PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mizushima Norishige (ranked 4479 p4p, 4520 weight class) and Minoru Funaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Minoru Funaki was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Norishige
vs
Funaki

175 cm
24
165
2 - 0 - 0

165 cm
24
155
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mizushima Norishige!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Minoru Funaki!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Norishige scores with a nice body kick.
Funaki gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Norishige counters by moving into the clinch.
Funaki is looking to take this one to the mat.
Norishige slowing the pace effectively.
Norishige lands an elbow just above Funaki 's eye.
Funaki is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Norishige pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Mizushima Norishige has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Minoru Funaki.
Funaki can't get the takedown.
Funaki goes for a takedown attempt but Norishige pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Funaki tries for a takedown but Norishige circles away easily
and Norishige counters with a thumping low kick.
Norishige connects with a leg kick.
Funaki doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Norishige counters with a nice low kick that buckles Funaki's knee momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Norishige lands a leg kick that knocks Funaki off balance momentarily.
Funaki takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Funaki has his takedown stuffed
and Norishige counters with a slapping leg kick.
Funaki fails with the takedown
and Norishige counters with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Norishige.
Norishige throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Funaki on the side of the head.
Norishige feints and then cracks Funaki's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Funaki down.

Norishige tries to sprawl but Funaki drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Norishige avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Funaki.
Funaki has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Norishige is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Funaki drops an elbow to the side of Norishige's head.
Funaki takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Funaki looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Norishige with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Funaki lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Norishige knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Funaki on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Funaki takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Funaki is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Norishige is trying to get back to full guard.
Funaki seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Funaki frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Funaki scoring with strikes but Norishige is staying in there.
Norishige is in a horrible position here. Funaki smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Funaki lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Norishige keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Funaki dominating with strikes here.

Norishige is rocked!
Funaki raining down hammerfists from mount.
Oh Norishige is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Whack. That's a big, big shot from Funaki! Norishige is out cold! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Minoru Funaki!