PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Miyata San (ranked 1689 p4p, 2409 weight class) and Liwa Kursiwa (ranked 141 p4p, 182 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.

San
vs
Kursiwa

178 cm
27
158
15 - 6 - 0

165 cm
26
145
7 - 6 - 0

Great wrestler
Solid boxing
Granite chin

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 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Miyata San!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Liwa Kursiwa!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Steven Brown and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
San wants to land a leg kick but Kursiwa is out of range.
San misses the jab.
San misses with a lunging right hand
and Kursiwa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
San just misses with a punch to the body.
Kursiwa unleashes a big counter combination but San bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
San throws a shot from downtown. Kursiwa moves away and avoids it.
San throws an off balance right hand
and Kursiwa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kursiwa tries to bum rush San with a series of wild strikes but San uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice jab there from San.

San tries to sprawl but Kursiwa drives through with a takedown into half guard.
San is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
San's coaches at Snake Eyes Fighting Systems have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.

Kursiwa is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Kursiwa drops an elbow to the side of San's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
San is looking to improve his position.
Kursiwa wants to free his trapped foot but San is holding on for dear life with his legs.
San tries to roll over but Kursiwa keeps him under control.
San knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kursiwa on the ground.
San is working hard here to advance position.
San trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kursiwa lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kursiwa slows the pace down in half guard.
San is not content to let Kursiwa control the position.
Kursiwa passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for San!
San is squirming around, avoiding Kursiwa's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kursiwa is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Kursiwa is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Kursiwa throwing strikes here but San is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Kursiwa can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as San is looking to escape.
Kursiwa thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kursiwa landing punches.
San wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Kursiwa.
Kursiwa dominating with strikes here.

Kursiwa looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
San is trying to escape the mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kursiwa sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Kursiwa trying to control but San is having none of it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

San throws a body punch but Kursiwa moves out of range.
Kursiwa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
San was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
San throws a body punch but Kursiwa moves out of range.

San shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Kursiwa gets full guard.
Kursiwa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Kursiwa working for a triangle but San defends it easily.
San will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kursiwa looking for a sweep. Not yet Kursiwa, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kursiwa trying to control the position.
San has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kursiwa can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as San controls the pace.
Kursiwa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
San is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
San trying to control but Kursiwa is working from the bottom.
Kursiwa trying to strike off his back.
Kursiwa seems keen to control San's posture.
Liwa Kursiwa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kursiwa is trying to keep San in close.
San content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
San preventing the sweep.
San throwing strikes from guard but Kursiwa blocks nicely.
Kursiwa managing to control the position.
San cracks Kursiwa with a solid left hand.
Kursiwa has control of San's left arm, preventing San from doing any damage.
Kursiwa 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.
San controlling from the top position.
San looking to pass the guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
San scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Kursiwa shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Kursiwa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

San drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kursiwa not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kursiwa is looking to stand up but San isn't so interested in that idea.
San stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kursiwa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kursiwa wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kursiwa is on top in guard.

Kursiwa works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Kursiwa trying to control the action but San is working from the bottom.
Kursiwa prevents San from improving his position.
San is not content to let Kursiwa control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kursiwa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed San's head.
Ground and pound from Kursiwa.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Miyata San dominated that second 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

San just misses with a punch to the body.
Liwa Kursiwa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kursiwa drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
A telegraphed right hand from San misses the target.
Kursiwa drops down looking to force a counter takedown but San defends it well.

San gets tackled into the cage by Kursiwa. Kursiwa maintains the clinch.
Kursiwa is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but San is defending well.
San looking to stall.
San working aggressively here.
San prevents a takedown attempt there.
San lands with a short shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kursiwa wants a takedown but no success here.
Miyata San has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liwa Kursiwa.
San makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
San lands with a short punch from the clinch.
San goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kursiwa's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kursiwa is looking to take this one to the mat.
Kursiwa is looking for a takedown up against the cage. San gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Kursiwa has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. San seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Kursiwa can turn it around.
San misses with a punch on the inside.
San swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kursiwa tries for a takedown. No joy.
San lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
San can't find room to land a body shot as Kursiwa controls the action.
Kursiwa blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kursiwa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but San pulls him back up using the underhooks.
San lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Kursiwa is looking for a takedown.
Kursiwa tries for a takedown but San manages to get underhooks.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, San creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
San misses with a hook to the ribs.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for San.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
San presses Kursiwa against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Kursiwa changes levels and goes for a takedown here. San fights it off and pushes away nicely.
San lands with a straight right. Kursiwa didn't see that one coming.

San closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Kursiwa's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Kursiwa had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. San defends it easily.
Kursiwa looking to control.
San scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Kursiwa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kursiwa is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kursiwa wants to control from the top but San keeps moving.
San looking to control.
San keeping full guard, as Kursiwa tries to pass.
San looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kursiwa is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Kursiwa is fighting to break San's control of his arms but San is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Kursiwa trying to control but San is working from the bottom.
Kursiwa with a flurry of punches that miss.
San bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kursiwa's guard.

Kursiwa has his feet on San's thighs here. He's pushed San off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! San screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Liwa Kursiwa!
Liwa Kursiwa thanked the fans post fight for their support.