PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jojo Cunnings (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akiyama Shinichi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Jojo Cunnings has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Cunnings
vs
Shinichi

167 cm
29
145 lbs
16 - 12 - 0

155 cm
30
145 lbs
9 - 6 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jojo Cunnings!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Akiyama Shinichi!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cunnings misses with a head kick.

Cunnings drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Cunnings tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cunnings has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Shinichi tries to bench press Cunnings off him but Cunnings keeps the position.
You can see the frustration on Shinichi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Cunnings working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Shinichi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Cunnings working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shinichi manages to get back to half guard.
Cunnings knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shinichi on the ground.

Cunnings is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Shinichi has managed to free his arm - good work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Shinichi manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Shinichi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cunnings!

Shinichi goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Cunnings turns into him and now he's in Shinichi's guard.
Shinichi pulls Cunnings in close to his closed guard and prevents Cunnings from doing any damage or advancing position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

Cunnings gets to his feet - Shinichi follows without any prompting.

Cunnings gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Cunnings will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shinichi works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Cunnings tries to get to full guard but Shinichi has control of the leg.
Shinichi wants to control but Cunnings is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cunnings manages to get to full guard.
Shinichi content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cunnings looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Shinichi passes into half guard.

Cunnings actively working from the bottom here.

Cunnings looking for submissions off his back.
Shinichi passes to full mount!
Shinichi controlling the position easily from mount.
Shinichi looking to control but Cunnings is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cunnings regains half guard.
Shinichi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Shinichi is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Shinichi controlling the action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cunnings is not content to let Shinichi control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Akiyama Shinichi will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Shinichi dodges the punch combination from Cunnings.

Cunnings shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Shinichi napping and manages to drive through into side control!

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

Cunnings is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Shinichi has escaped the position, nice work there.
Shinichi manages to get back to half guard.

Cunnings is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Shinichi is just riding it out for now. Cunnings eventually gives up the hold.
Shinichi is controlling Cunnings's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shinichi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Cunnings wants to get up but he can't break Shinichi's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Shinichi seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Cunnings would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Shinichi wants to sweep but no luck.
Shinichi has a closed guard, preventing Cunnings from standing up.
Shinichi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cunnings!
Shinichi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cunnings is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shinichi content just to control the position here.
Shinichi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Cunnings is trying to escape the mount.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Shinichi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shinichi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cunnings is looking to escape.
Shinichi controlling his opponent.
Akiyama Shinichi has got the better of the ground game so far.

Akiyama Shinichi has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Cunnings lands with a shot to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Shinichi.
Cunnings lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Shinichi circles away quickly and effectively.

Cunnings gets caught flat footed, as Shinichi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Shinichi wants to control from the top but Cunnings keeps moving.

Cunnings has his foot on Shinichi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Shinichi works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shinichi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Shinichi tries for a kimura but Cunnings is defending well.
Cunnings tries to improve position but can't.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cunnings being controlled for a moment.
Cunnings tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Shinichi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Shinichi has hold of Cunnings's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Cunnings tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Shinichi cranks the arm and Cunnings screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Cunnings, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Akiyama Shinichi!
After the fight, Akiyama Shinichi was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.