PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kurki Potku (ranked 1044 p4p, 798 weight class) and Kwame Nti (ranked 164 p4p, 122 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Potku
vs
Nti

177 cm
26
210
15 - 7 - 0

172 cm
34
220
24 - 16 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

NARCOS

NARCOS
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kurki Potku!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kwame Nti!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nti on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Potku darts in and clinches Nti up against the cage.
Nti prevents a body shot from Potku.
Potku blocks an uppercut.
Potku wants to take the fight to the mat but Nti manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Nti has a couple of punches blocked by Potku.
Potku tries a body shot but Nti blocks it.
Nti tries to work over Potku's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Potku can't find room to land a body shot as Nti controls the action.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Potku.

Potku gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Nti regains guard.
Nti keeping moving, preventing Potku from controlling successfully.
Potku tries to free his leg and advance position but Nti is retaining full guard.
Potku looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Nti is trying to control the position but Potku postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potku pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nti is keeping the position for now.

Potku 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.
Nti is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nti prevents Potku from improving his position.
Nti seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Potku wants to improve his position but Nti is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Potku is working hard here to advance position.

Potku is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nti pulls his head out easily.
Nti not doing much here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Potku slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potku tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Potku had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Nti defends it easily.
Nti looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Potku keeping moving, preventing Nti from controlling successfully.
Nti is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Potku is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Potku lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Potku scores with a jab to the head.
Nti displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Potku throws out the jab.
Nti takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Nti blocks a jab.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Potku dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Potku connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Nti momentarily.
Potku throws a series of punches but Nti moves out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kurki Potku dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

A jab lands there for Potku.
Potku stuffs the takedown attempt from Nti. Nti gets slowly back to his feet.
Potku appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Potku feints and then cracks Nti's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Nti down.
Potku throws a hook but Nti blocks it.
Nti feints the counter takedown.
Potku lands a jab to Nti's midsection.
Sloppy strikes from Nti. Those never looked like landing.
Nti tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Potku paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Potku appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Potku throws a hook to the side of Nti's head but Nti sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nti ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Nti gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Potku takes a shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nti tries to throw a body punch but Potku avoids it by throwing Nti back against the cage.
Potku tries to work over Nti's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Potku tries to throw a body punch but Nti avoids it by throwing Potku back against the cage.
Potku misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Potku fails to land.
Potku misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Potku has Nti pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Potku pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Nti tumbling to the mat - Potku dives into Nti's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Potku is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Potku is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nti can do to turn this around?
Nti is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nti takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Potku trying to hold on to Nti's head to control him but Nti postures up.
Potku tries to roll over but Nti keeps him under control.
Kurki Potku overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Potku is trying to maintain the position but Nti is very close to passing his half guard.
Potku is looking for a sweep. Nti is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Potku trying to control here.
Potku is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nti prevents Potku from improving his position.
Nti keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nti is stalling here. Potku is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Nti seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Potku has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Nti can't do much from the bottom here.
Potku wants to control but Nti is keeping him busy.

Potku tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Potku has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Nti tries to buck Potku off but Potku is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nti is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Potku off and has taken his back!
Potku tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Nti thowing shots but they're missing.
Nti sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Potku wants to hold on but Nti pushes him away.
Kwame Nti has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nti tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Potku is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kurki Potku will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Potku throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A nice inside leg kick there by Potku. That's going to slow Nti down.
Potku looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Potku pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nti fails in his attempt to clinch.

Potku gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nti swings wildly with an uppercut but Potku uses good head movement to avoid it.
Potku leaning against his opponent.
Nti is working Potku over against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nti has a couple of punches blocked by Potku.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Nti creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Nti lands a left hand that snaps the head of Potku backwards.
Nti tries to work over Potku's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nti can't find room to land a body shot as Potku controls the action.
Potku scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Potku has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Nti is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potku wants to take the fight to the mat but Nti manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Nti - that landed with a thud.
Nti works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nti working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Nti tries for a takedown. No joy.
Potku looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kurki Potku. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nti manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Potku lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nti backwards.
A right hand to the body from Nti.
A shot in the inside from Nti.
Nti prevents the takedown attempt.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Nti.
Nti misses with a punch to the body.
Nti misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch on the inside from Potku fails to land.
Potku fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nti lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Potku backwards.
Potku tries to work over Nti's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nti misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nti throws a punch but it's blocked by Potku.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Potku pushes Nti back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Potku misses with a hook from the clinch.
Potku misses with a punch on the inside.
Potku lands a body punch.
Potku throws a head punch that misses.
A left hand lands to the body for Nti.
Potku blocks an uppercut.
I was talking to Potku's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Potku looking for a takedown.
Nti throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Nti.
Nti tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nti swings wildly with an uppercut but Potku uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nti lands a right hand.
Potku prevents a body shot from Nti.
Nti prevents a body shot from Potku.
Potku misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nti works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A head punch on the inside from Nti fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nti misses with a punch to the body.
Potku misses with some punches.
Nti displaying some good clinch control by pressing Potku up against the cage.
Nti tries a body shot but Potku blocks it.
Nti lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Potku backwards.

Potku gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Nti regains full guard. Nicely done.
Nti keeping full guard, as Potku tries to pass.
Nti is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nti takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Potku is trying to maintain the position but Nti is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nti is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Potku wants to sweep but Nti has passed to side control!
Nti trying to control the position but Potku is working away.
Nti controlling from side mount.
Potku can't do much from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kwame Nti comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Potku has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Kurki Potku!
Kurki Potku took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.