knees to the body.
Ryuichi lands a knee to the body.
Ryuichi working Heandler over with knees to the body.

Ryuichi breaks from the clinch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Ryuichi.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ryuichi scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Heandler manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Heandler wants to control but Ryuichi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ryuichi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Heandler defending well though.
Heandler is trying to control but can't.
Heandler punching from the bottom.
Ryuichi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Heandler is staying active underneath Ryuichi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ryuichi lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ryuichi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ryuichi blocks the strikes from Heandler.
Ryuichi blocks the strikes from Heandler.
Heandler is trying to control but can't.

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

Ryuichi shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Heandler is trying to defend but Ryuichi finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Ryuichi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Heandler is trying to stand up here but Ryuichi is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heandler moves into full guard.
Ryuichi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Heandler is keeping the position for now.
Heandler trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Heandler doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Ryuichi stands up over Heandler, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Heandler trying to control the position.
Ryuichi won't allow Heandler to sweep him here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ryuichi fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Heandler.
Michael Heandler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Ryuichi drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heandler trying to keep a closed guard but Ryuichi is proving a slippery customer.
Ryuichi tries to free his leg and advance position but Heandler is retaining full guard.
Heandler trying to strike off his back.
Ryuichi advances to half guard.
Ryuichi is looking to take a break and control but Heandler is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Ryuichi connects with a nice short shot to Heandler's temple.
Heandler blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ryuichi.
Ryuichi controlling the action here.
Heandler avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ryuichi.
Yamato Ryuichi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Heandler looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ryuichi trying to control the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yamato Ryuichi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ryuichi 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 26:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yamato Ryuichi!