PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Evgeni Klebanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshihiro Akiyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Klebanov comes to the cage accompanied by Your Worst Nightmare. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Klebanov
vs
Akiyama

168 cm
25
166 lbs
13 - 3 - 1

178 cm
21
190 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great low kicks
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Core Tokyo
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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 13 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Evgeni Klebanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Yoshihiro Akiyama!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Akiyama feints a jab promting Klebanov to slip. Akiyama then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Klebanov slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Akiyama falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Klebanov counter with a right hand.
Akiyama misses with a combination
and Klebanov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Akiyama swings widly with a right hand
letting Klebanov counter with a right hand.
Akiyama falls off balance throwing a combination
and Klebanov counters with a stiff right hand.
Akiyama tests Klebanov's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Akiyama will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Akiyama misses with a combination
letting Klebanov counter with a right hand.
Klebanov scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Akiyama misses with a combination
and Klebanov counters with a good, hard body kick but Akiyama shrugs it off.
Klebanov throws a nice outside leg kick.
Klebanov misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Klebanov feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Akiyama's calf.
Akiyama throws a left and a right that both miss
and Klebanov counters with an outside leg kick.
Akiyama misses with a double jab
and Klebanov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Akiyama misses with a combination
and Klebanov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Akiyama smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Akiyama wants to clinch but Klebanov slips to the side
and Klebanov counters with a good low kick that Akiyama was not able to check.
Klebanov fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Akiyama has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Klebanov moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Akiyama feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Klebanovs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Akiyama tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Klebanov counters with a leg kick.
Klebanov looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Akiyama misses with a combination
and Klebanov counters with an inside leg kick.
Akiyama scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Akiyama.
Akiyama throws a left and a right that both miss
and Klebanov makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Yoshihiro Akiyama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Akiyama swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Klebanov counters with a body kick that stops Akiyama in his tracks momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Klebanov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Akiyama, pushing him back against the cage.
Klebanov blocking some punches.
Klebanov wants a takedown but no success here.
Klebanov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Akiyama misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Akiyama fails to land.
A hook to the body from Klebanov.
Klebanov is leaning against Akiyama and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Klebanov lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Klebanov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Akiyama lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nice body punch from Klebanov.
Klebanov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Klebanov turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Klebanov manages to end up in side control.
Akiyama seems a little lost for a moment, as Klebanov dominates the positioning.
Klebanov cracks Akiyama with a big elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov controls the position.
Klebanov seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Akiyama for as long as he can get away with.
Klebanov working the head with strikes.

Klebanov has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Akiyama is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. Klebanov yanks on the arm and Akiyama is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by Klebanov.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:01 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Evgeni Klebanov!