PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Taylor Jack (ranked 256 p4p, 32 weight class) and Hitoshi Yoshida (ranked 407 p4p, 53 weight class). Jack kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Lucid Dreams. Yoshida comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Yoshida Brothers - Rising kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! 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.

Jack
vs
Yoshida

175 cm
24
150 lbs
14 - 4 - 0

170 cm
25
155 lbs
9 - 2 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

UnderGround Clothing Co.
Dark Knight Nutrition

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Taylor Jack!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Hitoshi Yoshida!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Sosuke Kotani and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A shot to the liver by Jack. Beautiful body shot.
Jack fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Yoshida checks it well.
Jack connects with the punch.
The crowd cheers as Jack lands an impressive looking overhand right. Yoshida doesn't seem phased though.
Yoshida scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Jack buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Jack uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yoshida.
Jack misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yoshida tries to clinch but Jack moves out of range.
Yoshida wants to clinch.
Jack tried to counter with a leg kick but Yoshida avoided it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jack dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Yoshida. That did some damage!
Jack looks to throw the jab but Yoshida is out of range.

Yoshida has managed to clinch.
Yoshida lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Yoshida tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Jack's elbow.
Jack scores with an uppercut up the middle.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Jack creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Yoshida pushes Jack back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Yoshida.
Yoshida prevents Jack from breaking the clinch.
Yoshida scores with a hook to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Jack.
A left hand lands to the body for Yoshida.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida blocks a body shot from Jack.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Yoshida is trying to maintain a safe position but Jack gets an underhook and turns Yoshida into the ropes.
Jack lands with a short shot to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jack working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Jack misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yoshida tries a body shot but Jack blocks it.
Yoshida can't get the takedown.
I was talking to Jack's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Jack lands with a light punch inside.
Jack blocks an uppercut.
Yoshida changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Jack fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Jack pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Jack gets caught napping as Yoshida dives in and scores a takedown. Jack manages to retain guard.
Yoshida postures up in Jack's guard and throws a big left but Jack blocks it.
Yoshida stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jack swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jack keeping moving, preventing Yoshida from controlling successfully.
Yoshida wants to pass the guard but Jack is keeping the position.
Yoshida wants to control from the top but Jack keeps moving.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Yoshida tries to free his leg and advance position but Jack is retaining full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Jack throws a solid leg kick but Yoshida takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Jack.
Yoshida throws a right hand that misses
and Jack counters with a left to the body.
Jack keeps the fight on the outside.
Jack connects with a single shot there.
Taylor Jack is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yoshida moves out of range as Jack strikes.
Yoshida just misses with a punch to the body.
Jack connects with a leg kick. Yoshida looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Yoshida tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jack swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Yoshida takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Jack moves out of range as Yoshida strikes.
As Yoshida backs away, Jack returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Yoshida walks into a straight right hand from Jack.
Yoshida throws a shot to the body.
Yoshida dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Yoshida defending well as Jack loads up on a big left hand.
Yoshida is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Jack turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A leg kick checked by Jack.
Yoshida ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Yoshida comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida moves forwards but Jack connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Jack moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Yoshida digs a good body shot into Jack's ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jack takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Yoshida slips under a jab.
Jack takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Jack throws a leg kick but Yoshida sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Yoshida wants to counter the offense by Jack and move into the clinch position.
Yoshida takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Yoshida fails to land the takedown.
Taylor Jack has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hitoshi Yoshida.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida tries for a takedown but Jack sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Yoshida moves out of range as Jack strikes.
Jack connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Yoshida momentarily.

Yoshida is rocked!
Jack throws an overhand right that lands on Yoshida's shoulder, as Yoshida tries to avoid the shot.
Yoshida is still on wobbly legs! Can Jack finish him?
Jack ducks under a wild hook from Yoshida.
Jack swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Yoshida seems to have recovered his senses.
Yoshida fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Jack manages to avoid it.
It looked like Jack was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Yoshida.
Yoshida with a hook.
Nice sprawl there from Jack as Yoshida shoots in.
Jack throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Yoshida stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Yoshida has closed the distance and engaged Jack in a clinch.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Jack breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jack keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yoshida shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Jack counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Jack wants to land a leg kick but Yoshida is out of range.
Yoshida changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Jack tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Yoshida was well out of range. Poor timing from Jack.
Jack keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Yoshida fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Jack, pushing him back against the ropes.

Jack breaks the clinch.
Jack throws a leg kick that misses.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Jack feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Yoshida's calf.
Jack swings for the body but Yoshida moves out of range.
Yoshida tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Jack paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Jack lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Yoshida has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Yoshida and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Jack throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Jack loads up on a big right hand but Yoshida slips the punch.
Jack dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Yoshida tries to score a power double leg takedown but Jack sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Yoshida somewhat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taylor Jack dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Yoshida gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Yoshida is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Jack rather than just go for the knockout.
Jack looks to score with a jab to the body but Yoshida is just out of range.
Yoshida changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Jack uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Yoshida.
Yoshida uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Jack.
Yoshida wants to counter with a clinch but Jack pushes him away.
Jack misses with an uppercut. Yoshida saw that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yoshida ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Jack moves away.
Yoshida connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Yoshida rushes Jack and presses him up against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshida tries to work over Jack's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Yoshida lands a hook to the side of the head.
Yoshida lands an uppercut.
Yoshida is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Jack misses with a punch on the inside.

Jack breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jack throws a solid leg kick but Yoshida takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Jack.
Yoshida is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Jack throws a leg kick but Yoshida moved away.
Jack misses with a low kick as Yoshida jumps back.
Yoshida takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Yoshida takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A big right from Yoshida misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jack buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A slow jab from Jack misses its intended target.
Jack ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Yoshida moves away.
Taylor Jack is winning the standup battle so far.
Yoshida changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Jack tries to avoid it but Yoshida manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Jack to the ground. Jack escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Yoshida slips under a jab.
Yoshida scores with a decent looking hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jack loads up on a big right hand but Yoshida slips the punch.
Yoshida is trying hard to land a takedown here. Jack sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Yoshida on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Jack. Jack obviously looking to wear him down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Jack manages to avoid it.
Jack feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Yoshida will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Taylor Jack has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hitoshi Yoshida.
Yoshida has his takedown stuffed
and Jack counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Jack displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yoshida throws out the jab.
Jack was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Yoshida connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Jack momentarily.
Yoshida throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Yoshida throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
As Yoshida backs away, Jack returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Jack lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Jack throws a big shot that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jack jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Yoshida steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Jack.
Yoshida lands a jab to Jack's midsection.
Jack is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yoshida can do to turn this around?
A leg kick checked by Yoshida.
And Yoshida tries to counter it with a takedown but Jack pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Jack cracks Yoshida with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the ropes! Yoshida falls to his knees and Jack doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Taylor Jack!
A very excited looking Taylor Jack made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.