PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hitoshi Yoshida (ranked 714 p4p, 82 weight class) and Bruce White Jr (ranked 1846 p4p, 195 weight class). Yoshida kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Yoshida Brothers - Rising. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Yoshida
vs
White Jr

170 cm
25
155 lbs
9 - 3 - 1

170 cm
23
155 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 1, fighting out of New York, Hitoshi Yoshida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bruce White Jr!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Richard Clark and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yoshida gets a clinch.
White Jr tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
White Jr wants to break the clinch but can't.
Yoshida tries for a takedown. No joy.

Yoshida wants the takedown. White Jr is fighting it off but Yoshida persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in White Jr's guard against the cage.
White Jr keeping moving, preventing Yoshida from controlling successfully.

Yoshida is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
White Jr pulls Yoshida in to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White Jr is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshida trying to control but White Jr is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A telegraphed right hand from Yoshida misses the target.
White Jr swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Yoshida attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
White Jr has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Yoshida is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Yoshida scores with a jab to the head.
Nice sprawl there from Yoshida as White Jr shoots in.
White Jr takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

White Jr rushes Yoshida and presses him up against the cage.
Yoshida working aggressively here.
Yoshida gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from White Jr.
White Jr misses with an elbow over the top.
Yoshida pressing his opponent against the cage.
White Jr is trying to break the clinch but Yoshida has him pressed against the cage.

White Jr decides to pull guard.
White Jr trying to keep a closed guard but Yoshida is proving a slippery customer.
Yoshida looking to pass the guard.
White Jr working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Yoshida.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida forces his way into half guard.
Yoshida stalling away here and it's allowed White Jr to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Yoshida looking to pass the guard.
Yoshida landing with the ground and pound.
White Jr keeping full guard, as Yoshida tries to pass.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as White Jr holds on and takes a little breather.

That's four 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.
Yoshida trying to control the position from guard on top but White Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
White Jr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Yoshida pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. White Jr is keeping the position for now.
White Jr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yoshida looking to pass the guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hitoshi Yoshida dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Yoshida decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Yoshida is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Yoshida is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Yoshida trying to pass the guard but White Jr defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White Jr trying to control but Yoshida postures up.
White Jr wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshida trying to control the action but White Jr is working from the bottom.
White Jr wants to improve his position but Yoshida is controlling well.
White Jr won't allow Yoshida to pass to mount.
White Jr wants to control but Yoshida is keeping busy.
Yoshida is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that White Jr can do to turn this around?
Yoshida is trying to control the action in half guard but White Jr is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

White Jr has closed the distance and engaged Yoshida in a clinch.
Yoshida misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Yoshida tries a body shot but White Jr blocks it.
White Jr softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Yoshida as the two fighters clinch.
White Jr throws an elbow but it's blocked.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
White Jr looking for a takedown.
White Jr lands a left hand.
Yoshida tries to throw a body punch but White Jr avoids it by throwing Yoshida back against the cage.
Yoshida misses with a hook from the clinch.
White Jr throws a head punch that misses.
Yoshida is stalling here.
Yoshida drops to a knee looking for a takedown but White Jr gets the underhooks and prevents it.

White Jr jumps guard.
White Jr can't keep his opponent in guard - Yoshida advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Yoshida thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida wants to control but White Jr is keeping him busy.
White Jr works his way to full guard. Good work.
Yoshida stopping the sweep attempt from White Jr.
Yoshida trying to control but White Jr is working from the bottom.
Yoshida is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because White Jr is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
White Jr is pulling down on Yoshida's head to control his posture.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Yoshida goes for a double leg but White Jr avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as White Jr continues to drive forward.
Yoshida keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from White Jr.
White Jr tries to clinch there but Yoshida circles away.

Yoshida closes the distance and pushes White Jr back into the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Yoshida is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yoshida tried to land a shot to the body but connects with White Jr's elbow.
White Jr misses with an elbow over the top.
Yoshida working some nice short punches in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hitoshi Yoshida dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

White Jr shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Yoshida as he avoids it easily.
White Jr dives in and grabs Yoshida's left leg, looking for a takedown. Yoshida pushes down on White Jr's head and hops out.
Yoshida ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Yoshida takes a shot right to the bread basket.
White Jr misses with a looping right.

Yoshida shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches White Jr napping and manages to drive through into side control!
White Jr can't do much from the bottom here.
White Jr manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
White Jr with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Yoshida is staying active underneath White Jr, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Yoshida wants to improve his position but White Jr is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White Jr throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
White Jr throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
White Jr throws a strike but Yoshida avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yoshida has White Jr pulled in close to control his posture.

Yoshida throws his legs up looking for a submission but White Jr uses it to pass to side control.
Yoshida is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Yoshida manages to work his way to half guard, despite White Jr's best efforts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

White Jr is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Yoshida is just riding it out for now. White Jr eventually gives up the hold.

White Jr is working for a kimura but Yoshida is defending it quite comfortably.
White Jr is looking to stall here but Yoshida recovers full guard.
White Jr pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yoshida is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

White Jr avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
White Jr trying to control but Yoshida is working from the bottom.
Bruce White Jr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

White Jr got a little sloppy there for a moment and Yoshida has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, White Jr has managed to get both his arms back between Yoshida's legs - danger averted.
White Jr pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yoshida is keeping the position for now.
Yoshida looking to control.
White Jr makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Yoshida looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

White Jr lying in Yoshida's guard like a wet fish here, stalling away. Yoshida decides he's had enough of all that nonsense - he escapes his hips and locks up an armbar! Wow, that was slick! White Jr taps! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Hitoshi Yoshida!
Hitoshi Yoshida thanked the fans post fight for their support.