PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Akira Shoji (ranked 3471 p4p, 5550 weight class) and Marquez De Fuentino (ranked 146 p4p, 269 weight class). Akira Shoji has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Shoji
vs
De Fuentino

173 cm
22
226
2 - 1 - 0

158 cm
18
155
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Top Gun Nutrition 160q 4 $150
ZERO Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the super 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, Akira Shoji!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marquez De Fuentino!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shoji lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Shoji.
Shoji tries to close the distance and clinch but De Fuentino swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Shoji clinches.
Shoji tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shoji will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning De Fuentino up against the ropes.
De Fuentino is trying to force a seperation but Shoji has the dominant position.
Shoji has De Fuentino pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. De Fuentino manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
De Fuentino is trying to break the clinch but Shoji has him pressed against the ropes.
De Fuentino is trying to pull guard but Shoji has him pressed against the ropes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Shoji breaks the clinch.
De Fuentino tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Shoji manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

De Fuentino shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - De Fuentino has eaten all the pies!

Shoji working for a triangle but De Fuentino defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shoji keeping moving, preventing De Fuentino from controlling successfully.
De Fuentino is looking to work some ground and pound but Shoji has wrist control.
De Fuentino won't allow Shoji to get back to his feet.
Shoji is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Shoji moves into full mount! De Fuentino won't be happy about that!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shoji landing punches.
Shoji sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Shoji raining down hammerfists from mount.
Shoji pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Shoji in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shoji tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Shoji is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Shoji lands a big elbow.
Shoji tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Shoji working De Fuentino over with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De Fuentino is wriggling around trying to escape.

Shoji looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
De Fuentino looks winded!
De Fuentino is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Shoji is going oldschool here, as he tries to force De Fuentino to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so De Fuentino shrugs it off.
Shoji takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
De Fuentino is working to get back to half guard.
Shoji controlling his opponent.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Shoji lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Shoji working for a submission but De Fuentino is keeping him at bay.
Shoji scoring with strikes but De Fuentino is staying in there.
Shoji controlling from mount.
Shoji landing strikes from the mount and De Fuentino is in trouble!

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Shoji sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Shoji wants to finish this one by submission but De Fuentino is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Shoji.
Shoji working De Fuentino over with strikes here.
Shoji looking to finish De Fuentino with some ground and pound. This is bad for De Fuentino!
Shoji controlling from the full mount.

Shoji stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Shoji shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Well, if Shoji is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Shoji's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Shoji stands up out of the half guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
De Fuentino will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Shoji decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Shoji passes to full mount!
De Fuentino takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Shoji lands a couple of good shots and De Fuentino has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
What can De Fuentino do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Shoji has the rear naked choke here! This is very bad for De Fuentino! Can he survive? No! He's out! Shoji gets to his feet and celebrates with his cornermen. He looks absolutely delighted. In the post fight interviews he takes time to thank his parents and everyone who has believed in him from the start. How sweet.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:23 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Akira Shoji!
A victorious Akira Shoji thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.