PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Akiyama Shinichi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyle Willems (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Shinichi
vs
Willems

155 cm
35
145 lbs
21 - 12 - 1

162 cm
33
144 lbs
15 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Akiyama Shinichi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lyle Willems!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Willems throws a jab when Shinichi was well out of range.

Willems tries to sprawl but Shinichi drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Willems told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

Shinichi is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Willems sees it coming and defends easily.
Willems wants to improve his position but Shinichi is controlling well.
Shinichi wants to pass the guard but Willems is defending well.
Willems tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Shinichi has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Willems is looking to improve his position but Shinichi isn't that keen on the idea.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Willems defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Shinichi.
Willems keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shinichi looking to control but Willems is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Willems is trying to escape the mount.

Shinichi is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Willems to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Willems shrugs it off.
Willems is working to get back to half guard.

Shinichi looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Willems is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Willems is still trying to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You get the feeling that Willems really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Shinichi trying to control but Willems is having none of it.
Willems is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Willems is wriggling around trying to escape.
Willems bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Willems trying to control the position from guard on top but Shinichi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Shinichi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Willems doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Willems manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Willems trying to control but Shinichi is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shinichi wants to sweep here but Willems controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Shinichi is on top in guard.

Shinichi wants to control from the top but Willems keeps moving.
Willems looking to control.
Willems is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Willems is looking to take a break and control but Shinichi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Willems missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Willems is keen to just control but Shinichi is a slippery customer.
Shinichi moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willems stopping the sweep attempt from Shinichi.
Shinichi controls Willems momentarily but Willems frees himself.
Willems is pushing down on Shinichi's leg trying to pass to half guard. Shinichi is fighting to maintain full guard but Willems has managed to sneak the leg through.
Shinichi is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at CCF's Flying Circus, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Shinichi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Willems wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shinichi keeps working.
Shinichi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shinichi regains full guard. Nicely done.
Shinichi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Willems's guard.

Shinichi passes Willems's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akiyama Shinichi dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Shinichi closes the distance and pushes Willems back into the cage.
Shinichi drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Willems lands a good knee to the midsection. Shinichi won't want to take too many of those.
Willems has had enough of the clinch but Shinichi keeps him there for the moment.
Shinichi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Willems can do to turn this around?
Willems can't break the clinch.
Willems misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Shinichi.
A right handed body shot lands from Shinichi.
Willems is pressed up against the cage. Shinichi has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Willems down to the mat. Willems avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Shinichi defending well as Willems loads up on a big left hand.
Willems feints and then cracks Shinichi's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Shinichi down.
Willems throws a shot from downtown. Shinichi moves away and avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shinichi shoots in for a double leg but Willems sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akiyama Shinichi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Willems moves out of range of the leg kick from Shinichi.
Willems misses with a hook. Shinichi ducked under it nicely.
Shinichi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Willems swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willems misses with a wild body shot.
Lyle Willems seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shinichi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Willems throws a body shot but no joy.
Willems throws a nice outside leg kick.
A big right from Willems misses.
Shinichi scores with a crisp jab that stopped Willems in his tracks.
Willems lunges at Shinichi with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Shinichi's hand.

Shinichi closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Willems's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Willems wants to sweep but no luck.
Shinichi stands and throws Willems's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Shinichi is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Willems tries to buck Shinichi off but Shinichi is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shinichi looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A lull in the action here.
Willems tries to bench press Shinichi off him but Shinichi keeps the position.
Shinichi is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Willems is looking for a sweep.
Willems is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Shinichi off and has taken his back!
Shinichi tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Willems not allowing Shinichi to control his hands.
Willems scores with punches from the back.
Willems thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Willems scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.

Willems working for the choke.
Willems has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Shinichi's body.
Shinichi is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Shinichi prevents Willems from getting a body triangle.
Akiyama Shinichi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Willems is hanging on to Shinichi's back as he tries to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willems is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Shinichi is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Willems.
Shinichi is keeping busy.
Shinichi trying to control but not successfully.
Shinichi covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Shinichi turns into Willems and is now in his guard.
Shinichi won't allow Willems to sweep him here.
Willems working a defensive guard here.
Shinichi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Willems swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyle Willems showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Willems misses the shot to the body.
Willems jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Willems fails to land with a series of punches.
Shinichi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Shinichi gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Shinichi tightens his grip and picks Willems up, before dumping him to the ground. Willems manages to land in guard.
Shinichi looking to sit in guard and control but Willems gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Shinichi trying to keep a closed guard but Willems is proving a slippery customer.
Willems trying to control the position from guard on top but Shinichi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Willems is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Shinichi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willems trying to control the position from guard on top but Shinichi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shinichi lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Willems wants to hit a switch here but Shinichi passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Willems there!
Willems is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Willems keeps trying to improve his position.
Shinichi wants to control the pace but Willems is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Willems tries to improve his position but Shinichi has taken his back! Shinichi has a choke - it's sunk in pretty tight... Will Willems tap? No... maybe... yes! He's tapped! Shinichi pushes Willems away and gets up to celebrate with his corner!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Akiyama Shinichi!
A very excited looking Akiyama Shinichi rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.