PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Wei Lu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michiru Fukushi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lu
vs
Fukushi

176 cm
21
137 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Wei Lu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Michiru Fukushi!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shigeki Fujiwara and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fukushi fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Lu to the ground. Fukushi is now in Lu's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Lu is adopting a defensive guard.
Lu controls Fukushi momentarily but Fukushi frees himself.

Lu is working an open guard so Fukushi takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Fukushi drives through with a takedown into Lu's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Lu looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lu is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Fukushi is controlling him.
Lu has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Fukushi stays in close to Lu's body and controls the position.
Fukushi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lu. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lu is really struggling to control Fukushi but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Fukushi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Lu fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Fukushi leaves Lu with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Fukushi moves into the clinch.

Fukushi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lu dodges the punch combination from Fukushi.

Fukushi shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Fukushi was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Fukushi trying to control the position but Lu is working away.
Lu being controlled for a moment.
Lu avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Fukushi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fukushi tries for a kimura but Lu is defending well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Lu gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Fukushi seems to be working for a kimura but Lu defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fukushi trying to mount his opponent but Lu defends it.
Fukushi is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fukushi trying to mount his opponent but Lu defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lu swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Fukushi let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Nice takedown defense from Fukushi. No joy for Lu on that attempt.

Fukushi is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Lu's half guard.
Lu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Fukushi perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Lu slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fukushi sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lu is looking to stand back up but Fukushi counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Lu.
Fukushi perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Lu taking some punishment here, with Fukushi in his half guard.
Lu works his way to full guard. Good work.

Fukushi gets to his feet. Lu looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
A head kick misses from Lu.
Fukushi lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fukushi moves into the clinch.
Fukushi slows down the pace here.
The referee is keeping an eye on Fukushi - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Lu tries to land knees in the clinch but Fukushi avoids the damage to the body.

Fukushi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lu misses with a takedown attempt

and Fukushi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Fukushi.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Fukushi as Lu tries to tie him up.
Fukushi crunches a lovely knee into Lu's ribcage.
Lu is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Fukushi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lu looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
As Lu backs off Fukushi throws a huge counter combo but Lu manages to avoid it all.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wei Lu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Fukushi moves into the clinch.

Fukushi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Fukushi shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lu manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Lu is looking to stand back up but Fukushi counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Lu.

Fukushi stands up from half guard.
Fukushi pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Lu back to the cage. Fukushi follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fukushi throws a one two combo.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fukushi throws a solid leg kick but Lu takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Fukushi.
Fukushi turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Fukushi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Fukushi slaps away a takedown attempt from Lu, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Fukushi scores with a takedown into Lu's guard.
Fukushi seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michiru Fukushi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Fukushi rushes Lu and presses him up against the cage.

Fukushi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Lu shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Lu showed some decent athleticism there.
Fukushi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Lu decides to stand up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Fukushi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Lu!

Lu sneaks out the side door and pushes Fukushi away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lu avoids a kick to the body.

Fukushi manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Lu on his heels. He'll look to pass Lu's guard now, I'm sure.
Fukushi is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Michiru Fukushi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lu is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Fukushi throwing strikes but missing.
Fukushi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fukushi's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Lu wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Fukushi gets a clinch.

Fukushi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Michiru Fukushi seems to be getting the better of the standup.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fukushi breaks the clinch.

Fukushi feints and as Lu raises his hands in defense, Fukushi changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Fukushi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Fukushi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lu is keeping the position for now.
Lu wants to sweep here but Fukushi controlling him for the moment.
Lu is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lu takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fukushi won't allow Lu to pass to mount.
Fukushi is staying active underneath Lu, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Fukushi holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Lu decides to stand up.

Fukushi shoots in and gets a takedown into Lu's guard.
Lu keeping full guard, as Fukushi tries to pass.
Lu really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Fukushi throwing strikes from guard but Lu blocks nicely.
Lu is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Wei Lu.
Well Fukushi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michiru Fukushi!
Michiru Fukushi made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'You are so weak. Hahahahahaha!'.