PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lusiphur Kusanagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Masaaki Free trade (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Masaaki Free trade is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Kusanagi
vs
Free trade

195 cm
20
217 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
24
205 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lusiphur Kusanagi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masaaki Free trade!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Ren Mimura and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kusanagi misses with a looping right.

Free trade shoots in and bounces Kusanagi off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Kusanagi is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Free trade dives into side control.
Kusanagi is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Free trade asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Free trade tries for a kimura but Kusanagi is defending well.

Free trade thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Free trade prevents Kusanagi from escaping the position.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kusanagi is trying to get back to his feet.

Free trade tries for a kimura but Kusanagi is defending well.
Kusanagi pushes Free trade away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Free trade gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Free trade tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Free trade has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Free trade is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kusanagi has escaped the position, nice work there.
Free trade throws an elbow but Kusanagi slips to the side and avoids it well.

Free trade is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kusanagi knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Free trade sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Kusanagi is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Kusanagi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Free trade on the ground.

Free trade working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kusanagi wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masaaki Free trade dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Free trade ducks under a wild hook from Kusanagi.
Kusanagi throws a hook but Free trade avoids it easily.
Kusanagi misses with an uppercut. Free trade saw that one coming.
Kusanagi stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kusanagi wants it to stay on the feet.

Kusanagi gets a clinch.

Free trade manages to pull guard.
Kusanagi trying to control but Free trade is working from the bottom.
Kusanagi tries to stand but Free trade is controlling from the bottom.
Free trade looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Free trade is looking for a triangle but Kusanagi pushes his legs off easily.
Kusanagi trying to control the position from guard on top but Free trade is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Free trade is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kusanagi is aware though and is defending well.
Kusanagi wants to pass the guard but Free trade is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Free trade trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Kusanagi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Kusanagi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Free trade.
Free trade displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kusanagi throws out the jab.
Free trade displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kusanagi throws out the jab.
Masaaki Free trade is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kusanagi lands with an uppercut that bounces Free trade off the cage and back into rage.
Free trade slips a jab from Kusanagi.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Free trade misses with an uppercut. Kusanagi saw that one coming.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Kusanagi.
Good shot there by Kusanagi.
Free trade tries for a takedown but Kusanagi sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Free trade steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kusanagi.
Free trade shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lusiphur Kusanagi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Masaaki Free trade.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kusanagi looks to throw the jab but Free trade is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Kusanagi misses the target.
Kusanagi is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Free trade slips a jab from Kusanagi.
Kusanagi throws a jab but it's blocked by Free trade.
Kusanagi is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
A big right from Kusanagi misses.
Kusanagi tries to clinch there but Free trade circles away.
Kusanagi slaps away a takedown attempt from Free trade, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kusanagi lands a head shot.
Free trade takes a jab right on the kisser.
Free trade walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Kusanagi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kusanagi throws a hook but Free trade avoids it easily.
Kusanagi scores with a jab to the jaw.
A swing and a miss from Kusanagi.
Kusanagi looks to throw the jab but Free trade is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Free trade takes the fight into the clinch.

Free trade's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kusanagi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Free trade.
Free trade slips a jab from Kusanagi.
Lusiphur Kusanagi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kusanagi misses with a straight left.
Kusanagi connects with a nice looking jab.
Kusanagi throws a big shot that misses.
Kusanagi missing with a left hand there. Free trade was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kusanagi looks to throw the jab but Free trade is out of range.
Free trade misses with a few strikes there.
Lusiphur Kusanagi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kusanagi misses with a looping left.
Kusanagi throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Free trade on the side of the head.
Free trade slips a jab from Kusanagi.
Free trade tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kusanagi swivels and escapes.
Free trade slips under a jab from Kusanagi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Free trade slips under a jab.
Free trade avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kusanagi looks to land a left hand but Free trade moved out of range nicely.
Free trade fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kusanagi avoids it really well and circles away.
Free trade looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kusanagi is fending him off so far but Free trade persists. Nope, Kusanagi circles away and we're back to standing.
Jab by Kusanagi.
Jab, jab by Kusanagi - just one landing.
Kusanagi throws a hook but Free trade blocks it.
Free trade shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kusanagi as he avoids it easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kusanagi cracks Free trade with a good jab.
Free trade ducks under a wild hook from Kusanagi.
Kusanagi tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Free trade counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Free trade won't allow Kusanagi to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lusiphur Kusanagi dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Free trade ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lusiphur Kusanagi is winning the standup battle so far.

Free trade closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Kusanagi wants to get back to his feet.
Free trade seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kusanagi does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kusanagi wants to stand back up but Free trade manages to pass into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Free trade trying to control the position but Kusanagi is working away.
Free trade creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Kusanagi sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Kusanagi is pushing Free trade's head away, looking to escape. Free trade manages to hold on to the position though.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Free trade is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Kusanagi misses with an uppercut. Free trade saw that one coming.
Kusanagi throws a hook but Free trade avoids it easily.

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.
Kusanagi throws the left hand but Free trade avoids the punch easily.
A swing and a miss from Kusanagi.
Free trade is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kusanagi sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Free trade defending well as Kusanagi loads up on a big left hand.
Kusanagi scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Kusanagi throws a big shot that misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Free trade.
Kusanagi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Free trade.
Lusiphur Kusanagi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Masaaki Free trade.
Kusanagi missing with a left hand there. Free trade was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Free trade is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kusanagi sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kusanagi with a hook.
Kusanagi tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Free trade decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kusanagi's guard.
Free trade prevents Kusanagi from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Free trade is pushing down on Kusanagi's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kusanagi is fighting to maintain full guard but Free trade has managed to sneak the leg through.
Kusanagi is trying to escape back to his feet but Free trade uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Kusanagi wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kusanagi wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

And that's the end of the fight!
Masaaki Free trade comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Free trade 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Masaaki Free trade!