PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tiagong Akyat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshihro Akiyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Akyat comes to the ring accompanied by Crank That. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Akyat
vs
Akiyama

181 cm
23
185 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

190 cm
22
195 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tiagong Akyat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshihro Akiyama!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Akiyama shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Akiyama showed some decent athleticism there.

Akyat is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Akiyama pulls his head out easily.

Akiyama is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Akyat doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Akiyama.

Akyat looking for submissions off his back.

Akiyama is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Akyat sees it coming and defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akyat won't allow Akiyama to pass to mount.

Akyat looking for submissions off his back.
Akiyama wants to pass the guard but Akyat is defending well.
Akyat is looking for a sweep. Akiyama is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Akiyama shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Akyat regains full guard. Nicely done.
Akiyama wants to control from the top but Akyat keeps moving.
Akiyama tries to free his leg and advance position but Akyat is retaining full guard.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Akyat is looking for a triangle but Akiyama pushes his legs off easily.

Akyat is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Akiyama defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akyat keeping full guard, as Akiyama tries to pass.
Akiyama forces his way into half guard.

Akiyama seems to be looking for submissions.

Akiyama is looking for a kimura but Akyat is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Akiyama to get the leverage.

Akiyama wants to work for an arm triangle but Akyat is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Akiyama looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Akyat is looking for a sweep. Akiyama is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Akyat is refusing to be controlled, as Akiyama sits in half guard.

Akiyama is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Akyat defends it well.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Akyat is trying to get back to full guard.

Akiyama is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Akyat gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Akiyama counters with a shoot takedown. Akyat fights it but they end up in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshihro Akiyama dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Akiyama scores a takedown into full mount!

Akiyama is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Akyat has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Akyat!
Akyat pushing down on Akiyama's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Akyat is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Akiyama gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Akyat has gone for a leg lock! Akiyama slips out almost immediately though and dives into Akyat's guard.

Akyat working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Akiyama doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Akiyama manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Akyat looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Akiyama trying to control the position from guard on top but Akyat is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Akiyama advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akiyama tries to move into full mount but can't pass Akyat's legs.

Akiyama is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Akyat knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Akyat tries to improve position but can't.
Akiyama is looking to take a break and control but Akyat is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Akiyama working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akyat tries to bench press Akiyama off him but Akiyama keeps the position.

Akiyama looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Akiyama working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Akiyama is breathing heavily.
Akyat manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Akyat is looking for submissions but instead, Akiyama has regained full guard.
Akiyama wants to sweep here but Akyat controlling him for the moment.
Akyat stands and throws Akiyama's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Akyat is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Akiyama is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Akyat wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Akiyama, who protects the arm well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Yoshihro Akiyama will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Akiyama closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Yoshihro Akiyama has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Akiyama tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Akiyama has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Akyat is looking to reverse the position.

Akiyama swings around for an armbar but Akyat sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Akiyama's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Akyat pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Akiyama is keeping the position for now.
Akyat passes Akiyama's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Akiyama trying to control here.
Akiyama works his way to full guard. Good work.
Akiyama can't keep his opponent in guard - Akyat advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Akiyama takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Akyat is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Akiyama has managed to free his arm - good work.

Akyat is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Akyat seems to be looking for submissions.
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.

Akyat seems to be looking for submissions.

Akyat is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Akiyama doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Akyat.
Akiyama gets full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Akiyama manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The referee warns Akyat that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Akiyama is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Akyat has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Akiyama misses with a head shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Akyat is looking to improve his position but Akiyama isn't that keen on the idea.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoshihro Akiyama comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Akiyama 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight for Yoshihro Akiyama!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight for Yoshihro Akiyama!
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight for Yoshihro Akiyama!

Yoshihro Akiyama wins by unanimous decision!