PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Brock Lesnar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryoma Echizen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Lesnar
vs
Echizen

170 cm
25
142 lbs
0 - 2 - 1

173 cm
25
138 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Brock Lesnar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryoma Echizen!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Echizen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Lesnar stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Echizen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lesnar stopping the sweep attempt from Echizen.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Echizen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lesnar.
Lesnar landing with the ground and pound.
Lesnar wants to pass the guard but Echizen is keeping the position.
Lesnar lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Lesnar lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Echizen trying to control the position.
Lesnar has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Echizen wants to sweep here but Lesnar controlling him for the moment.
Echizen keeping full guard, as Lesnar tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lesnar slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Lesnar preventing the sweep.
Lesnar wants to control from the top but Echizen keeps moving.
Lesnar pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Echizen is keeping the position for now.

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

Echizen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Echizen wants to control but instead Lesnar manages to regain half guard.

Echizen seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Echizen tries to pass to full mount but Lesnar defends it.
Echizen is trying to control. Lesnar wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Echizen is looking for a kimura but Lesnar is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Echizen to get the leverage.
Echizen uses his free foot to push down on Lesnar's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Lesnar.

Lesnar defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Echizen.
Echizen looks gassed!
Lesnar is squirming around, avoiding Echizen's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Echizen moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Lesnar has worked his arm free - good work by Lesnar!
Lesnar is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Echizen asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Echizen moves into full mount!
Echizen wants to control the pace but Lesnar is squirming around nicely.

Echizen goes for an armbar but Lesnar turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Lesnar.
Lesnar is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Echizen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lesnar can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brock Lesnar dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lesnar feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Echizen keeping moving, preventing Lesnar from controlling successfully.
Lesnar in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Echizen keeping moving, preventing Lesnar from controlling successfully.
Lesnar won't allow Echizen to sweep him here.
Lesnar landing with the ground and pound.
Lesnar tries to free his leg and advance position but Echizen is retaining full guard.
Echizen wants to get back to his feet but Lesnar is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Lesnar preventing the sweep.
Echizen is breathing heavily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Echizen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lesnar tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lesnar gets the takedown into side control.
Lesnar is looking to take a break and control but Echizen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Echizen tries to improve position but can't.
Lesnar tries to move into full mount but can't pass Echizen's legs.
Echizen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Echizen is trying to control Lesnar's posture but Lesnar avoids it.
Echizen tries to bench press Lesnar off him but Lesnar keeps the position.
Lesnar cracks Echizen with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Lesnar working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Echizen is looking for a sweep.
Echizen taking punishment in the form of punches.
Echizen is looking for a sweep.
Lesnar wants to lay and pray for a moment but Echizen keeps working.
Lesnar working the body and head with strikes.
Lesnar moves into full mount!
Lesnar landing punches.
Echizen tries to hold on but Lesnar pushes him away.
Lesnar lands with some strikes.
Echizen is in all sorts of trouble here.
Lesnar landing strikes from the mount.
Lesnar trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Echizen in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lesnar postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Echizen looks a forlorn figure.
Lesnar connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Lesnar looking to control but Echizen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Echizen is looking to get to half guard.
Lesnar landing strikes from the mount and Echizen is in trouble!
Lesnar breaks from Echizen's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Echizen's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Echizen is looking to improve his position but Lesnar isn't that keen on the idea.

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.
Lesnar working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Echizen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Lesnar looking to finish Echizen with some ground and pound. This is bad for Echizen!
Echizen tries to reverse the position but Lesnar maintains control.
Lesnar putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Lesnar looking to finish Echizen with some ground and pound. This is bad for Echizen!
A nice elbow there by Lesnar.
Lesnar lands a big elbow.
Echizen taking shots to the head.
Lesnar lands with some strikes.
Lesnar lands a heavy elbow.
Lesnar lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Echizen holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Lesnar tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brock Lesnar dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Echizen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Echizen is trying to work for a kimura but Lesnar is defending well.

Echizen wants to work for an arm triangle but Lesnar is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Echizen trying to mount his opponent but Lesnar defends it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Lesnar kicks Echizen off and gets back to his feet.
Echizen doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Lesnar decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Echizen's guard.
Echizen keeping moving, preventing Lesnar from controlling successfully.
Lesnar lands a couple of digs.
Lesnar tries to free his leg and advance position but Echizen is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Echizen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Echizen trying to mount his opponent but Lesnar defends it.
Lesnar is trying to stand back up but Echizen is controlling him
Echizen is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Echizen looking to control but Lesnar is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Lesnar squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

Echizen swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Lesnar is now in Echizen's guard. A big mistake from Echizen there, giving up the dominant position!
Lesnar works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Lesnar drops an elbow to the side of Echizen's head.
Lesnar is keen to just control but Echizen is a slippery customer.

Echizen actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Echizen is trying to stand.
Echizen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Lesnar is looking to stall here but Echizen recovers full guard.
Lesnar stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Echizen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Echizen working a defensive guard here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Echizen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Lesnar counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Echizen wants to get back to full guard.
Brock Lesnar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lesnar is pressing down on Echizen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Echizen is holding on for now.
Ryoma Echizen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brock Lesnar is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lesnar working the head and body with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brock Lesnar showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lesnar has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brock Lesnar!