PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brandon Grant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akisame Hikaru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Hikaru's choice of entrance music: Ultimate Battle. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Grant
vs
Hikaru

184 cm
32
195 lbs
15 - 4 - 0

172 cm
25
180 lbs
16 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Damnfield clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Brandon Grant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Akisame Hikaru!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Grant scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Grant will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hikaru is trying to get back to full guard.
Grant working the head and body with strikes.

Grant seems to be looking for submissions.
Grant controlling the action here.

Grant wants to work for an arm triangle but Hikaru is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Hikaru is trying to get back to full guard.
Hikaru is refusing to be controlled, as Grant sits in half guard.
Hikaru is trying to maintain the position but Grant is very close to passing his half guard.
Grant wants to control but Hikaru is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hikaru is trying to control but can't.
Grant not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Grant is trying to control the action in half guard but Hikaru is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Grant missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Grant working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Grant lands strikes from half guard.

Hikaru looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Grant working the head and body with strikes.

Hikaru looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Hikaru is trying to get back to full guard.
Hikaru avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Grant.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grant throwing shots but Hikaru is blocking nicely.
Hikaru is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Grant throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hikaru is trying to get back to full guard.

Grant is trying to work for a kimura but Hikaru is defending well.
Grant is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hikaru wants to get back to full guard.
Grant winds up and cracks Hikaru with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hikaru on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Hikaru works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant distracts Hikaru with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hikaru 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.
Grant throws a strike but Hikaru rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Grant is looking for a triangle but Hikaru pushes his legs off easily.

Grant has an active guard here but Hikaru has managed to pass into half guard.
Hikaru wants to lay and pray for a moment but Grant keeps working.
Hikaru is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Grant is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hikaru sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Grant tries to roll over but Hikaru keeps him under control.
Grant regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hikaru is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hikaru connects with a couple of short punches.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hikaru trying to control the position from guard on top but Grant is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Grant throws his legs up looking for a submission but Hikaru uses it to pass to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Grant dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hikaru misses with a straight left.
A slow jab from Hikaru misses its intended target.
Grant shoots in looking for a takedown but Hikaru manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Grant's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Hikaru throws a jab when Grant was well out of range.
Hikaru lands with a cross.
Hikaru swings for the body but Grant moves out of range.
Grant throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Hikaru on the side of the head.

Grant clinches.
Hikaru is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Grant is defending well for now.
Hikaru softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hikaru pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Hikaru creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Hikaru is pressed up against the cage. Grant has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hikaru down to the mat. Hikaru avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hikaru misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hikaru throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Grant misses with a wild combination.
Grant takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Grant keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hikaru.
Hikaru fails with an attempt to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Hikaru.
Hikaru pivots, looking for a leg kick but Grant is out of range and Hikaru settles back down.
Hikaru does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hikaru lands a slapping body shot.
Hikaru lands with a hook. Grant tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

It looks like Brandon Grant has been cut.
Hikaru's corner calls for a 1-2. Hikaru obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hikaru misses with a straight left.
Hikaru tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Grant manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Grant misses with a straight left.
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!
Hikaru does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hikaru lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Hikaru shoots in looking for a takedown but Grant manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hikaru's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Hikaru swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hikaru jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Hikaru connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Grant's hands.
Hikaru swats away the attempt to clinch by Grant.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hikaru.
Grant showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hikaru.
Hikaru throws a front kick aimed at Grant's knee but Grant avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hikaru connects with a body shot that sends Grant's belly button to the back.
Hikaru throws a body punch but Grant moves out of range.
Grant keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Grant avoids the body shot from Hikaru.
Grant misses with the combination.
Hikaru throws a lazy uppercut
and Grant counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hikaru thinking.
Grant throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Hikaru counters with a right hand to the body.
Hikaru looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Brandon Grant is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hikaru scores with a jab to the body.
Grant shoots in looking for a takedown but Hikaru manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Grant's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brandon Grant. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A shot to the liver by Hikaru. Beautiful body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Grant throws a series of punches but Hikaru avoids them all with ease.
Hikaru throws an off balance right hand
and Grant counters with a series of strikes. Hikaru will be more careful next time no doubt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hikaru is looking to clinch but Grant is avoiding it.
Grant tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hikaru swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Grant manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hikaru on his heels. He'll look to pass Hikaru's guard now, I'm sure.
Hikaru working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Grant.
Hikaru has his hands on Grant's head, controlling the position.
Hikaru manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Hikaru scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hikaru looking to control but Grant is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Hikaru. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hikaru fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Grant tries to reverse the position but Hikaru maintains control.
Grant regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akisame Hikaru showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Brandon Grant's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Grant keeps the fight on the outside.
Akisame Hikaru seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nice jab there from Hikaru.
Hikaru has a takedown stuffed.

Hikaru dives in and scores a takedown into Grant's guard.
Hikaru won't allow Grant to sweep him here.
Grant bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hikaru's guard.
Grant wants to control from the top but Hikaru keeps moving.
Grant with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hikaru trying to control the position.

Hikaru throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Grant postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hikaru is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Grant, into his guard.
Hikaru tries to free his leg and advance position but Grant is retaining full guard.
Hikaru wants to control from the top but Grant keeps moving.

Grant is looking for a triangle but Hikaru pushes his legs off easily.
Grant keeping moving, preventing Hikaru from controlling successfully.
Hikaru is working Grant over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hikaru would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Grant escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hikaru gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Grant looking for a guillotine here but Hikaru defends easily.
Grant keeping moving, preventing Hikaru from controlling successfully.

Grant had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hikaru defends it easily.
Hikaru throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant wants to sweep here but Hikaru controlling him for the moment.
Hikaru stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Grant swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Grant looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hikaru is one step ahead there.
Hikaru trying to stand up but can't free himself from Grant's guard.
Hikaru trying to control the position from guard on top but Grant is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Grant looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Hikaru has picked Grant up and slammed him! Grant can't keep hold of the triangle and Hikaru manages to pass to side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hikaru trying to control the action but Grant is working from the bottom.
Hikaru scores with punches from side control.
Hikaru blocks the strikes from Grant.
Grant takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Hikaru wants to stand but Grant has his arm trapped.
Grant is not content to let Hikaru control the position.
Grant is working to avoid the ground and pound but Hikaru connects with a decent elbow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hikaru is working Grant over with some ground and pound from side control.
Grant throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Hikaru working the head and body with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Akisame Hikaru comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hikaru 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Akisame Hikaru!
After the big win, Akisame Hikaru made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Damnfield clothing and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.