PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Akahoshi Hisashi (ranked 795 p4p, 969 weight class) and Alexei Sykov (ranked 105 p4p, 127 weight class). Hisashi comes to the cage accompanied by Feng Shui. Alexei Sykov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hisashi
vs
Sykov

185 cm
22
170
8 - 2 - 0

186 cm
22
182
6 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Conviction

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akahoshi Hisashi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alexei Sykov!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sykov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Hisashi staying out of range there.

Sykov feints and as Hisashi raises his hands in defense, Sykov changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sykov throws a strike but Hisashi rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Sykov is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hisashi is aware though and is defending well.

Sykov working for a triangle but Hisashi defends it easily.
Hisashi wants to stand but Sykov is controlling his posture from full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hisashi gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Hisashi thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykov fails with an attempt to clinch.

Sykov shoots in and gets a takedown into Hisashi's guard.
Hisashi wants to stand and escape but Sykov is having none of it.
Hisashi keeping moving, preventing Sykov from controlling successfully.
Hisashi wants to stand and escape but Sykov is having none of it.

Sykov is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Sykov wants to pass the guard but Hisashi is keeping the position.
Sykov wants to control from the top but Hisashi keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sykov working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hisashi's head.

Hisashi has his feet on Sykov's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Sykov looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Sykov tries to clinch there but Hisashi circles away.
Sykov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hisashi throws an off balance right hand

and Sykov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sykov won't allow Hisashi to get back to his feet.
Sykov controlling from the top position.
Sykov wants to control from the top but Hisashi keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hisashi wants to get back to his feet but Sykov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sykov trying to control but Hisashi is working from the bottom.
Sykov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Akahoshi Hisashi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sykov tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sykov looks to land a left hand but Hisashi moved out of range nicely.
Sykov takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Hisashi throws a lazy uppercut

and Sykov counters with a shoot takedown. Hisashi fights it but they end up in guard.

Hisashi has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Sykov off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Sykov.
Hisashi keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Sykov shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Hisashi napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Sykov working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Hisashi is pushing Sykov's head away, looking to escape. Sykov manages to hold on to the position though.
We've been hearing good reports from Hisashi's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Hisashi trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Akahoshi Hisashi will probably get the nod.
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.

Sykov closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Hisashi quickly recovers to half guard.

Sykov is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Hisashi doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Sykov.

Hisashi has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Sykov is on him like a limpet, forcing Hisashi back against the cage.
A short right from Hisashi on the inside.

Sykov manages to pull guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sykov is on top in guard.

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sykov prevents Hisashi from getting back to his feet.
Hisashi has momentary wrist control but Sykov slips an elbow through the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykov looking to pass the guard.
Hisashi wants to stand up but Sykov is controlling him.
Hisashi keeping moving, preventing Sykov from controlling successfully.
Sykov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hisashi is keeping the position for now.
Hisashi wants to stand but Sykov is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hisashi keeping moving, preventing Sykov from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Sykov shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sykov showed some decent athleticism there.
Hisashi is refusing to be controlled, as Sykov sits in half guard.
Sykov scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hisashi wants to stand back up but Sykov manages to pass into side control.
Hisashi is letting Sykov control him for a moment.
Hisashi is trying to get back to his feet.
Hisashi tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

Sykov patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Sykov is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Hisashi has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Hisashi is trying to stand back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Sykov manages to miss with strikes from the back.

Sykov has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Sykov throwing sloppy strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sykov scores with punches and elbows.
Sykov lands a shot to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alexei Sykov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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.

Hisashi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hisashi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sykov.
Sykov is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Hisashi scores with a punch to the head.
Sykov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hisashi went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Sykov fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sykov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hisashi.
Sykov feints the counter takedown.
Hisashi connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Sykov's hands.
A big right from Hisashi misses.
Sykov has a takedown stuffed.
Sykov blocks a jab.
Decent striking displayed by Hisashi there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hisashi throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sykov misses with a takedown attempt - Hisashi sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hisashi was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Akahoshi Hisashi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexei Sykov.
Sykov fails to land the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hisashi misses with a hook.
Hisashi throws a head kick but Sykov moves out of range.

Hisashi closes the distance and clinches.
Sykov tries for a takedown. No joy.
A bit of stalling here from Hisashi.
Hisashi misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sykov fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Hisashi tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sykov's elbow.
Sykov wants a takedown.
Hisashi misses with a knee strike.
Hisashi swings wildly with an uppercut but Sykov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hisashi scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Sykov tries to pull guard but Hisashi won't allow it.
Sykov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hisashi just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hisashi working aggressively here.
Hisashi lands an uppercut.
Sykov's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hisashi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hisashi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sykov jumps guard but Hisashi stands there with Sykov around his waist. Sykov gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hisashi misses with a knee to the head.
Hisashi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sykov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sykov changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hisashi fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hisashi steps in with a hook that catches Sykov right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Hisashi follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Sykov looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Akahoshi Hisashi!
Akahoshi Hisashi retains his welterweight title!
The defeated Alexei Sykov had this to say: 'Shit happens…eh '.