PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Felix Laniyan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuki Kosaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Laniyan's entrance music is Hot tottie. A fine choice. Felix Laniyan could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Yuki Kosaka's chin.

Laniyan
vs
Kosaka

196 cm
19
154 lbs
2 - 2 - 1

176 cm
24
155 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Felix Laniyan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuki Kosaka!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kosaka throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Laniyan swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Kosaka.

Kosaka gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Laniyan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kosaka swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kosaka keeping moving, preventing Laniyan from controlling successfully.
Laniyan pushes down on Kosaka's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Kosaka wants to improve his position but Laniyan is controlling well.
Laniyan prevents Kosaka from standing back up.
Laniyan is trying to control the action in half guard but Kosaka is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kosaka avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Laniyan.
Laniyan tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kosaka has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Laniyan is working away from the top position though.
Kosaka controlling the position well.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kosaka moves out of range as Laniyan throws a body kick.

Kosaka shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Kosaka tries to control but Laniyan wriggling away.
Laniyan is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kosaka stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Laniyan dives in and grabs Kosaka's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kosaka pushes down on Laniyan's head and hops out.
Kosaka is looking to clinch but Laniyan is avoiding it.
Laniyan has a takedown stuffed.
Laniyan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Kosaka rushes Laniyan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Laniyan tries to pull guard but Kosaka forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Felix Laniyan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kosaka has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Laniyan uses from the top position.
Laniyan looking to sit in guard and control but Kosaka gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Laniyan bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kosaka's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kosaka looking to control.
Kosaka 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.
Kosaka not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kosaka has his hands on Laniyan's head, controlling the position.
Laniyan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kosaka swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kosaka striking off his back but it's not causing Laniyan any problems.
Laniyan stops Kosaka from standing up.
Laniyan postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kosaka trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Yuki Kosaka was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Kosaka pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Kosaka closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Laniyan quickly recovers to half guard.

Kosaka looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Kosaka is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Laniyan trying to control but Kosaka postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuki Kosaka dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kosaka closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Laniyan quickly recovers to half guard.
Kosaka tries to pass the half guard into mount. Laniyan knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Laniyan wants to improve his position but Kosaka is controlling well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Kosaka in particular looking to stall.
Laniyan on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Laniyan tries to get out of the position.
Kosaka seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Laniyan does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Laniyan tries to kick Kosaka off but Kosaka keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Yuki Kosaka wasn't active enough on the ground.
Kosaka stuffs the takedown attempt from Laniyan. Laniyan gets slowly back to his feet.

Kosaka moves into range and clinches up with Laniyan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laniyan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Kosaka jumps guard.

Laniyan drops back looking for a leg! Kosaka is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kosaka manages to kick Laniyan off! Laniyan jumps back into Kosaka's guard.
Laniyan advances to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Laniyan sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kosaka defending well though.
Yuki Kosaka has got the better of the ground game so far.
Laniyan prevents Kosaka from improving his position.
Kosaka missing with punches from the bottom.
Laniyan throwing shots but Kosaka is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kosaka is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Laniyan's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Laniyan's back!

Laniyan is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Laniyan is trying to get back to his feet but Kosaka has full control of the position and if anything, Laniyan has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Kosaka looking for the choke from the back.
Kosaka punches Laniyan on the ear.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Kosaka is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Laniyan is defending well though. Kosaka let's go of the attempt for now.
Kosaka punches Laniyan on the ear.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kosaka struggling to keep hold of the position.
Laniyan really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Laniyan tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Laniyan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kosaka can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Laniyan is looking to escape.
Laniyan is looking to improve his position but Kosaka isn't that keen on the idea.
Kosaka wants to control the pace but Laniyan is squirming around nicely.
Laniyan is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kosaka goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Laniyan turns into him and now he's in Kosaka's guard.
Kosaka keeping full guard, as Laniyan tries to pass.
Laniyan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Kosaka is adopting a defensive guard.

Kosaka working for a triangle but Laniyan defends it easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kosaka not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuki Kosaka 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!

Laniyan shoots in but Kosaka avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Kosaka takes one on the button.

Kosaka looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Laniyan is staying active underneath Kosaka, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Kosaka escapes and gets back to his feet.

Laniyan gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kosaka to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Laniyan escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kosaka gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
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!

Kosaka gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laniyan defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kosaka.
Laniyan drops his hands momentarily and Kosaka takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Kosaka circles away from the clinch attempt.

Kosaka closes the distance and clinches.
Laniyan looking to throw knees to the head but Kosaka is blocking nicely.

Kosaka gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Laniyan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kosaka is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Kosaka tries to control but Laniyan wriggling away.
Laniyan can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kosaka working Laniyan over with strikes here.
Laniyan is bucking up trying to escape but Kosaka cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Kosaka stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
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!

Laniyan throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Kosaka was covering up waiting for the punch and Laniyan finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Laniyan wants to pass the guard but Kosaka is keeping the position.
Kosaka is pulling down on Laniyan's head to control his posture.
Kosaka is trying to control the position but Laniyan postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laniyan pushing down on Kosaka's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kosaka gets back to full guard.
Laniyan won't allow Kosaka to sweep him here.
Kosaka is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kosaka lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Laniyan!
Laniyan in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Laniyan wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Laniyan tries to escape but Kosaka has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laniyan trying to get back to his feet but Kosaka is in full control for now.
Laniyan trying to control the hands but Kosaka won't let him.
Kosaka is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Kosaka lands a shot to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Laniyan fending off the submission attempt from Kosaka.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yuki Kosaka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kosaka 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yuki Kosaka!