PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kurisu Ikora (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Paulson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Paulson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ikora
vs
Paulson

174 cm
24
167 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

180 cm
22
162 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Solid 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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kurisu Ikora!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Paul Paulson!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shirou Masuda and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Paulson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Paulson connects with a nasty looking knee right to Ikora's face.
Ikora jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Paulson walks away with a smile on his face. Ikora gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Paulson clinches up against the cage.
Paulson lands a knee to the body.
Paulson unloads a knee to the mid-section. Ikora lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A knee to the head by Paulson.
Paulson tries to land a knee to the head but Ikora blocks with his arms.
Paulson landing knees to the head.
Paulson misses with a knee strike.
Ikora tries to pull guard but Paulson holds him up against the cage and eventually Ikora drops back down to his feet.
Paulson connects with a nasty looking knee right to Ikora's face.
Ikora jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Paulson walks away with a smile on his face. Ikora gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kurisu Ikora. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ikora closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Ikora looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Paulson is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Ikora has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Paulson tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ikora wants to lay and pray for a moment but Paulson keeps working.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Ikora is trying to get an arm triangle but Paulson is defending well.
Paulson manages to work his way to half guard, despite Ikora's best efforts.
Paulson manages to get to full guard.
Paulson trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Paulson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Paulson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ikora trying to control the position from guard on top but Paulson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Paulson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Paulson looks gassed!
Ikora wants to pass the guard but Paulson is keeping the position.

Paulson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ikora can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Ikora thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Ikora is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Paulson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ikora is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ikora is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Paulson cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The referee warns Ikora that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Ikora manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Paulson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Paulson working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ikora is not content to let Paulson control the position.
Paulson uses his free foot to push down on Ikora's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Ikora.
Paulson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
A nice elbow there by Paulson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paulson with good strikes from the mount here!
Paulson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ikora is looking to escape.

Paulson working for a guillotine from mount but Ikora is in no mood to give up.
Paulson lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Paulson breaks from Ikora's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Ikora is in a horrible position here. Paulson smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Paulson lands a big elbow.
Ikora is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ikora regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Paulson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Ikora circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ikora misses with a double jab.
Ikora circles away from the clinch attempt.

Paulson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Paulson tries to land a knee to the head but Ikora blocks with his arms.
Paulson landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Ikora pulls guard successfully.
Paulson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ikora looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Paulson trying to control the position from guard on top but Ikora is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Paulson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Paulson is pushing down on Ikora's leg trying to pass to half guard. Ikora is fighting to maintain full guard but Paulson has managed to sneak the leg through.
Paulson lands with a punch from half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Paulson connects with a nice short shot to Ikora's temple.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ikora wants to improve his position but Paulson is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Paulson lands a nice short elbow.
Paulson lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ikora manages to get to full guard.
Paulson trying to control the position from guard on top but Ikora is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ikora has momentary wrist control but Paulson slips an elbow through the middle.

Ikora is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Paulson is aware though and is defending well.
Paulson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Paulson preventing the sweep.

Paulson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Paulson trying to control the position from guard on top but Ikora is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paulson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ikora's head.
Paulson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Paulson stands up over Ikora, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Paulson sitting in guard here, content to control.
Paulson lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Ikora had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Paulson defends it easily.
Paulson works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paulson drops an elbow to the side of Ikora's head.
Ikora is trying to get back to full guard.
Paulson works his way into side control.
Paulson looks up at the clock and then as Ikora takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Paulson smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Paulson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ikora keeps working.
Ikora is looking for a sweep.
Paulson trying to control the action but Ikora is working from the bottom.
Paulson just content to control the position.
Paulson scoring with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Paulson working the head and body with strikes.
Paulson cracks Ikora with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Paulson connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Ikora some visible discomfort.
Paulson trying to control the position but Ikora is working away.
Ikora is looking for a sweep.
Paulson grinds an elbow into Ikora's temple.
Paulson is chipping away with strikes.

Paulson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ikora is trying to improve his position.
Ikora gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Paulson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Paulson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Paulson throws a nice looking combination but Ikora bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Paulson tries to clinch up but Ikora circles away and keeps his distance.
Ikora takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Paulson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ikora circles away from the clinch attempt.
Paulson throws a head kick but Ikora moves out of range.
Ikora moves out of range of the leg kick from Paulson.
The fight stays on the outside here - Paulson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ikora swats away the attempt to clinch by Paulson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ikora shoots in for a takedown but Paulson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Paulson loads up on a big right hand but Ikora slips the punch.
Paulson tries to clinch there but Ikora circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Paulson pushes Ikora up against the cage in a clinch.
Paulson lands a nice knee to the body.
Paulson misses with a knee to the head.
Ikora avoiding damage as Paulson throws knees to the body.
Paulson misses with a knee strike.
Paulson connects with a knee to the head.
Paulson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Ikora tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Paulson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ikora tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Paulson just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kurisu Ikora. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Paulson throws an elbow but it misses.
Paulson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ikora has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Paulson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ikora.
Ikora tries to pull guard but Paulson won't allow it.
Ikora fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ikora tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Paulson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ikora jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Paulson walks away with a smile on his face. Ikora gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paulson tries to clinch up.
Ikora moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Paulson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Ikora counters with a nice double leg into side control. Paulson won't be happy with that.

Ikora is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Paulson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Paulson sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Paulson misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Ikora wants to control but Paulson is keeping him busy.
Paulson moves into full guard.

Ikora is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Paulson is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Paulson has escaped and now he's on top!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ikora looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paulson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ikora's head.
Ikora keeping moving, preventing Paulson from controlling successfully.
Paulson with a flurry of punches that miss.

Ikora is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Paulson defends well.
Paulson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Paulson is in close to Ikora's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ikora keeping full guard, as Paulson tries to pass.
Paulson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ikora looking for a sweep. Not yet Ikora, not yet.
Paulson scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Paulson tries to free his leg and advance position but Ikora is retaining full guard.
Paulson content to stall in guard here.

Ikora has his foot on Paulson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Paulson works his way back into a safe position though.
Paulson landing with the ground and pound.
Paulson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kurisu Ikora has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Paul Paulson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ikora keeping moving, preventing Paulson from controlling successfully.
Ikora is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kurisu Ikora.
Well Paulson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Paulson!