PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Souta Itou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matej Vidacek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matej Vidacek has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Itou
vs
Vidacek

170 cm
25
170 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

180 cm
18
182 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Souta Itou!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matej Vidacek!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yukihiro Shimada and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Itou shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Itou showed some decent athleticism there.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Vidacek scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Itou manages to mount him!
Vidacek is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Itou looking to ground and pound but Vidacek is blocking nicely.
Vidacek throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Itou prevents Vidacek from getting the reversal.

Itou looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Vidacek tries to buck Itou off but he can't manage it.

Itou is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Vidacek is surviving well by controlling Itou's body position as best he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vidacek is wriggling around trying to escape.
Itou won't let Vidacek get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Vidacek tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Vidacek has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vidacek regains half guard.
Itou is breathing heavily.
Vidacek is trying to stand.
Vidacek is staying active underneath Itou, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Itou is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Itou is looking for a kimura but Vidacek is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Itou to get the leverage.
Vidacek wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Itou decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Vidacek throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Vidacek tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Itou paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Vidacek with a lazy takedown attempt

and Itou counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Itou.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Itou wants to stand but Vidacek has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vidacek is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Vidacek keeping moving, preventing Itou from controlling successfully.

Vidacek is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Vidacek pushes Itou off and scrambles back to his feet.
Vidacek stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Itou.
Itou tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Vidacek.
Itou looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Vidacek is fending him off so far but Itou persists. Nope, Vidacek circles away and we're back to standing.
Itou shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Itou blocks the leg kick.
Itou slaps away a takedown attempt from Vidacek, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Souta Itou has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matej Vidacek.

Itou gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Vidacek tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Itou avoids it.

Itou breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vidacek shoots and misses

and Itou counters with a takedown into side control.
Vidacek prevents Itou from moving into mount.
Vidacek is pushing Itou's head away, looking to escape. Itou manages to hold on to the position though.
Vidacek throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

Itou decides to stand back up. Itou steps back and let's Vidacek get back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Itou pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Vidacek tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Itou swivels and escapes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Itou misses with a head kick.

Itou dives in and scores a takedown into Vidacek's guard.
Itou throwing strikes but missing.

Vidacek throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Itou gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Itou tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Vidacek shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Itou as he jumps to the side.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Itou throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Vidacek was covering up waiting for the punch and Itou finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Itou is posturing up here but Vidacek has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Itou tries to roll out but it's too tight and Itou has to tap! Slick submission there by Vidacek!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Matej Vidacek!
Matej Vidacek decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.