PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Shinobu Morita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joel Kuokkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kuokkanen has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Morita
vs
Kuokkanen

178 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
174 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinobu Morita!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joel Kuokkanen!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Hirohito Nitta and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morita moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Kuokkanen looks gassed!

Morita has closed the distance and engaged Kuokkanen in a clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Kuokkanen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morita smiles and moves away.
Morita works Kuokkanen's body with a nice hook.

Morita scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Kuokkanen taking some punishment here, with Morita in his half guard.
Morita stalling.
Morita working over Kuokkanen with some ground and pound. Kuokkanen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Still in half guard, Morita seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morita is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Kuokkanen defends it well.
Well, if Morita is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Morita working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Kuokkanen is trying to stand back up but Morita is controlling him
Morita working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Kuokkanen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Morita. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Morita seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morita is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Morita trying to pass the guard but Kuokkanen defending well.

Morita is working for a kimura but Kuokkanen is defending it quite comfortably.
Morita trying to mount his opponent but Kuokkanen defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morita wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kuokkanen keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morita is pressing down on Kuokkanen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Kuokkanen is holding on for now.
Kuokkanen is looking to improve his position.
Morita seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kuokkanen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Morita is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kuokkanen lands a head kick!
Kuokkanen slips a jab from Morita.

Morita scores a takedown into full mount!
Kuokkanen should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Morita working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Morita with a couple of short strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morita lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Morita tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Morita cracks Kuokkanen with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Morita working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Morita controlling the pace for now.
Morita working Kuokkanen over with strikes here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Morita sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kuokkanen has given up his back here. Will Morita look for the submission or keep pounding away?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Morita tries to clinch up.
Morita throws a head kick that misses
and Kuokkanen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Morita shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Kuokkanen's guard.
Morita lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Morita keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kuokkanen's head.
Morita content to stall in guard here.
Morita works over Kuokkanen with some ground and pound from guard.
Morita slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Kuokkanen.
Morita trying to control the action but Kuokkanen is working from the bottom.
Kuokkanen is breathing heavily.
Morita takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuokkanen trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Morita manages to pass to mount!
Morita trying to control but Kuokkanen is having none of it.
Morita controlling from mount.

Morita wants to finish this one by submission but Kuokkanen is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Morita.
Kuokkanen is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morita pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Kuokkanen is looking to get to half guard.
Morita with good strikes from the mount here!
Morita looking to control and managing it successfully.
Morita wants to control the pace but Kuokkanen is squirming around nicely.
Kuokkanen regains half guard.
Morita passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kuokkanen!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morita tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kuokkanen slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Morita is looking for a kimura here.
Kuokkanen trying to control here.

Morita stands up out of the half guard.
Morita falls off balance throwing a combination
and Kuokkanen counters with a three punch combo that has Morita backing up. Morita nods at Kuokkanen to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morita lands a jab to Kuokkanen's midsection.

Kuokkanen takes the fight into the clinch.

Morita pulls guard effortlessly.
Morita seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Morita keeping busy, throwing shots from the bottom.

Morita had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Kuokkanen is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Morita Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Kuokkanen's back instead.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Morita.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Morita has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Kuokkanen's body.

Morita is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Kuokkanen won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips Morita off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Shinobu Morita!