PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Roger Simmons (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Kurosessou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Kurosessou's choice of entrance music: The Slam. Ben Kurosessou is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Simmons
vs
Kurosessou

187 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
22
158 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roger Simmons!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ben Kurosessou!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Tarja Halkonen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kurosessou decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Simmons wants to control but Kurosessou is keeping busy.
Simmons wants to get back to full guard.
Simmons trying to control here.
Kurosessou throwing shots but Simmons is blocking nicely.
Kurosessou wants to take a breather but Simmons is having none of it.
Kurosessou thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Simmons's head.

Kurosessou is looking for a kimura here.
Simmons taking some punishment here, with Kurosessou in his half guard.
Kurosessou throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Simmons regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Kurosessou.

Simmons is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kurosessou is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Simmons preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kurosessou stops Simmons from standing up.
Simmons not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kurosessou looking to sit in guard and control but Simmons gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kurosessou has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kurosessou looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Simmons throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kurosessou works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Simmons slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Kurosessou tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Simmons easily slips into full mount!
Kurosessou is in a horrible position here. Simmons smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurosessou is trying to reverse the position but instead Simmons has taken his back - oops!
Kurosessou is trying to escape under a series of strikes and manages to escape from Simmons 's hooks.
Simmons trying to control but Kurosessou is having none of it.
Kurosessou tries to hold on but Simmons postures up.
Kurosessou is wriggling around trying to escape.
Simmons takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurosessou is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kurosessou looks gassed!
Simmons working Kurosessou over with strikes here.
Simmons really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Kurosessou tries to lock up and control but Simmons gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kurosessou slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Simmons performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Kurosessou trying to control from the bottom.
Simmons is looking to take a break and control but Kurosessou is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Kurosessou looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Kurosessou is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kurosessou is concentrating on defense, preventing Simmons from advancing position.

Simmons decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Simmons is looking to clinch.
Simmons misses with a takedown

and Kurosessou counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kurosessou.

Kurosessou postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Simmons is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Kurosessou, into his guard.
Simmons wants to stand but Kurosessou has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ben Kurosessou will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kurosessou closes the distance and clinches.
Simmons tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Kurosessou prevents the takedown attempt.
Simmons taking a breather.
Simmons fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Simmons. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kurosessou scores with a shot to the side of Simmons's head.

Kurosessou has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Simmons clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Kurosessou has the hooks in. Simmons is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Kurosessou looking to break Simmons's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Simmons remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Kurosessou will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Kurosessou looking to hold on to the position here but Simmons rolls and ends up regaining guard.
Kurosessou wants to control from the top but Simmons keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Simmons wants to sweep here but Kurosessou controlling him for the moment.
Kurosessou working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Simmons trying to keep a closed guard but Kurosessou is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Simmons looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Kurosessou trying to control but Simmons is working from the bottom.

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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Simmons gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kurosessou to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Kurosessou won't allow Simmons to sweep him here.
Kurosessou looking to pass the guard.
Kurosessou trying to control the position from guard on top but Simmons is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Simmons is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurosessou tries to free his leg and advance position but Simmons is retaining full guard.
Kurosessou pushing down on Simmons's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Kurosessou is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Kurosessou landing strikes from the mount and Simmons is in trouble!
Kurosessou working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Simmons wants to control but Kurosessou is having none of it.
Simmons regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Simmons tries to get to full guard but Kurosessou has control of the leg.
Kurosessou looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Simmons with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Kurosessou wants to pass the guard but Simmons is defending well.
Simmons has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kurosessou is working away from the top position though.
Kurosessou throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Kurosessou works his way into side control.
Simmons is looking to regain half guard here but Kurosessou keeps moving and retains side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Kurosessou showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Kurosessou circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kurosessou moves into the clinch.
Kurosessou is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Simmons pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Simmons will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Kurosessou up against the cage.
Kurosessou goes for a takedown attempt but Simmons pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Simmons closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Simmons lands in his opponent's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Simmons advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Simmons looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Simmons seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kurosessou does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kurosessou wants to get back to full guard.
Kurosessou is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Simmons frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Simmons throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Kurosessou keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Kurosessou regains half guard.
Kurosessou is staying active underneath Simmons, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Kurosessou gets back to full guard.
Simmons pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kurosessou is keeping the position for now.
Kurosessou tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurosessou thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Kurosessou looking to control but Simmons passes into half guard.
Kurosessou misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Kurosessou wants to control but Simmons is keeping busy.
Ben Kurosessou has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kurosessou tries to roll over but Simmons keeps him under control.

Kurosessou actively working from the bottom here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Simmons tries to clinch

so Kurosessou counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Simmons 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.
Simmons is looking to stand up but Kurosessou isn't so interested in that idea.
Kurosessou trying to control but Simmons is working from the bottom.
Kurosessou chips away with some ground and pound.
Ben Kurosessou is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kurosessou trying to control the position from guard on top but Simmons is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kurosessou stopping the sweep attempt from Simmons.
Simmons is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ben Kurosessou.
Well Kurosessou 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Kurosessou!