PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Real Dragon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ichirai Hoshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Real Dragon looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Dragon
vs
Hoshi

180 cm
22
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Prefers standup

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Real Dragon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ichirai Hoshi!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hoshi doesn't manage to clinch there - Dragon circles away.
Dragon looks to clinch

and Hoshi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hoshi.
Hoshi is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Dragon using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Dragon holding his opponent close, against the ropes.

Dragon manages to break the clinch.
Dragon tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Hoshi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hoshi just misses with a punch to the body.

Dragon clinches with his opponent.
Hoshi is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Dragon gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Dragon scores a nice knee to the body.
Hoshi wants a takedown but no success here.
Hoshi on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Dragon landing knees to the head.

It looks like Ichirai Hoshi has been cut.
Dragon pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Hoshi goes for a takedown attempt but Dragon pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Real Dragon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ichirai Hoshi.
Hoshi looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dragon tries to clinch there but Hoshi circles away.

Hoshi tries to keep at a distance but Dragon has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hoshi trying to stall but Dragon improves his position.
Dragon leaning against his opponent.
Nice elbow from Dragon.
Nice elbow from Dragon.
Dragon tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Dragon displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hoshi up against the ropes.
Hoshi is trying to drag Dragon to the mat but Dragon just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
Hoshi wants to stall.

That's two 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.
Hoshi drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Dragon gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hoshi lands a shot to the body.

Dragon manages to break the clinch.
Dragon tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Hoshi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dragon darts in trying to clinch

and Hoshi counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hoshi being controlled here momentarily.

Dragon had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Hoshi is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Dragon Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Hoshi's back instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoshi tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

Dragon is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Hoshi drives through and clinches with Dragon against the ropes.
Dragon avoiding damage as Hoshi throws knees to the body.
Hoshi fails to pull guard.
Dragon lands a body punch in the clinch.
Dragon wants to break free but Hoshi has control.
Stalling in the clinch from Dragon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dragon breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Hoshi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Hoshi is keen to just control but Dragon is a slippery customer.
Hoshi takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Hoshi prevents Dragon from improving his position.
Dragon pushes Hoshi off looking to stand but Hoshi dives back in and keeps control.
Hoshi trying to mount his opponent but Dragon defends it.
Dragon is looking to control Hoshi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dragon avoid being mounted?
Hoshi lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Real Dragon will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ichirai Hoshi's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hoshi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Dragon working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hoshi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hoshi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
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.
Hoshi stays in close to Dragon's body and controls the position.
Hoshi trying to control but Dragon is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hoshi wants to get up but he can't break Dragon's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoshi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dragon swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Dragon is looking for a triangle but Hoshi pushes his legs off easily.
Hoshi trying to control the position from guard on top but Dragon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hoshi tries to clinch

and Dragon counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Dragon.
Hoshi is trying to break free.
Hoshi tries to pull guard but Dragon holds him up against the ropes and eventually Hoshi drops back down to his feet.
Dragon misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hoshi.
Dragon missing with knees to the body.
Hoshi wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hoshi is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Dragon misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hoshi.
Dragon taking a breather.
Hoshi is pushing Dragon up against the ropes, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Dragon wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hoshi can't break the clinch.
Dragon is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Hoshi wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dragon wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hoshi has him pressed against the ropes.
Hoshi wants to get back to striking at distance but Dragon won't allow it.
Hoshi has had enough of the clinch but Dragon keeps him there for the moment.

Hoshi jumps guard and drags Dragon to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Hoshi is adopting a defensive guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoshi looking to control.
Hoshi keeping moving, preventing Dragon from controlling successfully.
Dragon won't allow Hoshi to get back to his feet.
Hoshi trying to control the position here.
Dragon tries to free his leg and advance position but Hoshi is retaining full guard.
Dragon has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Dragon prevents Hoshi from getting back to his feet.
Hoshi is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Hoshi had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Dragon is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Hoshi Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Dragon's back instead.
Dragon tries to escape but Hoshi has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ichirai Hoshi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ichirai Hoshi's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hoshi forces Dragon back against the ropes and clinches.
Dragon tries to stall but Hoshi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Dragon seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Hoshi is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Dragon wants to get back to striking at distance but Hoshi won't allow it.
Hoshi is looking to control Dragon's arms but Dragon gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hoshi has his back to the ropes.

Dragon breaks the clinch.
Hoshi wants to clinch but Dragon slips to the side
and Dragon counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Hoshi is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Hoshi circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hoshi feints and as Dragon raises his hands in defense, Hoshi changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hoshi postures up and lands a big shot to Dragon's brow.
Hoshi won't allow Dragon to sweep him here.
Hoshi trying to control but Dragon is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoshi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dragon works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hoshi pushing down on Dragon's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Hoshi passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Dragon!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Hoshi looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Hoshi trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two 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.
Dragon working to try and regain half guard.
A nice elbow there by Hoshi.
Hoshi controlling the pace for now.
Hoshi wants to control the pace but Dragon is squirming around nicely.
Dragon working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoshi landing strikes from the mount.
Dragon has given up his back.
Dragon looking very determined here, making life difficult for Hoshi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
I really don't envy Dragon right now.
Hoshi slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

Hoshi is cranking Dragon's head sideways - that looks painful. He's managed to get his other arm under the chin and this looks bad for Dragon! He's tightened the choke and Dragon is tapping out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ichirai Hoshi!