PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Akira Kanehara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Schimling (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Kanehara
vs
Schimling

178 cm
21
213 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
210 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Demonic Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Akira Kanehara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sean Schimling!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Steve Smith and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kanehara misses with a series of wild punches.
Kanehara throws a body punch but Schimling moves out of range.
Kanehara throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nice defenses there by Schimling.
Kanehara throws a series of punches but Schimling avoids them all with ease.
Kanehara looks to land a right hand but Schimling moved out of range.
Schimling checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Kanehara scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Kanehara throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Some wild striking there from Kanehara.
Kanehara rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Schimling moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kanehara walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Schimling checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Kanehara rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Schimling moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A punch combination from Kanehara misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schimling avoids the head kick by Kanehara.
Kanehara looks to land a combination but Schimling avoids it well.
Kanehara throws a low kick, looking for Schimling's leg but Schimling calmly moves out of range.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Kanehara lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Schimling has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Schimling and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Kanehara is breathing heavily.
Kanehara misses with a jab, cross combination.
Schimling tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Schimling showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kanehara.
Schimling checks the leg kick.
Schimling tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kanehara swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Schimling shoots in looking for a takedown. Kanehara tries to sprawl out of it but Schimling keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kanehara manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kanehara throws a jab but it's blocked by Schimling.
Kanehara misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A bone on bone clash there as Schimling blocks the leg kick.
Schimling shoots in and drives through. Kanehara sprawls well.
Kanehara throws a leg kick

and Schimling counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kanehara has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Schimling is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Schimling lands a knee to the body.
A short uppercut from Schimling.
Schimling tries a knee to the head but Kanehara blocks it.
Kanehara tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Kanehara successfully pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Schimling working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kanehara's head.
Kanehara keeping moving, preventing Schimling from controlling successfully.
Kanehara is pulling down on Schimling's head to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schimling slips nicely into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kanehara has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Schimling is working away from the top position though.
Kanehara is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Schimling's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Schimling's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kanehara lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Kanehara keeps control of the position as Schimling tries to break free.
Kanehara controlling from the back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Schimling looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Kanehara biding his time, looking for the opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Kanehara dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Kanehara swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Schimling moves into the clinch.
Schimling lands a knee to the head.
Schimling with a knee to the head.
Kanehara can't get the takedown.
Schimling with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kanehara fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Schimling is looking to control Kanehara's arms but Kanehara gets an underhook and turns him. Now Schimling has his back to the cage.
Schimling gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kanehara.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akira Kanehara. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Schimling scores a nice knee to the body.
Schimling scores with a knee to the head.
Schimling misses with a knee to the head.
Schimling with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Schimling with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Kanehara has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Schimling clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
I really don't envy Schimling right now.
Can Schimling hold on?! Kanehara is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Schimling is really stuck here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schimling rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Schimling wants to improve his position but Kanehara is controlling well.
Kanehara wants to take a breather but Schimling is having none of it.
Schimling throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Schimling.
Kanehara swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

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

Schimling tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Schimling has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kanehara can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Schimling goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Kanehara rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Schimling's guard! Nice work there by Kanehara!
Kanehara working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Kanehara sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Schimling's guard.
Kanehara lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Well, if Kanehara is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanehara trying to mount his opponent but Schimling defends it.

Schimling looking for submissions off his back.
Schimling wants to improve his position but Kanehara is controlling well.

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.
Kanehara is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Kanehara's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Kanehara working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Sean Schimling will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Kanehara throws a left and a right that both miss

and Schimling counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kanehara won't be happy with that.
Kanehara is looking for a sweep.

Schimling is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kanehara has escaped the position, nice work there.
Kanehara is looking for a sweep.
Kanehara wants to control but Schimling postures up.
Schimling in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kanehara can't do much from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Schimling thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kanehara misses with a two punch combination.
Schimling tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kanehara swivels and escapes.
Schimling fails with an attempt to clinch.
A clash of legs there as Schimling blocks the low kick.

Schimling drives through and clinches with Kanehara against the cage.
Schimling lands a nice knee to the body.
Schimling throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kanehara blocks it with crossed arms.
Schimling is working Kanehara over against the cage.
Schimling landing knees to the head.
Schimling using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kanehara has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kanehara tries to pull guard but Schimling won't allow it.

Schimling decides to pull guard.
Kanehara preventing the sweep.
Kanehara controlling from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Schimling is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Schimling wants to sweep here but Kanehara controlling him for the moment.
Kanehara has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kanehara sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kanehara won't allow Schimling to sweep him here.
Kanehara throwing strikes but missing.
Kanehara slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanehara in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Schimling tries to get back to half guard but can't.

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.
Kanehara is chipping away with strikes.
Schimling can't do much from the bottom here.
Schimling is not content to let Kanehara control the position.
Schimling sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Schimling has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Kanehara escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Kanehara!
Schimling looks to move to half guard but instead Kanehara has passed into mount! Damn!

And that's the end of the fight!
Sean Schimling comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Schimling 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Sean Schimling!