PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Diego Hageman (ranked 3859 p4p, 1063 weight class) and Jubei Akechi (ranked 426 p4p, 142 weight class). 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.

Hageman
vs
Akechi

172 cm
42
164
26 - 19 - 1

182 cm
27
159
12 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Very strong

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 19 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Diego Hageman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jubei Akechi!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Gwen Towbar and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Akechi takes a swing at Hageman's ribcage but misses.
Akechi comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Akechi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hageman looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Akechi looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Hageman is avoiding damage well.
Akechi lands an elbow.
Akechi working the ground and pound from side control.
Hageman is not content to let Akechi control the position.
Akechi in side control, throwing shots but Hageman defends.
Akechi cracks Hageman with a big elbow.
Hageman avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Akechi.
Hageman is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Akechi's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hageman keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Akechi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Akechi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hageman defending well though.
Akechi lands strikes from half guard.
Akechi working the head and body with strikes.
Akechi tries to pass to full mount but Hageman defends it.
Hageman is staying active underneath Akechi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Akechi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Akechi working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akechi is keen to just control but Hageman is a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Akechi works his way into full mount!
Akechi working the ground and pound effectively.
Hageman is squirming around, avoiding Akechi's attempts to control the action.
Akechi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Hageman working to try and regain half guard.
Akechi scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hageman?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akechi landing strikes from the mount.
Akechi pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Akechi with a couple of short strikes.
A nice elbow there by Akechi.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Akechi cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Hageman is in a horrible position here. Akechi smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Akechi with shots to the head and body - Hageman looks very uncomfortable down there.

Hageman is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Akechi misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Akechi scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hageman?
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.
Akechi working Hageman over with strikes here.
Akechi lands a couple of good shots and Hageman has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Akechi trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Akechi throwing damaging strikes from the back! Hageman could be in trouble here!
Our spies down at at Rings Russia inform us that Akechi has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Akechi wants to control the position but Hageman frees himself and scrambles - Akechi manages to regain control in side control.
Akechi is looking to take a break and control but Hageman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Akechi works to advance to full mount. Hageman defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Akechi pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jubei Akechi dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Akechi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

It looks like Diego Hageman has been cut.
Akechi moves out of range of the body kick from Hageman.
Nice shot lands for Akechi.

Hageman rushes Akechi and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Akechi lands a left hand.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hageman.

Akechi has picked Hageman up - he's going for a ride! Akechi dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Akechi lands strikes from half guard.
Akechi scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Akechi lands with a punch from half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hageman is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Akechi's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Akechi's back!
You can see the frustration on Akechi's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Akechi defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Hageman's arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akechi can't escape the position.

Hageman is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Akechi is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Akechi breaks Hageman's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Akechi throws a big elbow that misses.
Hageman keeping moving, preventing Akechi from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akechi throws a big elbow that misses.
Akechi postures up in Hageman's guard and throws a big left but Hageman blocks it.
Akechi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Akechi wants to pass the guard but Hageman is keeping the position.
Akechi scoring with some ground and pound.
Hageman has momentary wrist control but Akechi slips an elbow through the middle.
Jubei Akechi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Akechi trying to control but Hageman is working from the bottom.
Akechi lands a couple of elbows.

Hageman has his foot on Akechi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Akechi works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hageman can't keep his opponent in guard - Akechi advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Akechi is stalling here. Hageman is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Akechi seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Hageman has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Akechi is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Hageman off and has taken his back!
Hageman is covering up but some of the strikes from Akechi are getting through and doing damage.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Akechi's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Akechi.
Akechi scores with punches from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hageman tries to roll but Akechi sticks to his back.
Akechi is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Hageman. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

Diego Hageman's cut is getting worse.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Akechi trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Hageman doesn't escape.
Akechi is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Akechi.
Akechi has Hageman flattened out and is raining down punches.
Oh Hageman is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hageman wants to get back to his feet.
Hageman seems to have got his legs back now.
Akechi lands shots from the back.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jubei Akechi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Diego Hageman's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Akechi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Akechi with a nice head shot there.
Akechi works over Hageman with some ground and pound from guard.
Akechi wants to control from the top but Hageman keeps moving.
Akechi throwing strikes but missing.
Hageman keeping moving, preventing Akechi from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akechi working some strikes from top position.
Akechi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hageman utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Akechi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Akechi wants to control from the top but Hageman keeps moving.
Hageman is trying to keep Akechi in close.
Akechi trying to control but Hageman is working from the bottom.
Hageman 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.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Akechi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
A jab from Akechi misses.
Akechi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hageman moves away.
Akechi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hageman walks into a jab.
Hageman thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Akechi if he has to take too many more of those.
Hageman throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Akechi wants to counter the offense by Hageman and move into the clinch position.
A lazy body kick from Hageman
and Akechi makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Akechi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Hageman doesn't seem bothered though.
Diego Hageman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Akechi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hageman was well out of range. Poor timing from Akechi.
Akechi leaves Hageman with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Akechi connects with the punch.
Hageman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Diego Hageman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hageman tries to land a body kick

and Akechi counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hageman keeping moving, preventing Akechi from controlling successfully.
Diego Hageman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Akechi works over Hageman with some ground and pound from guard.
Jubei Akechi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Hageman being controlled here, momentarily.
Let's hope that Akechi 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Akechi slips a jab and a cross from Hageman.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Akechi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hageman moves away.
Nice body punch from Akechi.
Akechi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hageman shoots in but no luck this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jubei Akechi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Akechi winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 26:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jubei Akechi!
Jubei Akechi really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Voodoo Nutrition logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.