PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Benny Abiog (ranked 2855 p4p, 3188 weight class) and Kotaro Asakura (ranked 162 p4p, 182 weight class). Benny Abiog looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Abiog
vs
Asakura

165 cm
27
140
4 - 1 - 1

173 cm
19
137
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
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 4 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Benny Abiog!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kotaro Asakura!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Elvis Blanc and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Abiog takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
An inside leg kick lands from Asakura.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Asakura.
Abiog avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Asakura tries a low kick but Abiog avoids it.
Asakura lands the left hand.
Asakura tries a head kick but it misses.
Abiog avoids a kick to the body.
Asakura throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Asakura goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Abiog drops his hands momentarily and Asakura takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Asakura throws a wild body kick that Abiog sees coming a mile off.
Abiog throws a quick counter head kick but Asakura was just out of range.
Asakura keeps the fight on the outside.

Abiog tries to keep at a distance but Asakura has taken the fight into the clinch.
Abiog avoids a wild elbow strike from Asakura.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Abiog is trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Maybe Abiog would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
A right handed body shot lands from Asakura.
Abiog is trying to stall.
Asakura lands an elbow inside that Abiog shrugs off.
Asakura comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Asakura controlling the action here for a moment.
Asakura lands an uppercut.
Asakura scores with a shoulder strike.
Asakura told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Asakura throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Asakura.

It looks like Benny Abiog has been cut.
I was talking to Abiog's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Asakura looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abiog blocks the elbow strike.
Asakura goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Abiog fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Asakura cracks Abiog with a nice body shot.
Asakura scores with a nice hook to the head.
Abiog misses with a punch to the body.
Asakura leaning his opponent against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Asakura creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Asakura lands a nice elbow.
Asakura lands an elbow that stopped Abiog in his tracks for a moment.
Asakura lands a body punch.
Nice elbow from Asakura.
Asakura pushes Abiog back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Abiog tries to stall but Asakura uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abiog is trying to maintain a safe position but Asakura gets an underhook and turns Abiog into the cage.
Asakura lands a nice elbow.
Good body shot from Asakura.
Asakura is leaning against Abiog and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Asakura comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Abiog is looking to break free of the clinch but Asakura has double underhooks.
Abiog is breathing heavily.
Asakura lands a nice elbow.
Asakura lands with a short shot to the head.
Nice elbow from Asakura.
Asakura lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Abiog has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Abiog tries to work over Asakura's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Asakura lands an elbow just above Abiog 's eye.
Asakura digs a right hand into Abiog's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Abiog's gas tank.
Asakura lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Asakura lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abiog tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A short right from Asakura on the inside.
Asakura lands an elbow just above Abiog 's eye.
Abiog misses with a short punch on the inside.
Asakura lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Asakura lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Abiog takes an elbow to the temple.

Benny Abiog's cut is getting worse.
Asakura goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A nice right hand lands inside from Asakura.
Asakura lands an elbow just above Abiog 's eye.
Asakura lands a body shot in the clinch.
Asakura creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Abiog's defenses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Asakura.
Asakura lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Asakura effectively controlling the action here.
Asakura lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kotaro Asakura dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Benny Abiog's cut.
That's time! Abiog's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

No joy there for Abiog, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And Asakura responds with a good body kick, but Abiog manages to step out the way in time.
Asakura lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Abiog gets tackled into the cage by Asakura. Asakura maintains the clinch.
Asakura lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Abiog.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Asakura.
Asakura lands an elbow inside that Abiog shrugs off.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Asakura.
Asakura leaning against his opponent.
Abiog looking to slow down the pace here.
Stalling in the clinch from Asakura.
Asakura misses with a hook to the ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Abiog is looking to control Asakura's arms but Asakura gets an underhook and turns him. Now Abiog has his back to the cage.
Asakura lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Asakura digs a right hand underneath Abiog's ribcage. Abiog let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Asakura lands a nice elbow.
Asakura lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Abiog backwards.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura lands a left hand.
Asakura lands a damaging elbow.
Abiog has Asakura pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Asakura manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Asakura lands an elbow just above Abiog 's eye.
Abiog with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Abiog trying to land knees to the body.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Asakura.
Asakura lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Asakura lands a body punch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Asakura.

Benny Abiog's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Asakura scores with a nice hook to the head.
Asakura lands a left hand that snaps the head of Abiog backwards.

Abiog is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Asakura on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Asakura lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Oh Abiog is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Abiog takes an elbow to the forehead.
Nice elbow from Asakura.
Asakura lands an elbow just above Abiog 's eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asakura scores with a shot to the side of Abiog's head.
Nice elbow from Asakura.

Jeez, Benny Abiog's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Kotaro Asakura seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Abiog tries to circle away but Asakura has him pinned against the cage.
Asakura stalling.
Asakura presses Abiog against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Asakura lands an elbow just above Abiog 's eye.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Kotaro Asakura!
Our winner, Kotaro Asakura, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.