PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ichiro Takahashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Gambacorto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takahashi comes to the cage accompanied by Gettō De ゲットーで. Ichiro Takahashi has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Takahashi
vs
Gambacorto

175 cm
21
169 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

173 cm
24
168 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Conviction

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ichiro Takahashi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mark Gambacorto!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Hirohito Nitta and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gambacorto misses with a head kick.
Gambacorto checks a leg kick.
Takahashi lands a nice looking kick to the body. Gambacorto takes a step back to recover.
Takahashi takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Takahashi fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Gambacorto is out of range.
Takahashi scores with a three punch combo!
Gambacorto throws a head kick but Takahashi moves out of range.
Takahashi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gambacorto blocks a head kick by Takahashi.

Gambacorto pushes Takahashi up against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Takahashi fails to land.
Gambacorto pressing his opponent against the cage.
Takahashi is working for takedown but Gambacorto is calmly controlling the position for now.
Takahashi misses with a punch to the body.
Gambacorto blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gambacorto pushes off an throws an elbow but Takahashi leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takahashi working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Gambacorto prevents a body shot from Takahashi.
Gambacorto goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Takahashi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Takahashi avoids a wild elbow strike from Gambacorto.
Takahashi misses with a punch to the body.
A short uppercut from Gambacorto.
Takahashi using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Gambacorto has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Gambacorto working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Gambacorto's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mark Gambacorto is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gambacorto moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
A head kick from Gambacorto lands but Takahashi takes it in his stride.

It looks like Ichiro Takahashi has been cut.
Takahashi misses with a leg kick.
Takahashi changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A punch lands to the side of Gambacorto 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gambacorto sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi misses with an uppercut
and Gambacorto counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gambacorto scores with a nice body kick.
Gambacorto cracks Takahashi with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Takahashi swats away the attempt to clinch by Gambacorto.
Gambacorto misses with a combination
and Takahashi counters with a low kick, right behind Gambacorto 's knee.
Takahashi turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gambacorto looks for the body kick but Takahashi saw that one coming.
Takahashi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Gambacorto throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Gambacorto tries to score with a low kick but Takahashi moves his leg out of the way.
Gambacorto keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Takahashi.
Takahashi motions for Gambacorto to come forward. Takahashi throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Gambacorto throws a big shot that misses.
Takahashi throws a solid leg kick but Gambacorto takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Takahashi.
Gambacorto moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gambacorto fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Takahashi.

Gambacorto gets caught napping as Takahashi dives in and scores a takedown. Gambacorto manages to retain guard.
Takahashi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gambacorto swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Takahashi trying to control the position from guard on top but Gambacorto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Takahashi looking to sit in guard and control but Gambacorto gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gambacorto is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi keeping moving, preventing Gambacorto from controlling successfully.

Ichiro Takahashi has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Takahashi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A big right from Gambacorto misses.
Gambacorto lands with a nice body punch.
Gambacorto fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gambacorto connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Mark Gambacorto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gambacorto misses with a few strikes there.
Takahashi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gambacorto throws a right and a left that both miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mark Gambacorto will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ichiro Takahashi's cut.
That's time! Takahashi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Takahashi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gambacorto works over Takahashi's head and body with a nice combination.
Takahashi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gambacorto manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gambacorto does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Takahashi moves in looking to clinch but Gambacorto pushes him off.
Gambacorto tries to close the distance and clinch but Takahashi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gambacorto throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Takahashi is looking to land body kicks.
Takahashi misses with a straight left.
Gambacorto tries a head kick but it misses.
Gambacorto moves in looking to clinch but Takahashi pushes him off.
No joy there for Takahashi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gambacorto looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gambacorto lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Takahashi circles away quickly and effectively.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Takahashi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gambacorto.
Takahashi blocks a head kick by Gambacorto.
Gambacorto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gambacorto lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Mark Gambacorto seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gambacorto throws a right hand that Takahashi ducks under and follows up with a left that Takahashi also avoids with ease.
Gambacorto lands with a nice body punch.
Gambacorto swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gambacorto lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Gambacorto throws a solid leg kick but Takahashi takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Gambacorto.
Takahashi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Gambacorto misses with a body shot.
Gambacorto goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Takahashi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Takahashi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gambacorto avoids it.
Gambacorto lands an elbow inside that Takahashi shrugs off.
Takahashi blocks an elbow strike from Gambacorto.
Gambacorto is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A hook to the body from Takahashi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Gambacorto throws an elbow that misses.
Gambacorto struggles to land a body shot inside as Takahashi controls his hands.
Gambacorto tries to circle away but Takahashi has him pinned against the cage.
Gambacorto throws a punch but it's blocked by Takahashi.
Gambacorto blocks an uppercut.
Takahashi lands a body shot in the clinch.
Takahashi just leaning against Gambacorto, taking a breather.
Takahashi lands a good knee to the midsection. Gambacorto won't want to take too many of those.
Gambacorto scores with a hook to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Gambacorto throws an elbow but misses.
Takahashi landing knees to the head.
A right hook to the body lands for Takahashi.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gambacorto.
Takahashi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Takahashi softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Takahashi lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gambacorto creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Gambacorto tries to work over Takahashi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Takahashi pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Gambacorto blocks a body shot from Takahashi.
Takahashi tries to land knees in the clinch but Gambacorto avoids the damage to the body.
Gambacorto misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Takahashi.
Gambacorto can't find room to land a body shot as Takahashi controls the action.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Takahashi is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gambacorto is defending well for now.
Gambacorto working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Gambacorto misses with a punch to the body.
Gambacorto wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gambacorto tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Takahashi's elbow.
Takahashi is working for takedown but Gambacorto is calmly controlling the position for now.
Gambacorto blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gambacorto tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Takahashi keeps control of Gambacorto as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A head punch on the inside from Takahashi fails to land.
Gambacorto tries to stall but Takahashi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Gambacorto is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Takahashi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gambacorto can't break the clinch.
Gambacorto looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Takahashi digs a right hand into Gambacorto's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gambacorto's gas tank.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gambacorto can't break the clinch.
Takahashi trying to land knees to the body.
Takahashi can't find room to land a body shot as Gambacorto controls the action.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gambacorto lands a shoulder strike.
Takahashi has Gambacorto pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gambacorto manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Gambacorto breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gambacorto avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mark Gambacorto will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ichiro Takahashi's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gambacorto tries to close the distance and clinch but Takahashi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gambacorto lands a two punch combo.
Gambacorto misses with a combination
and Takahashi counters with a low kick, right behind Gambacorto 's knee.
Gambacorto thuds his shin into the meat of Takahashi's side.
Takahashi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gambacorto.
Gambacorto throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Takahashi lands a high kick!
Gambacorto swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Gambacorto works over Takahashi's head and body with a nice combination.
Gambacorto throws a nice looking combination but Takahashi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Takahashi takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Gambacorto misses with a wild combination.
No joy there for Gambacorto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Takahashi just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gambacorto looks to land a combination. Takahashi sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Takahashi darts in trying to clinch

and Gambacorto counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Takahashi blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A short body shot lands from Takahashi as the two fighters clinch.
Takahashi lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ichiro Takahashi has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Takahashi working aggressively here.
Takahashi lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Gambacorto backwards.
A right hook to the body lands for Takahashi.
Takahashi scores with a knee to the head.
Takahashi landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Gambacorto takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Takahashi misses with a body punch.
Takahashi creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Gambacorto manages to break the clinch.
Takahashi throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gambacorto stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Nice body punch from Gambacorto.
Takahashi punishes Gambacorto's body with a nice straight punch.
Takahashi throws a leg kick but Gambacorto sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Mark Gambacorto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Takahashi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Gambacorto takes a knee right on the jaw!

Gambacorto breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Takahashi throws a nice outside leg kick.
Takahashi lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Gambacorto checks a low kick from Takahashi.
Takahashi is looking to land body kicks.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Takahashi.
Takahashi scores with a jab. Gambacorto acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Gambacorto motions for Takahashi to come forward. Gambacorto throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Takahashi connects with a solid leg kick.
Gambacorto slips a jab and a cross from Takahashi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Gambacorto. Those never looked like landing.
Takahashi looks for the body kick but Gambacorto saw that one coming.
Takahashi lands a leg kick that knocks Gambacorto off balance momentarily.
Gambacorto avoids the body shot from Takahashi.
A lazy left from Takahashi finds it's target.
Takahashi misses with a body kick.
Takahashi throws a body kick that misses.
Gambacorto misses with a wild combination.
Takahashi looks for the body kick but Gambacorto saw that one coming.
Gambacorto walks into a jab.
Takahashi takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Gambacorto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Takahashi throws a push kick but Gambacorto slaps the foot to one side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gambacorto tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Takahashi manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gambacorto sizes up Takahashi with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Takahashi connects with a leg kick. Gambacorto looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Gambacorto has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mark Gambacorto is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takahashi lands a nice knee to the body.
Takahashi misses with some punches.
Gambacorto prevents a body shot from Takahashi.
Takahashi throws an elbow that misses.
Takahashi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gambacorto.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gambacorto wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Takahashi pushes off an throws an elbow but Gambacorto leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ichiro Takahashi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Takahashi blocks an elbow strike from Gambacorto.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ichiro Takahashi showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gambacorto has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Gambacorto!
Mark Gambacorto made sure to mention his sponsor, 1337 ANZAC in his post fight interview.