PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kenichi Shirahama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elbow Elbows (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shirahama comes to the cage accompanied by Best Of You. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Shirahama
vs
Elbows

202 cm
18
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
255 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kenichi Shirahama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Elbow Elbows!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Emerson Jorge and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Elbows looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shirahama keeps the fight on the outside.
Shirahama avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Elbows tries to clinch up.
Nice sprawl there from Elbows as Shirahama shoots in.
Elbows wants to clinch up but Shirahama keeps it at a distance.
Elbows tries to clinch up but Shirahama circles away and keeps his distance.
Elbows wants to clinch up but Shirahama keeps it at a distance.
Elbow Elbows seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shirahama swats away the attempt to clinch by Elbows.
Shirahama circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Elbows is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Elbows throws a sloppy head kick and Shirahama moves out of range easily.
Elbows throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Shirahama is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Elbows looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Elbows tries to clinch but Shirahama moves out of range.
Elbows gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Shirahama decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Elbows's guard.
Shirahama prevents Elbows from getting back to his feet.
Shirahama looking to pass the guard.
Shirahama stops Elbows from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Elbows is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Shirahama stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Elbows swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Shirahama drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Shirahama jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Elbows really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Shirahama. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Elbows keeping full guard, as Shirahama tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Elbows shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Shirahama counters with a single leg into guard. Elbows didn't expect that.
Shirahama stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Elbows swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Elbows trying to control the position here.
Elbows wants to get back to his feet but Shirahama is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shirahama tries to free his leg and advance position but Elbows is retaining full guard.

Shirahama is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Elbows is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Elbows has escaped and now he's on top!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shirahama keeping moving, preventing Elbows from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elbow Elbows dominated that round.
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.

Elbows tries to clinch up but Shirahama circles away and keeps his distance.
Elbows tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shirahama swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Elbows tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shirahama swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shirahama keeps the fight on the outside.
Elbows tries to clinch but Shirahama is having none of it.
Shirahama shoots in for a takedown but Elbows shows good takedown defense.
Elbows tries to clinch up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Elbows is looking to clinch but Shirahama is avoiding it.
Elbows fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Elbows looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Elbows tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shirahama swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elbows tries to clinch up.
Elbow Elbows is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Elbows slaps away a takedown attempt from Shirahama, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Elbows doesn't manage to clinch there - Shirahama circles away.
Elbows tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shirahama swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shirahama avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Shirahama is defended easily by Elbows.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenichi Shirahama. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Elbows tries to clinch there but Shirahama circles away.
Elbows tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shirahama paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two 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.
Elbows with a poor takedown

and Shirahama counters with a single leg into guard. Elbows didn't expect that.
Elbows is breathing heavily.
Shirahama wants to pass the guard but Elbows is keeping the position.

Shirahama postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Elbows is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Shirahama, into his guard.
Shirahama is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Elbows postures up in Shirahama's guard and throws a big left but Shirahama blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elbows won't allow Shirahama to get back to his feet.
Elbows wants to control from the top but Shirahama keeps moving.
Shirahama wants to stand up but Elbows is controlling him.
Elbows missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Shirahama pushes Elbows off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Elbows tries to clinch up but Shirahama circles away and keeps his distance.
Elbows with a poor takedown

and Shirahama counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Shirahama is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Elbows is just riding it out for now. Shirahama eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Elbows keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

Shirahama is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Elbows defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenichi Shirahama dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Shirahama circles away from the clinch attempt.
Elbows is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Elbows wants to clinch.
Shirahama avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shirahama avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Elbows tries to clinch but Shirahama moves out of range.
Elbows tries to clinch up but Shirahama circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elbows dives in and grabs Shirahama's left leg, looking for a takedown. Shirahama pushes down on Elbows's head and hops out.
Elbows takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Elbows tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shirahama swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Elbows moves in looking to clinch but Shirahama pushes him off.
Elbows tries to close the distance and clinch but Shirahama swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Elbows is looking to clinch but Shirahama is avoiding it.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Elbows. Shirahama shrugs it off though.

Shirahama shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Shirahama showed some decent athleticism there.
Elbows is trying to maintain the position but Shirahama is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shirahama seems to be working for a kimura but Elbows defends the submission attempt.
Shirahama is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elbows 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.

Shirahama is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Elbows is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Elbows has escaped and now he's on top!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Elbows accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Elbows throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Elbows trying to control the position from guard on top but Shirahama is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Elbows won't allow Shirahama to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Elbows trying to control but Shirahama is working from the bottom.
Shirahama avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shirahama wants to stand up but Elbows is controlling him.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Elbows scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elbow Elbows comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Elbows has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elbow Elbows!