PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lukka Ko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abu Bakr Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Abu Bakr Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Ko
vs
Bakr Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki

195 cm
25
265 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
275 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lukka Ko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Abu Bakr Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ko tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki swivels and escapes.
Ko takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ko on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki lands a glancing blow to the side of Ko's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ko fails with a takedown attempt.
Ko shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lukka Ko. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ko drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki keeping moving, preventing Ko from controlling successfully.
Ko with a flurry of punches that miss.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki is keeping the position for now.
Ko 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.
Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki keeping moving, preventing Ko from controlling successfully.
Ko with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ko drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Ko seems to have locked his on tight now - Al Bagdadi Al Ameriki screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Ko, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:20 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Lukka Ko!