PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Akira Kojima (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Capanga Junior (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Capanga Junior will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Kojima
vs
Junior

177 cm
25
200 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
212 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Very confident

V-Mask Clothing (10%)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akira Kojima!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Capanga Junior!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Taro Takaoka and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Junior doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kojima counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kojima or perhaps it was just good defense by Junior, which made it look bad.
Junior drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Kojima defends it well.
Junior looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Junior tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kojima counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A decent looking cross lands there for Kojima.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Junior misses with a takedown
and Kojima counters with a nice uppercut.
Junior gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kojima counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Akira Kojima has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Capanga Junior.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kojima tries for a takedown but Junior sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Junior doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kojima counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Junior tries to clinch up.
Junior slaps away a takedown attempt from Kojima, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Junior drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Kojima defends it well.
Junior shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Kojima counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Junior has his takedown stuffed
and Kojima counters with a straight right hand.
Kojima fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Junior avoids it really well and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kojima changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Junior tries to avoid it but Kojima manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Junior to the ground. Junior escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kojima shoots in but Junior avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Junior misses with a right hand
and Kojima counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Junior tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kojima sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Junior somewhat.
Kojima fails to land the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Junior stuffs the takedown.
Junior with the counter takedown but Kojima avoids it easily.
Kojima shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Junior pinned against the cage. Junior gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Junior with the counter takedown but Kojima avoids it easily.
Kojima shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Junior sprawls well. Junior wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kojima gets slowly back to his feet.
Junior misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Kojima to counter with a crisp jab.
Junior with a poor takedown
and Kojima makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kojima or perhaps it was just good defense by Junior, which made it look bad.
Junior tries for a takedown but Kojima circles away easily
and Kojima counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kojima is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.

Junior darts in and clinches Kojima up against the cage.
Junior tries to score a body lock takedown but Kojima shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Junior with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Junior is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Kojima can't fight it off and eventually Junior manages to take the fight to the floor. Kojima looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Kojima could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Junior throws a strike but Kojima rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Kojima dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Junior shoots in for a takedown but Kojima shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Kojima is looking to counter the offense by Junior and move into the clinch.
Junior misses with a takedown
and Kojima counters with a three punch combo that has Junior backing up. Junior nods at Kojima to acknowledge the strikes.
Kojima misses with a takedown attempt - Junior sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Junior walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Junior wants to clinch but Kojima slips to the side
and Kojima counters with a three punch combo that has Junior backing up. Junior nods at Kojima to acknowledge the strikes.
Junior has his takedown stuffed
and Kojima counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Akira Kojima has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Capanga Junior.
Junior throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kojima's waist but Kojima gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Junior off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Junior pushes Kojima up against the cage in a clinch.
Junior is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kojima pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Junior throws a head punch that misses.
Junior is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kojima is defending well.
Kojima goes for a takedown in the clinch but Junior prevents it.
Kojima stops a takedown attempt from Junior.
Kojima drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kojima has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Junior after a bit of a struggle.
Junior tries for a takedown. No joy.
Junior wants to take the fight to the mat but Kojima manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Junior is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kojima pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Kojima shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Junior napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The strikes coming from Kojima are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Kojima trying to control the position but Junior is working away.

Kojima looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Kojima tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Junior isn't going anywhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Junior is continuing to stall.
Junior wants to control but Kojima postures up.
Kojima is chipping away with strikes.
Kojima misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Kojima has an Americana. Junior didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Kojima is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Kojima hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Akira Kojima!
After winning the bout, Akira Kojima thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.