PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Keisuke Takasugi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Ashton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ashton is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man. Keisuke Takasugi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Takasugi
vs
Ashton

177 cm
29
179 lbs
15 - 9 - 1

170 cm
40
170 lbs
24 - 19 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Keisuke Takasugi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rick Ashton!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ashton comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Ashton connects with a solid leg kick.

Takasugi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Takasugi wants to control from the top but Ashton keeps moving.
Takasugi throwing strikes but missing.
Ashton manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Takasugi manages to get himself to full guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takasugi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ashton's guard.

Takasugi throws an elbow that misses. Ashton uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Takasugi's guard. Nice move by Ashton!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Takasugi is looking for a triangle but Ashton pushes his legs off easily.

Takasugi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ashton throws a big right hand that misses.
Takasugi keeping moving, preventing Ashton from controlling successfully.
Ashton working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Takasugi's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Takasugi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ashton's guard.

Ashton working a defensive guard here.
Ashton keeping moving, preventing Takasugi from controlling successfully.
Takasugi advances to half guard.

Takasugi seems to be working for a kimura but Ashton defends the submission attempt.
Ashton is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ashton moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ashton has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Takasugi has passed into side control.
Ashton tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The strikes coming from Takasugi are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Ashton tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Takasugi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Ashton can't do much from the bottom here.
Ashton is looking to regain half guard here but Takasugi keeps moving and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takasugi misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Takasugi throws a strike aimed at the side of Ashton's head but Ashton avoids it well.
Ashton tries to buck Takasugi off but Takasugi is having none of it.
Ashton manages to work his way to half guard, despite Takasugi's best efforts.
Ashton is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Takasugi's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Takasugi's back!
Takasugi rolls, trying to escape but Ashton keeps control of the position.
Takasugi trying to control the hands but Ashton breaks the grip.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ashton scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Ashton biding his time, looking for the opening.
Takasugi can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rick Ashton will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ashton misses with a series of wild punches.
Takasugi is looking for a counter combo.

Ashton shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Takasugi napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Takasugi manages to get back to half guard.
Takasugi is looking to improve his position.
Ashton throwing shots but Takasugi is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters are battling for position here. Takasugi manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Takasugi keeping moving, preventing Ashton from controlling successfully.
Ashton lands a couple of elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takasugi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rick Ashton has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ashton wants to control from the top but Takasugi keeps moving.
Ashton throwing strikes from guard but Takasugi blocks nicely.
Ashton stopping the sweep attempt from Takasugi.
Ashton trying to control the position from guard on top but Takasugi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ashton is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ashton trying to control the position from guard on top but Takasugi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Takasugi thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Ashton trying to control but Takasugi is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ashton has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
A big left from Ashton misses.

Ashton gets the takedown into side control.
Takasugi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ashton is working Takasugi over with some ground and pound from side control.
Takasugi sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Ashton lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ashton lands with a punch from half guard.
Takasugi throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Takasugi wants to control but Ashton is keeping busy.
Takasugi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Takasugi on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ashton works his foot free and advances to mount.
Ashton is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ashton lands a big elbow.
Ashton looking to control but Takasugi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Takasugi is trying desperately to improve position.
Ashton is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Ashton with shots to the head and body - Takasugi looks very uncomfortable down there.
Takasugi wants to control but Ashton is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ashton looking to control and managing it successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Ashton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Ashton throws a right and a left that Takasugi avoids nicely.
Ashton misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Takasugi.
Takasugi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ashton circles away quickly and effectively.
Ashton appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.

Takasugi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Ashton wants to control but Takasugi passes into side.
Ashton wants to control but Takasugi postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ashton trying to control but Takasugi flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takasugi keeps control of the position as Ashton tries to break free.

Ashton is trying to roll into a better position but Takasugi has get a rear naked choke and Ashton is forced to tap out! This one is allllll over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Keisuke Takasugi!
Keisuke Takasugi thanked the fans post fight for their support.