PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Chris Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maricio Takiyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michaels comes to the cage accompanied by All of the Lights. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Michaels
vs
Takiyama

166 cm
18
145 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

178 cm
23
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Chris Michaels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Maricio Takiyama!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michaels keeps the fight on the outside.
Michaels misses with a double jab
and Takiyama counters with a thumping low kick.
Takiyama stalks Michaels and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Michaels's face. Michaels staggers backwards, shaken.
Takiyama loads up on a big right hand but Michaels slips the punch.
Maricio Takiyama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takiyama fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Takiyama clinches with his opponent.
Takiyama goes for a takedown attempt but Michaels pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Michaels misses with a two punch combination.
Michaels fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Michaels fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takiyama fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Chris Michaels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maricio Takiyama.
Takiyama connects with a body shot that sends Michaels's belly button to the back.
Takiyama misses with a takedown
and Michaels counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Michaels. No joy for Takiyama on that attempt.
Michaels cracks Takiyama with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Takiyama misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sloppy strikes from Michaels. Those never looked like landing.
Takiyama dodges the punch combination from Michaels.
Michaels throws a right and a left that Takiyama avoids nicely.

Michaels forces Takiyama back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michaels tries to circle away but Takiyama has him pinned against the cage.
Michaels tries to break free but Takiyama pushes him back against the cage.
Michaels wants to break the clinch but can't.
A frustrated look appears on Michaels's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Takiyama just leaning against Michaels, taking a breather.
Takiyama jumps guard but Michaels turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Takiyama has Michaels pressed against the cage, preventing Michaels from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Takiyama changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Michaels fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A punch combination from Michaels misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takiyama shoots in but Michaels avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takiyama fails with a takedown attempt.
Takiyama looks winded!
Nice defenses there by Takiyama.
Michaels misses with a few strikes there.
Chris Michaels is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Takiyama tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Michaels paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A combination from Michaels does no damage.
Michaels displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Takiyama.
Michaels fails to land with a series of punches.
Michaels lands a two punch combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takiyama is trying hard to land a takedown here. Michaels sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Michaels misses with a jab, cross combination.
Michaels looks to land a combination but Takiyama avoids it well.
Takiyama shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Michaels as he avoids it easily.
Takiyama fails with an attempt to clinch.
Michaels scores with a nice head shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Michaels throws a nice looking combination but Takiyama bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Michaels does no damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Michaels misses with a series of wild punches.
Michaels swinging wildly here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Michaels dominated that round.
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.

Michaels's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Michaels duly obliges.
Michaels will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Michaels looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Takiyama is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Takiyama has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Michaels.
Takiyama looks for a takedown but Michaels sprawls well.
Takiyama tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Michaels swivels and escapes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels fails to land with a series of punches.
Michaels dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Takiyama showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Michaels.
Takiyama is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Michaels throws a right and a left that Takiyama avoids nicely.
Chris Michaels is winning the standup battle so far.
Takiyama doesn't manage to clinch there - Michaels circles away.
Michaels is looking to slow Takiyama down with leg kicks.
Left hook, right uppercut from Michaels.
A slow jab from Takiyama misses its intended target.
Michaels misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Takiyama closes this distance looking for a takedown but Michaels circles away.
Chris Michaels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maricio Takiyama.
Takiyama is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Michaels misses.
Takiyama looks for a takedown but Michaels sprawls well.
Takiyama will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Takiyama showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Michaels.
Michaels finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Takiyama is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Takiyama gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Michaels.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takiyama tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takiyama is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Michaels.
Takiyama showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Michaels.
Takiyama shoots in but Michaels avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Takiyama avoids a punch combination nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Michaels looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Michaels tries to clinch up but Takiyama circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Takiyama.
Takiyama swats away the attempt to clinch by Michaels.
Takiyama dodges the punch combination from Michaels.
A bone on bone clash there as Takiyama blocks the leg kick.

Takiyama closes the distance and pushes Michaels back into the cage.
Michaels gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Takiyama.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Michaels working hard to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Takiyama has managed to clinch.
Michaels looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Michaels wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Takiyama has him pressed against the cage.

Takiyama breaks the clinch.
Michaels checks the leg kick.
Takiyama throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Takiyama fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Takiyama shoots in but no luck this time.
Takiyama showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Michaels.
Takiyama fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takiyama tries for a takedown but Michaels circles away easily
and Michaels cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Chris Michaels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maricio Takiyama.
Takiyama takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Michaels fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Takiyama looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Michaels looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Michaels throws a series of punches but Takiyama avoids them all with ease.
Michaels misses with a few strikes there.
Michaels swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Takiyama blocks a head kick by Michaels.
Nice sprawl there from Michaels as Takiyama shoots in.
Takiyama tries to score a power double leg takedown but Michaels sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Takiyama somewhat.
Takiyama doesn't manage to clinch there - Michaels circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michaels lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Michaels.
Takiyama tries to clinch there but Michaels circles away.
Takiyama tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Michaels manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Takiyama slips a jab and a cross from Michaels.
Michaels throws a series of punches but Takiyama avoids them all with ease.
A combination from Michaels does no damage.
Takiyama fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Michaels misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Michaels misses with a double jab
and Takiyama counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Michaels throws a series of punches but Takiyama avoids them all with ease.
Michaels lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Takiyama takes a shot right to the bread basket.
A combination from Takiyama does no damage.
Michaels stalks Takiyama and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Takiyama's face. Takiyama staggers backwards, shaken.
Michaels slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Takiyama forces Michaels back against the cage and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels wants to get back to striking at distance but Takiyama won't allow it.
Michaels is trying to break the clinch but Takiyama has him pressed against the cage.
Michaels gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Takiyama.
Michaels tries to break free but Takiyama pushes him back against the cage.
Takiyama keeps control of Michaels as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Takiyama goes for a takedown attempt but Michaels pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Michaels, as that shot connected.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Michaels showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Michaels 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Michaels!
A relieved looking Chris Michaels thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.