PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Phil Kraken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Flinch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Robert Flinch looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Kraken
vs
Flinch

168 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
167 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Phil Kraken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Robert Flinch!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Ren Mimura and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Kraken, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Flinch looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Kraken throws a series of punches but Flinch avoids them all with ease.
Flinch gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Kraken tries to bum rush Flinch with a series of wild strikes but Flinch uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Kraken gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Flinch counters with a shoot takedown. Kraken fights it but they end up in guard.
Flinch throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kraken works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Flinch with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kraken 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.
Flinch trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Flinch missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kraken looking to control.
Kraken trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Kraken knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Flinch on the ground.
Kraken looking to control.
Flinch is looking to work some ground and pound but Kraken has wrist control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Flinch accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Kraken escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Flinch gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kraken doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Flinch connects with a couple of short punches.
Flinch stands up over Kraken, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Flinch working some strikes from top position.
Kraken is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Flinch throwing strikes from guard but Kraken blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kraken wants to sweep here but Flinch controlling him for the moment.
Flinch is looking to work some ground and pound but Kraken has wrist control.
Kraken is trying to keep Flinch in close.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Phil Kraken just wasn't active enough.
A head kick misses from Kraken.
Flinch dodges the punch combination from Kraken.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kraken connects with a nice looking jab.
Phil Kraken seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kraken closes the distance but Flinch moves to the side

and Flinch counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Kraken!
Kraken tries to lock up and control but Flinch gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kraken avoids a series of strikes thrown by Flinch.
Poor strikes thrown by Flinch there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Flinch lands a heavy elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Flinch throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Kraken is trying desperately to improve position.
Flinch throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Flinch thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Kraken could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kraken is looking to get to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kraken blocking the ground and pound.
Kraken is desperately trying to improve his position but Flinch has a good base and remains in mount.
Flinch thowing shots but they're missing.
Flinch punching from mount but Kraken doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Flinch misses with a head shot.
Kraken is desperately trying to improve his position but Flinch has a good base and remains in mount.
Kraken might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Kraken tries to hold on but Flinch pushes him away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Flinch looking to ground and pound but Kraken is blocking nicely.
Flinch thowing shots but they're missing.
Flinch cracks Kraken with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Flinch dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kraken is looking to clinch.
Flinch has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Kraken misses with a double jab

and Flinch counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Kraken!
Flinch landing punches.
Kraken is working to get back to half guard.
Flinch connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Poor strikes thrown by Flinch there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Robert Flinch has got the better of the ground game so far.
Flinch misses with a head shot.
Flinch throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Kraken because Flinch loaded up on that one.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kraken is looking to improve his position but Flinch isn't that keen on the idea.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flinch unloads with some shots from mount but Kraken bucks and avoids them well.
Poor strikes thrown by Flinch there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Kraken is trying desperately to improve position.
Kraken avoids a series of strikes thrown by Flinch.
Kraken blocking the ground and pound.
Flinch throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Kraken throwing hammer fists to the chest of Flinch. What's that going to do exactly?
Kraken tries to hold on but Flinch pushes him away.
Flinch lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Flinch postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kraken looks a forlorn figure.
Flinch thowing shots but they're missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flinch throws some wild stikes that Kraken manages to avoid easily.
Kraken wants to control but Flinch is having none of it.
Flinch looking to finish Kraken with some ground and pound. This is bad for Kraken!
Kraken wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Flinch.
Flinch throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Flinch thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Kraken is desperately trying to improve his position but Flinch has a good base and remains in mount.
Kraken is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Flinch thowing shots but they're missing.
Flinch has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flinch connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Flinch lands a heavy elbow.
Kraken is working to get back to half guard.
Kraken is bucking up trying to escape but Flinch cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Flinch putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Flinch postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kraken looks a forlorn figure.
Kraken wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Flinch.
Kraken is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Flinch looking to finish with strikes here!
Flinch fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kraken can't escape the position.
Flinch has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kraken's face.
Flinch lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Kraken is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kraken is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Flinch unloading with bombs!
Flinch landing strikes, looking to finish!
Kraken tries to hold on but Flinch pushes him away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Flinch breaks from Kraken's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Kraken is trying desperately to improve position.
BOOM! Flinch connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Flinch showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Kraken throws a series of strikes that have Flinch backpedaling.
Some wild striking there from Kraken.
Kraken tries to close the distance and clinch but Flinch swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Flinch takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Kraken is trying hard to land a takedown here. Flinch sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kraken lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Flinch circles away quickly and effectively.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kraken swinging wildly here.
Nice takedown defense from Kraken. No joy for Flinch on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kraken throws a right and a left that Flinch avoids nicely.
Kraken cracks Flinch with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Kraken shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Flinch but Flinch pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kraken throws a combination that misses

and Flinch counters with a shoot takedown. Kraken fights it but they end up in guard.
Flinch is in close to Kraken's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Flinch working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kraken's head.
Kraken controls Flinch momentarily but Flinch frees himself.
Flinch is working Kraken over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Flinch postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Flinch throwing strikes from guard but Kraken blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flinch postures up in Kraken's guard and throws a big left but Kraken blocks it.
Flinch makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Flinch throwing strikes but missing.
Flinch throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kraken works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Flinch throws a big elbow that misses.
Kraken throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Kraken looking to control.
Flinch scoring with some ground and pound.
Flinch stands up over Kraken, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Kraken utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Flinch accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flinch won't allow Kraken to get back to his feet.
Flinch landing with the ground and pound.
Flinch scoring with some ground and pound.
Flinch loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Flinch postures up in Kraken's guard and throws a big left but Kraken blocks it.
Flinch throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Flinch landing some decent shots from guard.
Kraken working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Flinch.
Flinch distracts Kraken with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Flinch throwing strikes but missing.
Flinch throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flinch with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kraken avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Flinch working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kraken's head.
Flinch scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Flinch wants to pass the guard but Kraken is keeping the position.
Flinch throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kraken works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Flinch prevents Kraken from getting back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Flinch is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Flinch cracks Kraken with a solid left hand.

Kraken has his foot on Flinch's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Flinch works his way back into a safe position though.
Phil Kraken has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Flinch postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Robert Flinch comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Flinch winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Flinch!
Post fight, Robert Flinch took to the microphone: 'I have respect for my opponent but theirs always gonna be one winner... ME'.