PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Takanori Kawajiri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liu Kang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kawajiri
vs
Kang

173 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
20
163 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takanori Kawajiri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Liu Kang!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yuuki Gou and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kawajiri looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kawajiri trying to pass the guard but Kang defending well.
Kang manages to get to full guard.
Kang lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kawajiri!
Kang controlling from the full mount.
Kawajiri tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kawajiri is working hard here to advance position.

Kawajiri defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Kang.

Kang working for a guillotine from mount but Kawajiri is in no mood to give up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kawajiri defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Kang.
Kawajiri tries to reverse the position but Kang maintains control.
Kang wants to take Kawajiri's back here but Kawajiri is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Kang swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Kawajiri is now in Kang's guard. A big mistake from Kang there, giving up the dominant position!
Kawajiri is breathing heavily.
Kawajiri wants to pass the guard but Kang is keeping the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kang is trying to control the position but Kawajiri postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Kang isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Kawajiri stacks Kang on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Kawajiri!
Kawajiri is looking to take a break and control but Kang is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kang tries to bench press Kawajiri off him but Kawajiri keeps the position.

Kawajiri looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Kawajiri throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Kawajiri trying to control the position but Kang is working away.

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

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kawajiri advances nicely into full mount.
Kang is squirming around, avoiding Kawajiri's attempts to control the action.
Kang tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kawajiri looking to control but Kang is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kawajiri lands a nice shot to the head.
Kawajiri prevents Kang from getting the reversal.
Kawajiri raining down shots from the mount!
Kang is working to get back to half guard.

Kawajiri working for a guillotine from mount but Kang is in no mood to give up.
Kang sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kang is pressing down on Kawajiri's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Kang is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kawajiri trying to control but Kang is working from the bottom.

Kang has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Kawajiri off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Kawajiri fails to land with a series of punches.
Kawajiri shoots in but no luck this time.
Kang misses with a takedown attempt

and Kawajiri counters with a single leg into guard. Kang didn't expect that.
Kang 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.
Kang is trying to keep Kawajiri in close.

Kawajiri stands up from Kang's guard - Kawajiri perhaps looking for a knockout.

Kawajiri takes the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takanori Kawajiri dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Kawajiri shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Kawajiri drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Kang manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Kawajiri has Kang in his guard.
Kang trying to control the position from guard on top but Kawajiri is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kang gets to his feet - Kawajiri follows without any prompting.
Kawajiri fails to land the takedown.
Kang gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Kawajiri counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Kawajiri is posturing up here but Kang has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Kawajiri tries to roll out but it's too tight and Kawajiri has to tap! Slick submission there by Kang!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Liu Kang!