PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dmitri Akhmetov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kira Izumi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Izumi has chosen The Final by Dir En Grey as his entrance music. This should be fireworks!

Akhmetov
vs
Izumi

185 cm
24
187 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

184 cm
25
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dmitri Akhmetov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kira Izumi!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Izumi tries to close the distance and clinch but Akhmetov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A nice combination there by Akhmetov.

It looks like Kira Izumi has been cut.

Akhmetov clinches.

Izumi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Izumi shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Akhmetov sprawls well. Akhmetov wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Izumi gets slowly back to his feet.
Izumi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Akhmetov paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Izumi takes the fight into the clinch.

Izumi gets control of Akhmetov's arms and successfully pulls guard. Izumi will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akhmetov controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Izumi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Akhmetov 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

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

Izumi had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Akhmetov defends it easily.

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.

Akhmetov avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Akhmetov's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Izumi throws his legs up looking for a submission but Akhmetov uses it to pass to side control.

Akhmetov stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Izumi displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Akhmetov.
Nice takedown defense from Akhmetov. No joy for Izumi on that attempt.
Akhmetov misses with a few strikes there.
Akhmetov doesn't manage to clinch there - Izumi circles away.
Akhmetov with a jab.
Akhmetov stuffs the takedown.
Akhmetov is looking for a counter combo.
Dmitri Akhmetov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kira Izumi.

Akhmetov rushes Izumi and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.

Izumi breaks from the clinch.
Izumi has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Izumi is rocked!
Akhmetov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Izumi is still on wobbly legs! Can Akhmetov finish him?

A momentary lapse in concentration from Izumi enables Akhmetov to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Izumi manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Akhmetov postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Akhmetov is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akhmetov prevents Izumi from getting back to his feet.
Izumi looks winded!
Izumi being controlled here, momentarily.
Akhmetov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Izumi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Izumi seems to have recovered his senses.

Akhmetov gets to his feet. Izumi looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Izumi darts in looking for a takedown but Akhmetov gets double underhooks and turns Izumi into the ropes.
Izumi tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Akhmetov is able to avoid easily.
Akhmetov misses with a jab, cross combination.
Izumi feints the counter takedown.
Izumi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Akhmetov as he jumps to the side.
Akhmetov lands with a straight right. Izumi didn't see that one coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dmitri Akhmetov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kira Izumi's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Izumi shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Akhmetov eats them both and turns towards Izumi to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Akhmetov tries to clinch up but Izumi circles away and keeps his distance.
Akhmetov lands a slapping body shot.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Izumi stalling in the clinch but Akhmetov improves position.
Akhmetov keeps control of Izumi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Akhmetov breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Akhmetov closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Dmitri Akhmetov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Akhmetov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Izumi can do to turn this around?
Akhmetov lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akhmetov wants to pass to mount but Izumi is defending the position.
Akhmetov trying to control the pace.
Akhmetov lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Akhmetov passes to full mount!

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.
Akhmetov controlling from mount.
Izumi wants to hold on but Akhmetov pushes him away.
Akhmetov controlling from the full mount.
Izumi is wriggling around trying to escape.
Akhmetov controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akhmetov's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Izumi is in all sorts of trouble here.
Akhmetov controlling the position easily from mount.
Akhmetov won't let Izumi get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Izumi tries to hold on but Akhmetov pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Izumi is wriggling around trying to escape.
Akhmetov controlling his opponent.
Izumi tries to hold on but Akhmetov postures up.
Akhmetov controlling the pace for now.
Izumi wants to control but Akhmetov is having none of it.
Izumi is desperately trying to improve his position but Akhmetov has a good base and remains in mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Akhmetov controlling the position easily from mount.
Izumi squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dmitri Akhmetov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kira Izumi's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Akhmetov. No joy for Izumi on that attempt.
Akhmetov throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Izumi.
Akhmetov's jab looks to have found its range, popping Izumi under the eye.
Akhmetov motions for Izumi to come forward. Akhmetov throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Izumi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Izumi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Akhmetov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
As Izumi tries to get set, Akhmetov tries to push him back and clinch up but Izumi manages to avoid the attempt.
Izumi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dmitri Akhmetov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Akhmetov has Izumi up against the ropes in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Izumi is trying to force a seperation but Akhmetov has the dominant position.
Izumi trying to control the position but instead, Akhmetov has worked for underhooks and has pushed Izumi into the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Akhmetov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Izumi has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Akhmetov finds it's way round the side to connect with Izumi's head.
Akhmetov misses with a series of wild punches.
Akhmetov throws a series of punches but Izumi moves out of range.
Akhmetov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Izumi tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Akhmetov defends well and Izumi ends up having to push Akhmetov into the ropes where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Dmitri Akhmetov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kira Izumi.
Akhmetov shoots in but no luck this time.
Izumi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Izumi tries to clinch but Akhmetov moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Izumi staying out of range there.
Akhmetov is looking to clinch.
Izumi is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Izumi darts in looking for a takedown but Akhmetov gets double underhooks and turns Izumi into the ropes.
Akhmetov misses with a series of wild punches.
Akhmetov swinging wildly here.
Akhmetov throws a series of punches but Izumi moves out of range.
Izumi throws a hook but Akhmetov blocks it.
Izumi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Akhmetov circles away.
Izumi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Izumi shoots in looking for a takedown but Akhmetov manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Izumi's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Izumi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dmitri Akhmetov is winning the standup battle so far.
Izumi walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Izumi throws a sloppy head kick and Akhmetov moves out of range easily.
Akhmetov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Izumi circles away quickly and effectively.
Akhmetov throws a right hand that Izumi ducks under and follows up with a left that Izumi also avoids with ease.
Akhmetov looks to land a combination but Izumi avoids it well.
As Akhmetov backs off Izumi throws a huge counter combo but Akhmetov manages to avoid it all.

Akhmetov clinches with his opponent.

Izumi breaks the clinch.
Izumi is looking to clinch.
Akhmetov misses with a takedown attempt - Izumi sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Izumi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Akhmetov.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Izumi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akhmetov throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Izumi.
Izumi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Izumi tries to clinch but Akhmetov moves out of range.
Izumi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Akhmetov throws a one two combo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Izumi clinches.
Izumi wants a takedown.
Izumi jumps guard but Akhmetov turns him against the ropes and keeps the fight standing.
Kira Izumi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Akhmetov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dmitri Akhmetov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The fight stays on the outside here - Izumi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Akhmetov half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dmitri Akhmetov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Akhmetov has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dmitri Akhmetov!