PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Yoshihiro Akiyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tupac Shakur (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Akiyama
vs
Shakur

178 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
22
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Black Skull Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Yoshihiro Akiyama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tupac Shakur!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Dillan Fox and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shakur shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Akiyama sprawls well. Akiyama wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Shakur gets slowly back to his feet.
Akiyama tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shakur takes one to the chin there.
Akiyama is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Yoshihiro Akiyama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Akiyama closes the distance and clinches.
Akiyama lands a shoulder strike.
Akiyama misses with a punch on the inside.
Akiyama misses with a punch on the inside.
Shakur tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Akiyama smiles and moves away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Shakur is defended easily by Akiyama.
Yoshihiro Akiyama has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tupac Shakur.
Shakur shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Akiyama as he jumps to the side.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shakur looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Akiyama has Shakur up against the cage in a clinch.
Come on Shakur - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Shakur tries a knee to the head but Akiyama blocks it.
Shakur wants a takedown.
Akiyama scores with a shoulder strike.
Akiyama misses with a hook from the clinch.
Shakur tries to stall but Akiyama uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Akiyama fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shakur jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Akiyama walks away with a smile on his face. Shakur gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A nice combination there by Akiyama.
Akiyama wants to clinch

and Shakur counters with a single leg into guard. Akiyama didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Akiyama wants to get back to his feet but Shakur is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Shakur trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Akiyama is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Shakur is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shakur is stalling in the full guard.
Akiyama is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Shakur is controlling him.
Shakur pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Akiyama is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shakur trying to control the position from guard on top but Akiyama is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Akiyama closes the distance and clinches.
Akiyama lands a hook to the side of the head.
Akiyama lands a body shot in the clinch.
Shakur looks gassed!
Shakur takes a shot to the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Akiyama.
Akiyama pushes Shakur back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Shakur misses with an elbow strike.
Akiyama lands a right hand.
Shakur jumps guard but Akiyama stands there with Shakur around his waist. Shakur gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Akiyama lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A nice left hand lands by Akiyama.
Akiyama lands with a left to the head.
Akiyama lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Shakur takes a shot to the head.
Akiyama pushes Shakur back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akiyama lands a hook to the side of the head.

Shakur is rocked!
Akiyama lands a body shot in the clinch.
Shakur is still on wobbly legs! Can Akiyama finish him?
Shakur takes a shot to the head.
Shakur seems to have recovered his senses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Akiyama.
Akiyama lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Shakur backwards.
Akiyama lands a left hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A nice left hand lands by Akiyama.
Akiyama scores with a nice hook to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Akiyama.
Akiyama lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Shakur.
Akiyama throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Shakurs head.
A nice left hand lands by Akiyama.
Akiyama working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Akiyama lands a hook to the side of the head.
Akiyama lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short left from Akiyama.
Akiyama lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Akiyama digs a right hand underneath Shakur's ribcage. Shakur let out a lung full of air as it connected.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Akiyama lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short uppercut from Akiyama.
Akiyama lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Akiyama.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Akiyama.
Akiyama lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Shakur backwards.
Shakur tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Akiyama smiles and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Akiyama scores with a one two! Shakur had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Akiyama clinches but Shakur breaks the clinch

and Shakur counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Shakur trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Shakur wants to control from the top but Akiyama keeps moving.
Akiyama is looking to stand up but Shakur isn't so interested in that idea.
Shakur is breathing heavily.
Shakur with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shakur passes into half guard.
Shakur looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Shakur is trying to control the action in half guard but Akiyama is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Akiyama looks like he's trying to stand up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Akiyama darts in trying to clinch

and Shakur counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Shakur.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shakur is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Akiyama keeping full guard, as Shakur tries to pass.
Akiyama wants to stand up but Shakur is controlling him.
Shakur postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shakur looking to pass the guard.
Shakur trying to control but Akiyama is working from the bottom.
Shakur postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Akiyama is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Akiyama wants to clinch
and Shakur counters with a nice body kick.

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.
Akiyama tries to bum rush Shakur with a series of wild strikes but Shakur uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Akiyama tries to clinch up

and Shakur counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Akiyama!
Poor strikes thrown by Shakur there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
You get the feeling that Akiyama really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Akiyama is bucking up trying to escape but Shakur cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Shakur putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tupac Shakur showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Shakur shoots in but no luck this time.
Akiyama is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Shakur changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Akiyama looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Shakur wants to control but Akiyama is keeping him busy.

Shakur looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Shakur thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Tupac Shakur has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shakur prevents Akiyama from escaping the position.
Shakur takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Shakur wants to lay and pray for a moment but Akiyama keeps working.
Akiyama is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Shakur asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Akiyama knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shakur on the ground.
Shakur creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Akiyama sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shakur cracks Akiyama with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Shakur wants to control but Akiyama is keeping him busy.
Shakur remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Akiyama is trying to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Akiyama wants to clinch

and Shakur counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Akiyama!
Shakur landing strikes from the mount and Akiyama is in trouble!

Shakur has hold of Akiyama's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Akiyama manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Akiyama is squirming around, avoiding Shakur's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shakur won't let Akiyama get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

Shakur working for a guillotine from mount but Akiyama is in no mood to give up.
Shakur wants to control the pace but Akiyama is squirming around nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tupac Shakur comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shakur has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tupac Shakur!