PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kotaro Asakura (ranked 4584 p4p, 3794 weight class) and Agustin Garcia (ranked 270 p4p, 245 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Asakura
vs
Garcia

173 cm
18
137
0 - 0 - 0

150 cm
18
143
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite 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, Kotaro Asakura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Agustin Garcia!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Donald Grub and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Garcia with that takedown attempt.
Asakura thinks about countering with a body kick.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Garcia has eaten all the pies!
Garcia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Asakura looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Asakura thows a body kick. Garcia tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A low kick from Garcia is predictable there
and Asakura counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A lazy body kick from Garcia
and Asakura counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia dives in and grabs Asakura's left leg, looking for a takedown. Asakura pushes down on Garcia's head and hops out.
Asakura lands with a kick to the ribs.
Asakura lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
A chopping leg kick lands by Asakura.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Garcia tries to clinch there but Asakura circles away.
Garcia shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Asakura as he avoids it easily.
Asakura throws a quick counter head kick but Garcia was just out of range.
Kotaro Asakura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Agustin Garcia.
Asakura throws a head kick that Garcia semi-blocks.
Asakura thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Garcia if he has to take too many more of those.
Garcia is looking to clinch.
Asakura connects with an inside leg kick.
Garcia moves in looking to clinch but Asakura pushes him off.

Asakura forces Garcia back against the cage and clinches.
Asakura lands an elbow inside that Garcia shrugs off.
Asakura lands an elbow inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asakura lands an elbow just above Garcia 's eye.
Garcia is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Asakura breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Asakura with the inside leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Garcia closes the distance and clinches.
Asakura is trying to break the clinch but Garcia is controlling him.
Asakura creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Garcia's defenses.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Asakura lands a damaging elbow.
Asakura lands an elbow that stopped Garcia in his tracks for a moment.
Asakura lands a damaging elbow.
Garcia tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Asakura throws an elbow that misses.
Asakura is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Asakura lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Asakura.
Garcia has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Asakura seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Garcia can turn it around.
Asakura throws an elbow that misses.
Garcia tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Garcia tries to pull guard but Asakura won't allow it.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Asakura takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Asakura lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Garcia has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Asakura after a bit of a struggle.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Garcia tries to pull guard but Asakura forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Asakura throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Garcia jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Asakura walks away with a smile on his face. Garcia gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Asakura goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
A nice inside leg kick there by Asakura. That's going to slow Garcia down.
Kotaro Asakura is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Asakura scores with a head kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Garcia misses with a wild combination.
Garcia takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Garcia misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kotaro Asakura dominated that round.
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.

Garcia shoots for a takedown but Asakura saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Asakura appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Asakura throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Garcia's head.
Agustin Garcia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Asakura displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Garcia.
Garcia just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromAsakura.
Nice sprawl there from Asakura as Garcia shoots in.
Asakura throws a quick counter kick to the body but Garcia avoids it.
Kotaro Asakura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Agustin Garcia.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Garcia.
Garcia takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Asakura.
A chopping leg kick lands by Asakura.
Nice body kick there by Asakura.

Asakura rushes Garcia and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura lands an elbow just above Garcia 's eye.
Asakura comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Asakura breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kotaro Asakura is winning the standup battle so far.
Garcia takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Asakura throws a head kick that half lands.
Asakura thuds his shin into the meat of Garcia's side.
Asakura pushes Garcia away with a front kick.
Garcia will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Asakura thinks about countering with a head kick.
Asakura keeps the fight on the outside.
Agustin Garcia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Asakura scores with a kick to the midsection.
A slapping body kick lands there for Asakura.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Asakura goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Asakura stuffs the takedown.
Garcia with a lazy takedown attempt
and Asakura counters with a head kick.
Garcia is breathing heavily.
Asakura avoids the head kick by Garcia.
Garcia shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Asakura misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Asakura throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Garcia has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Asakura.
Garcia tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Asakura defends well and Garcia ends up having to push Asakura into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Garcia looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Asakura lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Asakura throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Garcia.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from Asakura lands but Garcia takes it in his stride.
Garcia takes a kick to the side of the head.
Garcia throws a right and a left that Asakura avoids nicely.
Garcia shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Asakura pinned against the cage. Asakura gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Asakura thinks about countering with a body kick.
Garcia throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Asakura counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Garcia fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Asakura.
Garcia tries to clinch up but Asakura circles away and keeps his distance.
Garcia misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Garcia misses with a takedown
and Asakura counters with a good low kick that Garcia was not able to check.
Garcia darts in looking for a takedown but Asakura gets double underhooks and turns Garcia into the cage.
Garcia's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Asakura throws a nice outside leg kick.
Asakura scores with a push kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kotaro Asakura dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Asakura throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Garcia doesn't manage to clinch there - Asakura circles away.
Asakura thinks about countering with a body kick.
Garcia shoots and misses
and Asakura counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Garcia misses with a low kick.
Garcia misses with a shot to the body
and Asakura counters with a head kick.
A solid body kick from Asakura.
The fight stays on the outside here - Garcia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
It appears Asakura was looking to counter with a kick there.
Asakura is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Garcia can do to turn this around?
Garcia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Asakura avoids it really well and circles away.
Asakura looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura connects with a high kick.
Asakura throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Garcia.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Asakura.
Garcia tries to score a power double leg takedown but Asakura sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Garcia somewhat.
Kotaro Asakura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Agustin Garcia.

Asakura clinches up with Garcia and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Asakura breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Garcia shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Asakura as he avoids it easily.
Asakura keeps Garcia at a distance using the push kick.
Asakura throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Asakura throws a head kick that misses.
Garcia rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Asakura moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Asakura feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Garcia shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Asakura counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Kotaro Asakura is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Asakura counters with a nice kick to the body.
Asakura keeps Garcia at a distance using the push kick.
Garcia fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Asakura.
Asakura lands with a kick to the temple. Garcia shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Asakura throws a nice inside leg kick.
Asakura fakes the leg kick and cracks Garcia in the body.
Asakura connects with a high kick.
Garcia looks to land a body kick but Asakura moved away.
Asakura is looking to counter with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Asakura.
Garcia gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Asakura counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Garcia with a poor takedown
and Asakura counters with a good, hard body kick but Garcia shrugs it off.
Asakura connects with an inside leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Asakura lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Asakura showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Garcia.
Asakura lands with a nice body kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kotaro Asakura showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Asakura 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:24
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:24
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kotaro Asakura!
A victorious Kotaro Asakura thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.