PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Katsuyari Monoriku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Remedios Verzosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Monoriku
vs
Verzosa

185 cm
26
189 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

185 cm
21
190 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Katsuyari Monoriku!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Remedios Verzosa!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Monoriku throws a low kick but it's checked well by Verzosa.
Monoriku throws a sloppy head kick and Verzosa moves out of range easily.
Monoriku is looking to clinch but Verzosa is avoiding it.
Monoriku misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Verzosa throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Verzosa looks to score with a jab to the body but Monoriku is just out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Monoriku looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Verzosa tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Monoriku was well out of range. Poor timing from Verzosa.
Monoriku tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Verzosa was well out of range. Poor timing from Monoriku.
Monoriku swings for the body but Verzosa moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Verzosa closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Verzosa sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Monoriku defending well though.
Verzosa slips a nice elbow through Monoriku's hands, connecting with Monoriku's forehead.
Monoriku trying to control but Verzosa postures up.
Verzosa trying to pass the guard but Monoriku defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verzosa is nestled in close to Monoriku, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Monoriku is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Verzosa pulls his head out easily.

Verzosa is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Monoriku has managed to free his arm - good work.
Verzosa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Monoriku wants to control but Verzosa is keeping busy.
Monoriku avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Verzosa.
Verzosa not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Verzosa passes to side control.
Monoriku tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Verzosa wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verzosa working away.
Verzosa grinds an elbow into Monoriku's temple.
Verzosa lands some shots froms side control.

Verzosa swings around for an armbar but Monoriku sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Verzosa's guard.
Verzosa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Monoriku manages to get himself to full guard.
Verzosa trying to control the position from guard on top but Monoriku is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Monoriku working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Verzosa doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Verzosa manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Verzosa postures up in Monoriku's guard and throws a big left but Monoriku blocks it.

Monoriku looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Verzosa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Monoriku is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Verzosa is aware though and is defending well.
Monoriku looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Verzosa puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Verzosa trying to control the pace.
Monoriku is trying to stand up here but Verzosa is controlling him well.
Verzosa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Monoriku does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Verzosa prevents Monoriku from improving his position.
Verzosa working over Monoriku with some ground and pound. Monoriku looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Verzosa working Monoriku over with strikes.
Verzosa sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Verzosa is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Verzosa is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Monoriku!
Monoriku is trying to get to the ropes to help him get back to his feet.
Verzosa has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Monoriku's face.
Verzosa landing punches.
Verzosa landing strikes, looking to finish!
Verzosa scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Monoriku wants to control but Verzosa is having none of it.

Verzosa is working close to his opponent, looking to work a submission by the looks of things. Oh, he's managed to get a guillotine from mount as his opponent reached up! That looks tiiiiight! Will he tap? YES, he's tapped! Impressive submission by Verzosa!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5:04 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Remedios Verzosa!
Remedios Verzosa is the new middleweight champion!