PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hayato Kitaoka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akami Masaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kitaoka
vs
Masaka

182 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
19
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hayato Kitaoka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akami Masaka!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Masaka fails to land the takedown.
Kitaoka tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Kitaoka scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Masaka takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
You can see the frustration on Masaka's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kitaoka scores with punches from side control.
Masaka can't do much from the bottom here.
Masaka looking for a sweep but Kitaoka has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Masaka wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Kitaoka is riding his opponent, not letting Masaka buck him off.
Masaka just trying to survive but Kitaoka is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Masaka fending off the submission attempt from Kitaoka.
Masaka tries to escape the position.
Masaka rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Kitaoka seems to be working for a kimura but Masaka defends the submission attempt.
Masaka is trying to stand back up but Kitaoka is controlling him
Masaka controlling the position for now.
Masaka slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Masaka pushes Kitaoka off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Kitaoka is breathing heavily.
Masaka cracks the inside of Kitaoka's front leg.
Masaka shoots and misses

and Kitaoka counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Masaka looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Kitaoka puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kitaoka prevents Masaka from improving his position.

Masaka actively working from the bottom here.

Kitaoka decides to stand up.

Masaka rushes Kitaoka and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Masaka looking for a takedown.
Hayato Kitaoka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Akami Masaka.
Masaka is working for takedown but Kitaoka is calmly controlling the position for now.
Masaka lands a hook that snaps the head of Kitaoka backwards.
Masaka misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kitaoka.
Kitaoka has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Masaka avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masaka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Masaka using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kitaoka has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Masaka lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Masaka tries for a takedown but Kitaoka manages to get underhooks.

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

Masaka bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Masaka decides to stand back up.

Kitaoka changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Masaka looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Kitaoka decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Masaka throws a leg kick

and Kitaoka holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Masaka throws an elbow that misses.
Kitaoka tries to pull guard but Masaka holds him up against the cage and eventually Kitaoka drops back down to his feet.
Kitaoka manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Kitaoka wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Kitaoka breaks from the clinch.

Kitaoka shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Masaka tries to lock up and control but Kitaoka gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kitaoka controlling the position easily from mount.
Kitaoka tries to control but Masaka wriggling away.
Masaka wants to control but Kitaoka is having none of it.
Masaka is looking to get to half guard.
Kitaoka content just to control the position here.
Masaka is looking to improve his position but Kitaoka isn't that keen on the idea.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kitaoka controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hayato Kitaoka dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kitaoka closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kitaoka lands in his opponent's guard.
Kitaoka trying to control the position from guard on top but Masaka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Masaka wants to sweep but no luck.
Kitaoka controls from within his opponent's guard.
Masaka utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Masaka keeping moving, preventing Kitaoka from controlling successfully.
Kitaoka postures up.
Masaka wants to stand but Kitaoka is controlling the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masaka looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hayato Kitaoka overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kitaoka tries for a takedown but Masaka circles away easily

and Masaka counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Masaka.

Masaka manages to pull guard.
Masaka wants to stand but Kitaoka is controlling the position.

Masaka pushes Kitaoka off and scrambles back to his feet.

Kitaoka takes the fight into the clinch.

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

Kitaoka drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kitaoka has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Masaka can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kitaoka controls the pace.
Kitaoka keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Masaka's head.

Kitaoka stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masaka has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Hayato Kitaoka is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Kitaoka changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Masaka looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Masaka is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Masaka can't do much from the bottom here.
Kitaoka happy to just control the position for now.
Masaka is looking to regain half guard here but Kitaoka keeps moving and retains side control.
Kitaoka working away.
Masaka is trying to keep from getting into a worse position than he's already in but Masaka is working away and isn't letting himself get tied up.
Masaka manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Masaka passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kitaoka!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masaka forces the positional change into back control.
Masaka is punishing Kitaoka with strikes - can he finish him?!
Masaka is not going to allow Kitaoka to sit and survive in this position.
Masaka tries to keep control of the position but Kitaoka is staying busy.
Masaka is controlling the position but Kitaoka somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.

Kitaoka has one foot on Masaka's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Kitaoka tries to clinch up.
Masaka fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kitaoka.
Kitaoka lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kitaoka looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Masaka looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Kitaoka pushes past his half guard into mount!
Masaka tries to hold on but Kitaoka pushes him away.
Kitaoka scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Masaka?
Masaka tries to reverse the position but Kitaoka maintains control.
Masaka is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Masaka is wriggling around trying to escape.
Masaka regains half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Masaka looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Masaka is refusing to be controlled, as Kitaoka sits in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The fight stays on the outside here - Masaka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice takedown defense from Masaka. No joy for Kitaoka on that attempt.
Akami Masaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Masaka tries to clinch but Kitaoka moves away
enabling Kitaoka to counter with a crisp jab.

Masaka looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kitaoka!
Masaka has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kitaoka's face.
Masaka mounts Kitaoka! Really nice guard pass there!

Masaka is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Masaka takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Masaka stuffs the takedown attempt from Kitaoka. Kitaoka gets slowly back to his feet.
Masaka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kitaoka tries to clinch up
and Masaka counters with a slapping leg kick.

Kitaoka scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Masaka's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kitaoka tries to move into full mount but can't pass Masaka's legs.
Masaka being controlled for a moment.
Masaka manages to get back to half guard.
Kitaoka prevents Masaka from standing back up.
Masaka is trying to control but Kitaoka manages to pass to mount!
Masaka slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Masaka gets full guard.
Kitaoka won't allow Masaka to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masaka keeping full guard, as Kitaoka tries to pass.
Kitaoka has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Masaka is proving hard to escape from.
Kitaoka pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Masaka is keeping the position for now.
Masaka throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Masaka controls Kitaoka momentarily but Kitaoka frees himself.
Kitaoka won't allow Masaka to sweep him here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Masaka stuffs the takedown attempt from Kitaoka. Kitaoka gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hayato Kitaoka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Masaka takes one to the side of the head.

Masaka scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Masaka tries to advance to mount but can't.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Masaka tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Kitaoka keeps Masaka under control for a moment.
Kitaoka tries to buck Masaka off but Masaka is having none of it.

Masaka wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kitaoka, who protects the arm well.

Masaka is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kitaoka has escaped the position, nice work there.
Masaka trying to control the action but Kitaoka is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Masaka has hold of Kitaoka's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Kitaoka seems comfortable defending it but Masaka has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Kitaoka is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Kitaoka is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Masaka couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:14 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Akami Masaka!