PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tico Cortez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daiju Kikuchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Cortez
vs
Kikuchi

173 cm
34
157 lbs
18 - 9 - 1

165 cm
25
140 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry

Milwaukee's Best 160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tico Cortez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Daiju Kikuchi!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Colin Fotheringham and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cortez thows a leg kick but Kikuchi checks it
and Kikuchi finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Cortez fails with the takedown
and Kikuchi counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cortez thinking.
Kikuchi falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cortez counters with a head kick.
Tico Cortez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cortez throws a poor cross that misses
and Kikuchi counters with a nice body shot.
Cortez definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Cortez.
Cortez throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Kikuchi on the side of the head.
Cortez is looking to clinch but Kikuchi is avoiding it.
Nice straight punches there by Kikuchi. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Kikuchi.
Cortez lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Kikuchi has Cortez up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cortez using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kikuchi has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cortez tries a body shot but Kikuchi blocks it.
Cortez swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cortez misses with a knee strike.
Kikuchi tries to work over Cortez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cortez struggles to land a body shot inside as Kikuchi controls his hands.
Cortez struggles to land a body shot inside as Kikuchi controls his hands.
Kikuchi lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Cortez.
Kikuchi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kikuchi scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kikuchi blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kikuchi.
Cortez misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nice body punch from Kikuchi.
Cortez misses with a punch to the body.
Kikuchi lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Kikuchi avoiding damage as Cortez throws knees to the body.
Cortez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kikuchi tries a body shot but Cortez blocks it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kikuchi throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kikuchi lands a right hand.
A short left from Cortez.
Cortez tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cortez swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cortez throws a punch but it's blocked by Kikuchi.
Cortez looking to throw knees to the head but Kikuchi is blocking nicely.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kikuchi.
Nice body punch from Kikuchi - that landed with a thud.
Cortez tries to land knees in the clinch but Kikuchi avoids the damage to the body.
Kikuchi avoiding damage as Cortez throws knees to the body.
Cortez cracks Kikuchi with a nice body shot.
Kikuchi lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Kikuchi prevents a body shot from Cortez.
Cortez tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kikuchi avoids it.
Cortez misses with a punch to the body.
Kikuchi lands with a light punch inside.
Kikuchi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cortez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kikuchi tries to work over Cortez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kikuchi lands a hook to the side of the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Cortez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Kikuchi.
Cortez with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Daiju Kikuchi has been cut.
A head punch on the inside from Kikuchi fails to land.
Kikuchi working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Cortez swings wildly with an uppercut but Kikuchi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kikuchi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cortez backwards.
Kikuchi lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Cortez is rocked!
Kikuchi misses with the head strike.
Kikuchi lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cortez backwards.
Oh Cortez is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Cortez tries to throw a body punch but Kikuchi avoids it by throwing Cortez back against the cage.
Cortez misses with a body punch.
A right hook to the body lands for Kikuchi.
Kikuchi throws a head punch that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kikuchi scores with a nice hook to the head.
Kikuchi has a couple of punches blocked by Cortez.
Cortez misses with the head strike.
Cortez's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kikuchi lands an uppercut in the clinch that drops Cortez to his knees! Kikuchi keeps firing more shots against his stricken opponent and the referee jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:53 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Daiju Kikuchi!
Daiju Kikuchi very nearly forgot to thank Milwaukee's Best 160 amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.