PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Edwin Acosta (ranked 5512 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anakoni Kai (ranked 7000 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Anakoni Kai enters the cage!

Acosta
vs
Kai

173 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Edwin Acosta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anakoni Kai!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Acosta could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Kai gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Acosta lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Anakoni Kai has been cut.
Kai has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kai stalling.

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

Acosta fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Kai to the ground. Acosta is now in Kai's guard.

Acosta decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kai closes the distance and clinches.
A nice left hand lands by Kai.
Acosta dodges an elbow strike from Kai.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Acosta works on Kai's body with a couple of short punches.
Kai tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Acosta just stands there and leans against the cage.
Kai fails to pull guard.
Kai takes an elbow to the forehead.
Kai drops down looking for an ankle pick but Acosta pulls his leg out and moves away.
Edwin Acosta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anakoni Kai.
Kai shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Acosta defends it nicely.
Kai swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Acosta scores with a takedown into Kai's guard.
Kai really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Acosta. 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 two minutes gone in the round.

Acosta gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Kai darts in looking for a takedown but Acosta gets double underhooks and turns Kai into the cage.
As Kai backs away, Acosta returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Kai has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Acosta is landing a low percentage of strikes.

Acosta changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kai looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Acosta decides to stand back up.

Acosta closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Acosta looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Acosta stands up.
Kai shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Acosta holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kai wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kai is trying to break the clinch but Acosta has him pressed against the cage.
Acosta throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Acosta blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kai looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Acosta blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Acosta.
Acosta lands a left hand that snaps the head of Kai backwards.
Kai drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kai goes for a takedown in the clinch but Acosta prevents it.
Kai is trying to break the clinch but Acosta has him pressed against the cage.
Acosta holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Kai tries to stall but Acosta uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kai goes for a takedown attempt but Acosta pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edwin Acosta dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anakoni Kai's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kai looks for a takedown but Acosta sprawls well.
Acosta seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Acosta is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kai can do to turn this around?
Kai scores with a kick to the midsection.
Kai has his takedown stuffed
and Acosta counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kai thinking.
Acosta stuffs the takedown attempt from Kai. Kai gets slowly back to his feet.
Edwin Acosta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anakoni Kai.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kai darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Acosta gets tackled into the cage by Kai. Kai maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Acosta misses with an elbow over the top.
Edwin Acosta has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Kai slowing the pace effectively.
Acosta is pushing Kai up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Kai cracks Acosta with a nice body shot.
Kai lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Acosta or not.
Acosta jumps guard but Kai stands there with Acosta around his waist. Acosta gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kai tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

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.
Kai tries to pull guard but Acosta holds him up against the cage and eventually Kai drops back down to his feet.
Kai tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Acosta smiles and moves away.

Kai clinches up with Acosta and pushes him back against the cage.
Kai wants a takedown but no success here.

Kai manages to break the clinch.
Anakoni Kai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Acosta feints and as Kai raises his hands in defense, Acosta changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Acosta gets to his feet. Kai looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Acosta decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Acosta stands up and beckons Kai to join him on the feet.
A solid body kick from Kai.

Kai has taken the fight to the clinch.
Acosta keeps control of Kai as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Kai gets control of Acosta's arms and successfully pulls guard. Kai will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Acosta gets to his feet - Kai follows without any prompting.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kai tries to pull guard but Acosta won't allow it.
Kai is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Acosta gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Kai goes for a takedown in the clinch but Acosta prevents it.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Kai takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kai misses with a hook to the ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kai is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Acosta gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Anakoni Kai will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Anakoni Kai's cut.
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!

Acosta stuffs the takedown.
Kai misses with a takedown
and Acosta counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Kai is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Kai turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kai darts in looking for a takedown but Acosta gets double underhooks and turns Kai into the cage.
Acosta wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Edwin Acosta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anakoni Kai.

Acosta shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Acosta showed some decent athleticism there.

Acosta postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Kai to stand up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Acosta tries to clinch but Kai moves out of range.
Kai wants to counter the offense by Acosta and move into the clinch position.
Kai will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Kai explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Kai shoots in for a takedown but Acosta shows good takedown defense.
Acosta feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Kai takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Kai moves into range and clinches up with Acosta.
Kai jumps guard but Acosta stands there with Kai around his waist. Kai gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Acosta lands a takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Acosta stands and steps away. Kai gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Kai gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Acosta makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kai closes the distance and clinches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Acosta lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Acosta tries to pull guard but Kai won't allow it.
Acosta is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Acosta tries to pull guard but Kai holds him up against the cage and eventually Acosta drops back down to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kai jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Acosta walks away with a smile on his face. Kai gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kai shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Acosta counters with a nice leg kick.

Acosta throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Kai tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Acosta is in Kai's guard.

Acosta stands and steps away. Kai gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Kai gets caught flat footed, as Acosta shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Acosta slips nicely into half guard.
Kai is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Acosta postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Kai to stand up.
A combination from Kai does no damage.
Acosta feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kai or perhaps it was just good defense by Acosta, which made it look bad.

Acosta looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Acosta gets to his feet. Kai looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kai is defended easily by Acosta.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edwin Acosta showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Acosta has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edwin Acosta!