PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Shinji Koshizuka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felipe Del Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Del Santos has chosen Duality by Slipknot as his entrance music. Felipe Del Santos told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Koshizuka
vs
Del Santos

170 cm
22
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
20
160 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Shinji Koshizuka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Felipe Del Santos!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Wagner Zegers and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Del Santos throws a series of punches but Koshizuka moves out of range.
Felipe Del Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Del Santos clinches up against the cage.
Del Santos connects with a nasty looking knee right to Koshizuka's face.

It looks like Shinji Koshizuka has been cut.
Del Santos has Koshizuka pressed against the cage.
Del Santos stops a takedown attempt from Koshizuka.

Koshizuka pulls guard.

Koshizuka looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Del Santos has picked Koshizuka up and slammed him! Koshizuka can't keep hold of the triangle and Del Santos manages to pass to side control!
Del Santos controls the position.
Del Santos trying to control the action but Koshizuka is working from the bottom.
Del Santos tries to get to his feet but Koshizuka is in the middle of advancing position himself and ends up with Del Santos in his guard.

Koshizuka pushes Del Santos off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Del Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Koshizuka paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Del Santos is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Del Santos is looking to clinch but Koshizuka is avoiding it.
Koshizuka fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Koshizuka decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Koshizuka is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Del Santos has managed to free his arm - good work.
Koshizuka seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Del Santos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Del Santos pushes Koshizuka off and gets back to his feet.
Felipe Del Santos is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The fight stays on the outside here - Del Santos looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Koshizuka misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shinji Koshizuka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Koshizuka is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Del Santos feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Koshizuka's calf.
Del Santos tries to clinch there but Koshizuka circles away.
Koshizuka shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Del Santos sprawls well. Del Santos wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Koshizuka gets slowly back to his feet.
Del Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Koshizuka paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Del Santos tries to clinch up but Koshizuka circles away and keeps his distance.
Del Santos looks to land a combination. Koshizuka sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
The fight stays on the outside here - Del Santos looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Del Santos tries to clinch but Koshizuka is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Del Santos takes the fight into the clinch.
Del Santos lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Del Santos connects with a nasty looking knee right to Koshizuka's face.
Del Santos is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Del Santos scores with a knee to the head.
Del Santos lands an elbow inside.
Del Santos with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Del Santos is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Koshizuka takes a knee right on the jaw!
Del Santos connects with a nasty looking knee right to Koshizuka's face.
Del Santos connects with a knee to the head.
Del Santos connects with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Del Santos landing knees to the head.
Koshizuka takes an elbow to the temple.

Shinji Koshizuka's cut is getting worse.
Del Santos lands a knee to the body.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Del Santos landing knees to the head.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Del Santos scores with a knee to the head.
Del Santos putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Koshizuka in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Del Santos gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Del Santos landing some nice looking knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Del Santos dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Shinji Koshizuka's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Del Santos wants to clinch up but Koshizuka keeps it at a distance.
Koshizuka fails with a takedown attempt.

Koshizuka tries to keep at a distance but Del Santos has taken the fight into the clinch.
Del Santos scores with a knee to the head.
Del Santos with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Del Santos has Koshizuka pushed against the cage.
Del Santos landing knees to the head.
Del Santos with a knee to the head.
Del Santos working Koshizuka over with knees to the body.
Del Santos is pushing Koshizuka up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Koshizuka takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's one minute gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Del Santos.
Del Santos just leaning against Koshizuka, taking a breather.
Del Santos creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Koshizuka's defenses.
Del Santos landing knees to the head.
Del Santos lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A bit of stalling here from Del Santos.
Del Santos connects with a knee to the head.
Del Santos scores with a knee to the head.
Del Santos lands a damaging elbow.
Del Santos slows down the pace here.
Del Santos is pressed up against the cage. Koshizuka has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Del Santos down to the mat. Del Santos avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Koshizuka blocks a head kick by Del Santos.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Del Santos is looking to clinch but Koshizuka is avoiding it.

Del Santos closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Del Santos landing knees to the head.
Del Santos is pushing Koshizuka up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Del Santos gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Del Santos connects with a knee to the head.
Del Santos content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Del Santos putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Koshizuka in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Del Santos gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Koshizuka.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shinji Koshizuka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Del Santos obliges.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Del Santos.
Del Santos connects with a knee to the head.
Del Santos connects with a nasty looking knee right to Koshizuka's face.
Del Santos with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Koshizuka wants to get back to striking at distance but Del Santos won't allow it.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Del Santos working Koshizuka over with knees to the body.
Koshizuka is working for takedown but Del Santos is calmly controlling the position for now.
Del Santos creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Koshizuka's defenses.
Del Santos lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Del Santos lands a nice knee to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Del Santos landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Del Santos connects with a knee to the head.
Del Santos landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Koshizuka taking a breather.
Del Santos stalling the fight.
Del Santos connects with a nasty looking knee right to Koshizuka's face.
Del Santos with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Del Santos looking to throw knees to the head but Koshizuka is blocking nicely.
Del Santos is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Koshizuka is defending well for now.
Del Santos throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Koshizuka blocks it with crossed arms.
Koshizuka is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Del Santos pulls him back up using the underhooks.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Del Santos landing knees to the head.
Del Santos lands an elbow just above Koshizuka 's eye.
Del Santos will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Koshizuka up against the cage.
Del Santos lands a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Del Santos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Shinji Koshizuka's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Koshizuka circles away from the clinch attempt.
Koshizuka avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Del Santos wants to clinch.
A nice leg kick lands there from Del Santos.

Del Santos pushes Koshizuka up against the cage in a clinch.
Del Santos landing knees to the head.
Koshizuka changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Del Santos fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Koshizuka circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Del Santos tries to clinch but Koshizuka is having none of it.
Del Santos is looking to clinch but Koshizuka is avoiding it.
Del Santos tries to clinch up but Koshizuka circles away and keeps his distance.
Shinji Koshizuka is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Del Santos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Del Santos tries to clinch but Koshizuka is having none of it.
Del Santos tries to close the distance and clinch but Koshizuka swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Del Santos moves in looking to clinch but Koshizuka pushes him off.
Del Santos moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Del Santos clinches with his opponent.
Del Santos connects with a nasty looking knee right to Koshizuka's face.
Koshizuka wants to stall.

That's two 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.
Del Santos with a knee to the head.
Del Santos lands a knee to the head.
Del Santos lands a knee to the head.
Koshizuka goes for a takedown attempt but Del Santos pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Del Santos moves into range and clinches up with Koshizuka.
Del Santos connects with a nasty looking knee right to Koshizuka's face.
Felipe Del Santos seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Del Santos landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Del Santos with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Del Santos lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Del Santos with a knee to the head.
Del Santos landing knees to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Del Santos looking to throw knees to the head but Koshizuka is blocking nicely.
Del Santos with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Del Santos misses with a knee to the head.
Del Santos has Koshizuka pressed against the cage.
Del Santos misses with a knee strike.
A knee to the head by Del Santos.
Koshizuka jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Del Santos walks away with a smile on his face. Koshizuka gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shinji Koshizuka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Del Santos is looking to clinch but Koshizuka is avoiding it.
Del Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Koshizuka swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Koshizuka scores a takedown into full mount!
Del Santos really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Koshizuka is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Del Santos can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Koshizuka gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Koshizuka fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Koshizuka avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shinji Koshizuka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Del Santos is looking to clinch but Koshizuka is avoiding it.
Felipe Del Santos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Koshizuka misses with a takedown attempt - Del Santos sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Felipe Del Santos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Del Santos winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Felipe Del Santos!