PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Keiji Hashimoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marco Kolo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hashimoto comes to the cage accompanied by Chopin's Funeral March in B flat minor. Kolo has chosen As I Lay Dying - This Is Who We Are as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Hashimoto
vs
Kolo

172 cm
20
151 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

164 cm
18
149 lbs
2 - 1 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Berserker Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Keiji Hashimoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marco Kolo!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Thiago Cunha and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kolo throws a front kick that sends Hashimoto stumbling back into the cage.
Marco Kolo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hashimoto tries to bum rush Kolo with a series of wild strikes but Kolo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hashimoto pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kolo is out of range and Hashimoto settles back down.

Hashimoto looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kolo!
Kolo is working to get back to half guard.

Kolo defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Hashimoto.
Hashimoto avoids the attempt from Kolo to control.
Kolo is working to get back to half guard.

Hashimoto working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kolo tries to hold on but Hashimoto postures up.
Kolo slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Hashimoto trying to control the action but Kolo is working from the bottom.
Kolo is looking to improve his position.
Kolo flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Hashimoto trying to pass the guard but Kolo defending well.
Hashimoto not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Hashimoto seems to be working for a kimura but Kolo defends the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Hashimoto throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Kolo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hashimoto tries to close the distance and clinch but Kolo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hashimoto misses with a body shot.

Hashimoto closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Kolo to the mat! Kolo manages to get full guard.
Kolo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hashimoto cracks Kolo with a solid left hand.
Hashimoto sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kolo is trying to control the position but Hashimoto postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hashimoto postures up in Kolo's guard and throws a big left but Kolo blocks it.
Hashimoto won't allow Kolo to sweep him here.
Hashimoto postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hashimoto changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kolo tries to avoid it but Hashimoto manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kolo to the ground. Kolo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Kolo gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hashimoto has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Hashimoto is breathing heavily.
Kolo is trying to control the position but Hashimoto postures up.

Hashimoto is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Kolo is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Kolo has escaped and now he's on top!
Hashimoto thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kolo trying to control the position from guard on top but Hashimoto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kolo passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hashimoto regains half guard.
Kolo wants to take a breather but Hashimoto is having none of it.
Hashimoto avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kolo.
Hashimoto gets back to full guard.
Hashimoto wants to sweep here but Kolo controlling him for the moment.

Hashimoto throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Kolo wants to control from the top but Hashimoto keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keiji Hashimoto dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hashimoto shoots for a double leg takedown but Kolo sprawls well. He's pushed Hashimoto's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A good leg kick by Hashimoto.
Hashimoto avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hashimoto fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hashimoto shoots for a double leg takedown but Kolo sprawls well. He's pushed Hashimoto's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keiji Hashimoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kolo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hashimoto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hashimoto circles away from the clinch attempt

and Hashimoto counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Kolo had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Hashimoto is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Kolo Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Hashimoto's back instead.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hashimoto rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hashimoto is staying active underneath Kolo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hashimoto is looking for a sweep. Kolo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kolo wants to free his trapped foot but Hashimoto is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Kolo wants to stand up but Hashimoto has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Hashimoto makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hashimoto.
Hashimoto wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Kolo is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's two 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.

Hashimoto looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Hashimoto looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Kolo looking to sit in guard and control but Hashimoto gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kolo looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Hashimoto looking to pass the guard.
Hashimoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Kolo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hashimoto missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kolo seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Hashimoto trying to control but Kolo is working from the bottom.
Kolo working a defensive guard here.
Kolo seems keen to control Hashimoto's posture.
Hashimoto is in close to Kolo's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hashimoto throwing strikes from guard but Kolo blocks nicely.
Hashimoto preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hashimoto works over Kolo with some ground and pound from guard.
Kolo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hashimoto in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kolo is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hashimoto tries to clinch but Kolo moves away
and Kolo counters with a solid body kick.
Hashimoto will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hashimoto throws a combination that misses
and Kolo counters with a good low kick that Hashimoto was not able to check.
Hashimoto clinches but Kolo breaks the clinch
and Kolo counters with a right hand to the body.
Kolo clinches but Hashimoto breaks the clinch

and Hashimoto counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keiji Hashimoto dominated that second round.
That's time! Hashimoto's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Hashimoto moves out of range as Kolo throws a body kick.
Kolo throws a series of punches but Hashimoto moves out of range.
Hashimoto throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kolo counters with a thumping low kick.
Kolo slips under a jab.
Kolo takes a swing at Hashimoto's ribcage but misses.
Kolo stuffs the takedown attempt from Hashimoto. Hashimoto gets slowly back to his feet.
Kolo tries to clinch up but Hashimoto circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kolo throws a lazy head kick
and Hashimoto makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hashimoto doesn't manage to clinch there - Kolo circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Hashimoto.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kolo throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling Hashimoto to counter with a crisp jab.
Hashimoto tries to clinch but Kolo is having none of it.
Nice sprawl there from Kolo as Hashimoto shoots in.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hashimoto looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kolo misses with a hook to the body

and Hashimoto counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Kolo wants to get back to full guard.
Hashimoto scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Kolo is refusing to be controlled, as Hashimoto sits in half guard.

Hashimoto is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Kolo trying to control but Hashimoto postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hashimoto trying to control from half guard but Kolo is working away.
Keiji Hashimoto overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kolo is looking for a sweep. Hashimoto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Hashimoto scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Hashimoto passes to side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Hashimoto tries to move to mount but Kolo blocks the move with his legs.

Hashimoto is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kolo is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Hashimoto is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kolo has escaped the position, nice work there.

Hashimoto wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kolo, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kolo manages to work his way to half guard, despite Hashimoto's best efforts.
Kolo trying to control but Hashimoto postures up.
Hashimoto wants to advance to full mount but Kolo doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Kolo is trying to control the position but Hashimoto postures up.

Hashimoto postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kolo is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Hashimoto, into his guard.
Kolo wants to pass the guard but Hashimoto is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kolo wants to control from the top but Hashimoto keeps moving.
Kolo is looking to stand up but Hashimoto won't let him.
Kolo trying to control but Hashimoto is working from the bottom.
Kolo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hashimoto swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Kolo drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Hashimoto manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Kolo has Hashimoto in his guard.

Hashimoto is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keiji Hashimoto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hashimoto, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keiji Hashimoto!