PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sarah Northcote (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tetsu Ishida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sarah Northcote has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Northcote
vs
Ishida

165 cm
21
138 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

167 cm
22
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers standup

FIT FOR LIFE
FIT FOR LIFE

ZSTAR

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sarah Northcote!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tetsu Ishida!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Felipe Paraventi and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Northcote throws a hook but Ishida blocks it.

Northcote shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Northcote tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ishida knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Northcote trying to control the action but Ishida is working from the bottom.
Northcote missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Northcote is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ishida defends it well.
Ishida desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Northcote has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Northcote is keen to just control but Ishida is a slippery customer.
Ishida trying to control from the bottom.
Ishida keeping control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ishida pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ishida lands with a kick to the ribs.
Nice sprawl there from Ishida as Northcote shoots in.
Northcote is breathing heavily.
Ishida connects with a solid leg kick.
Sarah Northcote seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ishida goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

A big head kick from Ishida and Northcote is sent sprawling to the canvas!

It looks like Sarah Northcote has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ishida not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Northcote looking for a sweep. Not yet Northcote, not yet.
Ishida content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Northcote throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Ishida showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Northcote working for submissions but it's allowed Ishida to get to half guard.

Northcote looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ishida not doing much here.

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

Northcote looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Ishida is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ishida wants to control but Northcote is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ishida is refusing to be controlled, as Northcote sits in half guard.
Ishida keeping hold of Northcote's head, controlling as best he can.
Ishida keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ishida makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ishida.
Northcote is fighting to break Ishida's control of his arms but Ishida is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tetsu Ishida dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sarah Northcote's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A head kick from Ishida lands but Northcote takes it in his stride.

Northcote fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ishida sprawls well initially but Northcote persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ishida is controlling Northcote's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Northcote wants to pass to mount but Ishida is defending the position.
Ishida is trying to control but can't.
Ishida keeps control of the position for the meantime.

Despite being in the dominant position, Tetsu Ishida just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ishida throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Northcote wants to slow Ishida down by chopping away at his legs.

Northcote closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Northcote in side control, throwing shots but Ishida defends.
Northcote has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Ishida!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishida wants to control but Northcote is having none of it.
Northcote looking to control but Ishida is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ishida tries to lock up and control but Northcote gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ishida is in all sorts of trouble here.

Northcote goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Ishida turns into him and now he's in Northcote's guard.
Ishida is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Northcote is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ishida is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ishida passes easily into side control. Nice work.
You can see the frustration on Northcote's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Northcote tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Ishida easily slips into full mount!
Ishida takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Ishida 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.
Ishida trying to control but Northcote is having none of it.
Ishida takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ishida can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Northcote is looking to escape.

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

Northcote drives through and clinches with Ishida against the cage.
Ishida keeps control of Northcote as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's four 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.
Northcote can't break the clinch.
Northcote tries to score a body lock takedown but Ishida shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ishida blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Ishida breaks from the clinch.
Northcote blocks the body kick.
Ishida misses with a low kick as Northcote jumps back.

Northcote darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ishida trying to hold on to Northcote's head to control him but Northcote postures up.
Northcote trying to control from half guard but Ishida is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sarah Northcote dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sarah Northcote's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Northcote blocks a leg kick.
Northcote shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ishida pinned against the cage. Ishida gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ishida misses with a low kick.
Ishida will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Northcote checks a leg kick.
Northcote shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ishida as he avoids it easily.
Ishida walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Northcote checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ishida.
Ishida fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Northcote.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ishida closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Ishida is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Northcote will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Northcote tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ishida wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishida wants to control but Northcote is keeping him busy.
Northcote tries to buck Ishida off but Ishida is having none of it.
Northcote regains half guard.
Northcote is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ishida's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ishida's back!
Ishida avoids the strikes from Northcote.

Northcote patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Ishida showing good submission defense here.

Ishida is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Ishida has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Northcote.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ishida holding both Northcote 's hands and preventing any damage.
Northcote wants to control but Ishida is keeping busy.
Ishida trying to control the hands but Northcote won't let him.
Northcote loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Ishida hold on?
Northcote trying to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ishida avoids the strikes from Northcote.

Northcote patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Northcote is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Ishida has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Northcote trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Ishida manages to reverse the position and now he's in Northcote's guard. Nice work there by Ishida.
Northcote trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Ishida tries to land a leg kick but Northcote saw it coming and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ishida tries a head kick but it misses.
Ishida misses with a head kick.

Northcote feints and as Ishida raises his hands in defense, Northcote changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Northcote pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ishida is keeping the position for now.

Northcote drops back looking for a leg! Ishida is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ishida manages to kick Northcote off! Northcote jumps back into Ishida's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Northcote accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ishida controls Northcote momentarily but Northcote frees himself.
Northcote wants to control from the top but Ishida keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tetsu Ishida.
I think Ishida 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tetsu Ishida!