PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between OROCHI Maru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takahiro Kodo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Maru
vs
Kodo

172 cm
24
163 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

177 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, OROCHI Maru!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takahiro Kodo!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Sano and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kodo is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Maru.
Kodo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
OROCHI Maru seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maru stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Maru wants it to stay on the feet.
Maru lands a two punch combo.
Maru misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Kodo scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Kodo fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Maru is working to avoid the ground and pound but Kodo connects with a decent elbow.
Maru is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Kodo asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kodo misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Maru is pushing Kodo's head away, looking to escape. Kodo manages to hold on to the position though.

Kodo decides to stand back up.
Maru misses with the combination.

Kodo clinches up against the cage.

Kodo manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maru misses with the combination.
Maru lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Maru.
Danga de danga de dang - Maru scores with a four punch combination!
Kodo looks to land a left hand but Maru moved out of range nicely.
Kodo looks for a takedown but Maru sprawls well.
Kodo takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
No joy there for Kodo, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Maru looks to land a combination. Kodo sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Maru scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Kodo instigates a clinch.
Kodo taking a breather.
Maru blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kodo.
Maru is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maru working hard to break the clinch.

Kodo manages to break the clinch.

Kodo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Maru wants to stand and escape but Kodo is having none of it.
Kodo's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Kodo prevents Maru from getting back to his feet.

Maru is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Maru is breathing heavily.
Maru wants to get back to his feet but Kodo passes into half guard.

Kodo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kodo lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kodo seems to be working for a kimura but Maru defends the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maru is trying to stand back up but Kodo is controlling him
Kodo slows the pace down in half guard.
Kodo passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Maru!
Maru is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kodo looking to finish with strikes here!
Kodo content just to control the position here.

Kodo goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Maru is on top in guard.
Maru tries to stand but Kodo is controlling from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kodo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Takahiro Kodo will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Maru stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Maru wants it to stay on the feet.
Kodo tries to close the distance and clinch but Maru swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kodo gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Maru misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Maru throws a combination that misses

and Kodo counters with a takedown into side control.
Maru is trying to buck Kodo off.

Kodo stands up.
Maru misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kodo takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Kodo is breathing heavily.
Kodo throws a combination that misses
and Maru counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Maru lands with a straight right. Kodo didn't see that one coming.
Maru connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Maru gets caught flat footed, as Kodo shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maru keeping moving, preventing Kodo from controlling successfully.
Maru is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kodo is controlling him.
Kodo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kodo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maru is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kodo throwing strikes from guard but Maru blocks nicely.
Maru wants to get back to his feet but Kodo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kodo trying to control but Maru is working from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Kodo slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Takahiro Kodo.
Maru throws a series of punches but Kodo avoids them all with ease.
Maru lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Kodo has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Kodo dodges the punch combination from Maru.
Kodo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Maru pinned against the cage. Maru gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Maru misses with a double jab

and Kodo counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kodo breaks the clinch.
Maru displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kodo.
OROCHI Maru has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Takahiro Kodo.
Maru scores with a one two! Kodo had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Maru connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Kodo avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nice straight punches there by Maru. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Maru.
Maru misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kodo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maru fails to land with a series of punches.
Maru misses with a combination

and Kodo counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kodo.
Kodo fails to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kodo tries to score a body lock takedown but Maru shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Maru wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kodo looking to slow down the pace here.
Maru is looking to break free of the clinch but Kodo has double underhooks.
Kodo prevents Maru from breaking the clinch.
Kodo looking for a takedown.
Maru is trying to break the clinch but Kodo is controlling him.

Kodo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Maru throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Kodo takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Maru misses with a two punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takahiro Kodo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A punch combination from Maru misses.
OROCHI Maru is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kodo takes one to the chin there.
Maru throws a combination that misses

and Kodo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kodo.
Kodo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Kodo wants to control from the top but Maru keeps moving.

Kodo gets to his feet. Maru looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Maru looks to land a combination but Kodo avoids it well.
Maru moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Kodo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Maru is fending him off so far but Kodo persists. Nope, Maru circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maru throws a one two combo.
Kodo moves forwards but Maru connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Kodo moves forwards but Maru connects with a nice, crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maru lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Maru's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Maru duly obliges.
Maru scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Maru's jab looks to have found its range, popping Kodo under the eye.
Maru throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Maru lands a jab-cross combination.
Maru connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Kodo's hands.
Maru throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Maru moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
A combination from Maru does no damage.
Maru stuffs the takedown.
Kodo has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
A nice combination there by Maru.
A punch combination from Kodo misses.
Maru slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Kodo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Maru.
Maru cracks Kodo with an open hand slap.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good exchange - Maru coming out on top.
Maru lands a two punch combo.
Maru fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Maru jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Kodo gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kodo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Maru walks away with a smile on his face. Kodo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
OROCHI Maru has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Takahiro Kodo.
Kodo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Maru pinned against the cage. Maru gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Maru is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Maru rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kodo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kodo takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Kodo looks to land a body kick but Maru moved away.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Maru!
Maru lands with a nice combination. Kodo backs away looking to recover.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maru keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Good shot there by Maru.
Maru misses with the combination.
Maru stalks Kodo and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Kodo's face. Kodo staggers backwards, shaken.
OROCHI Maru is winning the standup battle so far.

Kodo gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kodo stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Maru is trying to force a seperation but Kodo has the dominant position.
Maru is trying to force a seperation but Kodo has the dominant position.
Maru wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kodo lands an elbow inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Kodo ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Kodo no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Kodo has a closed guard, preventing Maru from standing up.
Kodo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Kodo pushes Maru off and gets back to his feet.
Maru lands with an uppercut that bounces Kodo off the cage and back into rage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maru misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kodo shoots in looking for a takedown but Maru manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Kodo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
OROCHI Maru has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Takahiro Kodo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Maru throws a series of punches but Kodo avoids them all with ease.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to OROCHI Maru.
I think Kodo 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takahiro Kodo!