PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jubei Akechi (ranked 18 p4p, 243 weight class) and Hugo Loris (ranked 5 p4p, 36 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Akechi
vs
Loris

182 cm
31
159
23 - 10 - 0

170 cm
33
148
14 - 4 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

NARCOS
Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jubei Akechi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hugo Loris!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Richard Clark and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Akechi keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Loris looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Akechi scores with a jab. Loris acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Loris punishes Akechi's body with a nice straight punch.
Loris throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Akechi lands a jab to the nose.
Hugo Loris seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A slow jab from Loris misses its intended target.
Loris throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Akechi counters with a shoot takedown. Loris fights it but they end up in guard.
Akechi sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Loris's guard.
Loris is holding on to half guard well.
Akechi lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Well, if Akechi is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Akechi wants to pass to mount but Loris is defending the position.
Akechi will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akechi looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Loris trying to hold on to Akechi's head to control him but Akechi postures up.
Akechi lands with a punch from half guard.
Loris keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Akechi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Akechi has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Loris has his hands clasped together around Akechi's back. He's all about the action.
Loris's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Loris trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Akechi throwing shots but Loris is blocking nicely.
Akechi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Akechi working Loris over with strikes.
Akechi with the ground and pound but Loris uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Akechi looking to sit in guard and control but Loris gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Akechi trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akechi keeping moving, preventing Loris from controlling successfully.
Akechi has control of Loris's left arm, preventing Loris from doing any damage.
Loris is looking to advance position but Akechi has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Loris is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Akechi lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
We've been hearing that Akechi has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Akechi scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Loris?
You get the feeling that Loris really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Akechi working Loris over with strikes here.
Loris tries to hold on but Akechi pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Loris bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Loris landing some decent shots from guard.
Akechi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Akechi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Loris gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Loris postures up.
Loris is working Akechi over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Akechi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Loris is one step ahead there.
Akechi is trying to keep Loris in close.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jubei Akechi dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Loris with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A jab from Loris misses.
Nice defenses there by Akechi.
Akechi looks to score with a jab to the body but Loris is just out of range.
Loris feints and then cracks Akechi's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Akechi down.
Loris takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Loris throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Akechi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Loris can do to turn this around?
Akechi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Loris.
Akechi swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Loris misses the shot to the body.
Akechi misses with a straight right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Loris jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
A slow jab from Loris misses its intended target.
Akechi lands a nice hook to Loris's body. Loris takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Loris misses with a hook. Akechi ducked under it nicely.
Akechi moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Akechi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Loris.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loris lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Akechi shoots for a double leg takedown but Loris sprawls well. He's pushed Akechi's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Akechi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Loris misses with a low kick.
Loris throws a hook but Akechi avoids it easily.
Akechi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Loris thows a left - swing and a miss!
Akechi with a jab.
Loris is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Loris jabs Akechi to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Akechi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Akechi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Loris takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Akechi takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Akechi takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Loris throws a leg kick

and Akechi counters with a single leg into guard. Loris didn't expect that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Akechi won't allow Loris to sweep him here.

Akechi avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Loris looking to hit a scissor sweep but Akechi is one step ahead there.
Akechi working some strikes from top position.
Loris is controlling Akechi's posture.
Loris looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loris pulls Akechi in close to prevent any damage.
Akechi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Akechi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Loris swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Loris is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Akechi rolls with it to try and escape but Loris cranks on the arm and Akechi is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Hugo Loris!
Hugo Loris is the new lightweight champion!
After the fight, Hugo Loris was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.