PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jorgen Kruth (ranked 598 p4p, 584 weight class) and Kotaro Asakura (ranked 40 p4p, 38 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Kruth might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Black Hole Sun- Soundgarden. The crowd seem to be enjoying Asakura's choice of entrance music: Venom by $ B. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Kruth
vs
Asakura

176 cm
27
148
13 - 2 - 0

173 cm
26
137
15 - 9 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Granite chin

Conviction
Fantasy Threads

Bondi MMA ðŸï¸
Champion Apparel

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 13 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jorgen Kruth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kotaro Asakura!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Ackerman and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Asakura misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kruth.
Asakura misses the shot to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Asakura. No joy for Kruth on that attempt.
We've been hearing reports that Kruth has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Asakura swings for the body but Kruth moves out of range.
Kruth misses with a straight left.
Kruth shoots in but Asakura avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Asakura steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kruth.
Asakura thuds his shin into the meat of Kruth's side.
Asakura works Kruth's body with a nice hook.
Asakura scores with a head kick.
Kruth shoots in looking for a takedown. Asakura tries to sprawl out of it but Kruth keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Asakura manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jorgen Kruth. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kruth shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Kruth is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Asakura defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kruth is looking for a kimura here.
Kruth wants to lay and pray for a moment but Asakura keeps working.

Kruth is trying to work for a kimura but Asakura is defending well.
Kruth is looking to advance position but Asakura won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kruth controlling the pace.
Kruth passes to full mount!
Kruth looking to control but Asakura is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Asakura can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kruth sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kruth landing punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kruth tries to control but Asakura wriggling away.
Asakura is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Kruth can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Asakura is looking to escape.

Kruth has hold of Asakura's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Asakura manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Kruth looking for a guillotine from mount but Asakura is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Kruth wants to control the pace but Asakura is squirming around nicely.
Kruth controlling the pace for now.
Asakura is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

Kruth is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Asakura to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Asakura shrugs it off.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kruth trying to control but Asakura is having none of it.
Asakura is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jorgen Kruth dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Asakura gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kruth to score an easy takedown into full guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Asakura manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Asakura scores with a shoulder strike.
Kruth is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Asakura pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Kruth is working for takedown but Asakura is calmly controlling the position for now.
Asakura is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jorgen Kruth. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kruth wants to take the fight to the mat but Asakura manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Asakura manages to break the clinch.
Asakura throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Asakura has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Kruth is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Kruth doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Asakura counters with a straight right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Asakura slaps away a takedown attempt from Kruth, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Asakura takes a swing at Kruth's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura connects with a right hand. Kruth shakes it off.
Kruth tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Asakura swivels and escapes.
Asakura thuds his right hand into Kruth's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Asakura lunges at Kruth with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Kruth's hand.
Asakura connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Kruth.
Asakura smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Kruth is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Asakura's half guard.

Asakura has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Kruth is on him like a limpet, forcing Asakura back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Asakura pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kruth shoots in but no luck this time.
Kruth doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Asakura counters with a straight right hand.
Asakura lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Asakura bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Asakura has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kruth fails in his attempt to clinch.
A nice leg kick from Asakura, right into the meat of the thigh.
Asakura lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
A nice leg kick lands there from Asakura.
Asakura lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
The crowd cheers as Asakura lands an impressive looking overhand right. Kruth doesn't seem phased though.

Kruth scores with a takedown into Asakura's guard.
Kruth looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kruth is pushing down on Asakura's leg trying to pass to half guard. Asakura is fighting to maintain full guard but Kruth has managed to sneak the leg through.
Kruth is trying to control. Asakura wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kruth prevents Asakura from standing back up.

Kruth is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Kruth seems to be working for a kimura but Asakura defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

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

Kruth is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Asakura is trying to stand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kotaro Asakura 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. This is the final round!

Asakura defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kruth.
Asakura jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Kruth on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Jorgen Kruth seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Asakura clobbers Kruth with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Kruth fails with the takedown
and Asakura connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Asakura chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Kruth shoots and misses
and Asakura counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jorgen Kruth. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kruth shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Asakura but Asakura pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kruth lunges at Asakura with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Asakura's hand.
Asakura fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Asakura throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Asakura jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kruth throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Asakura's waist but Asakura gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kruth off to one side.

Kruth is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Asakura's half guard.
Asakura is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura tries to kick Kruth off in order to stand up. Kruth Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Kruth trying to control the action but Asakura is working from the bottom.
Kruth prevents Asakura from escaping the position.
Kruth taking a break here but Asakura is having none of it and regains half guard.

Kruth is working for a kimura but Asakura is defending it quite comfortably.

Kruth is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Asakura wants to get back to his feet.
Asakura is staying active underneath Kruth, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kruth works his foot free and advances to mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Kruth cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Kruth takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.

Kruth has managed to slip his arm under Asakura's chin. This could be all over... yep, Asakura is tapping out! Submission win for Kruth.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Jorgen Kruth!
Jorgen Kruth decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.