PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Erik Friedrichsen (ranked 2707 p4p, 266 weight class) and Toturi Akodo (ranked 1307 p4p, 159 weight class). Akodo comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Skip Marley - Lions kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Friedrichsen
vs
Akodo

200 cm
24
286 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

212 cm
26
244 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Erik Friedrichsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Toturi Akodo!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab, jab by Friedrichsen - just one landing.

It looks like Toturi Akodo has been cut.
Friedrichsen lands a jab-cross combination.
Akodo thumps Friedrichsen with a low kick.
Akodo cracks Friedrichsen with a right hand to the side of the head.

It looks like Erik Friedrichsen has been cut.
Crunch! Akodo slams his shin into Friedrichsen's torso.
Friedrichsen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Akodo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Akodo fails to land with a series of punches.
Akodo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Akodo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Friedrichsen throws a quick inside leg kick.
We've been informed that Akodo has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.

Akodo moves into the clinch.
Friedrichsen misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Friedrichsen scores with a nice hook to the head.

Akodo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Akodo blocks a jab.
Akodo takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Akodo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Friedrichsen punishes Akodo's body with a nice straight punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akodo takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Akodo does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Friedrichsen throws a looping overhand right but Akodo ducks down to avoid it.
Friedrichsen slips a jab from Akodo.
Friedrichsen lands the left hand.
Friedrichsen misses with a wild body shot.
We've been told by Friedrichsen's head coaches at Mello MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Friedrichsen looks to land a left hand but Akodo moved out of range nicely.
Nice shot by Akodo.
Akodo loads up on a big right hand but Friedrichsen slips the punch.
Friedrichsen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Akodo.
A nice side step and Akodo releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Toturi Akodo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Friedrichsen does it's job there.
Akodo throws a leg kick that misses.
Friedrichsen throws a body shot but no joy.
Friedrichsen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Akodo.
Friedrichsen scores with a crisp jab that stopped Akodo in his tracks.

That has opened up Toturi Akodo's cut even more.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akodo avoids the body shot from Friedrichsen.
Friedrichsen backing away here, and Akodo unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Akodo just misses with a punch to the body.
Akodo has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Friedrichsen throws a leg kick but Akodo checks it.

Akodo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Akodo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Friedrichsen lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Akodo throws a jab when Friedrichsen was well out of range.
Akodo cracks Friedrichsen with a good jab.
Friedrichsen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Friedrichsen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Akodo.
Friedrichsen slips under a jab.
Akodo scores with a decent looking hook.

Erik Friedrichsen's cut is getting worse.
Friedrichsen throws out a loose jab but Akodo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Akodo looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Friedrichsen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Akodo.
Akodo misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Friedrichsen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Friedrichsen just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Friedrichsen lands with a good body shot.
Friedrichsen throws a body punch but Akodo moves out of range.
Akodo looks to land a right hand but Friedrichsen moved out of range.
A jab from Friedrichsen misses.
The fighters circling - Akodo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Friedrichsen takes a swing at Akodo's ribcage but misses.
Friedrichsen checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Akodo pivots, looking for a leg kick but Friedrichsen is out of range and Akodo settles back down.
Some wild striking there from Akodo.
Friedrichsen misses with a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Friedrichsen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Akodo.
Friedrichsen works the jab nicely.
Friedrichsen throws a looping overhand right but Akodo ducks down to avoid it.
Akodo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akodo throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Akodo swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Akodo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Akodo throws a jab but it's blocked by Friedrichsen.
Friedrichsen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Friedrichsen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Akodo.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Akodo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Friedrichsen.
A punch combination from Akodo misses.
Akodo connects with a crisp jab.
Friedrichsen connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Akodo pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Friedrichsen back to the cage. Akodo follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Friedrichsen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A telegraphed right hand from Akodo misses the target.
Akodo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Akodo digs a good hook to Friedrichsen's body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Toturi Akodo will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Friedrichsen lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Akodo. That's going to slow Friedrichsen down.
Friedrichsen throws a hook to the side of Akodo's head but Akodo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Akodo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Friedrichsen slips under a jab.
Friedrichsen was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Erik Friedrichsen is winning the standup battle so far.
Friedrichsen slips under a jab.
Akodo lands a body shot.
Akodo throws a body punch but Friedrichsen moves out of range.
Akodo slips a jab and a cross from Friedrichsen.
Friedrichsen takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A shot to the liver by Akodo. Beautiful body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Friedrichsen misses with a body shot.
Akodo pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Akodo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Friedrichsen.
Friedrichsen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Akodo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Akodo. That's going to slow Friedrichsen down.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Akodo.
Friedrichsen misses with a body shot.
Akodo rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Friedrichsen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Friedrichsen misses with a leg kick.
A slow jab from Friedrichsen misses its intended target.
Akodo unleashes a big counter combination but Friedrichsen bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Akodo swings widly with a right hand
and Friedrichsen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Friedrichsen.
Friedrichsen throws a leg kick that misses.
Friedrichsen tries to score with a low kick but Akodo moves his leg out of the way.
Akodo swinging wildly here.
Akodo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Friedrichsen misses the jab.
Friedrichsen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Akodo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Akodo misses with an attempted mid kick.
It looked like Friedrichsen wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Friedrichsen jabs Akodo to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Friedrichsen lands a nice looking body shot.
Friedrichsen throws a hook to the side of Akodo's head but Akodo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Friedrichsen tests Akodo's chin there with a solid looking shot.

The cut above Toturi Akodo's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Akodo checks a leg kick.
Akodo walks into a straight right hand from Friedrichsen.
Friedrichsen misses with an uppercut.
Friedrichsen is looking to slow Akodo down with leg kicks.
Akodo throws the left hand but Friedrichsen avoids the punch easily.
Friedrichsen misses with a hook to the body
and Akodo counters with a nice leg kick.
Friedrichsen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Akodo was well out of range. Poor timing from Friedrichsen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akodo ducks under a wild hook from Friedrichsen.
Friedrichsen misses the shot to the body.
That kick from Akodo tenderised Friedrichsen's leg. Friedrichsen is trying to keep his angry face on.
Friedrichsen wants to slow Akodo down by chopping away at his legs.
Akodo scoring well with a low kick there.
Friedrichsen lands with an uppercut that bounces Akodo off the cage and back into range.
Akodo throws the left hand but Friedrichsen avoids the punch easily.
Friedrichsen throws a quick counter kick to the body but Akodo avoids it.
Akodo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Friedrichsen was well out of range. Poor timing from Akodo.
Friedrichsen misses the shot to the body.
Friedrichsen looks to throw the jab but Akodo is out of range.
Friedrichsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Akodo moves away.
Akodo lands a head shot.
Akodo fails to land with a series of punches.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Akodo, right into the meat.
A low kick from Akodo is predictable there
and Friedrichsen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Toturi Akodo's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akodo throws a low kick, looking for Friedrichsen's leg but Friedrichsen calmly moves out of range.
Friedrichsen fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Friedrichsen takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Akodo walks into a straight right hand from Friedrichsen.

Akodo is rocked!

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Toturi Akodo's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Erik Friedrichsen!
Erik Friedrichsen managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200), into his post fight interview.
Toturi Akodo was interviewed post fight and said 'Losing a fight is heartbreaking. Losing your sense of excellence is a tragedy.'.