PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Retri Paladin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kotaro Hakku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hakku comes into a darkened arena with his song building. kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Paladin
vs
Hakku

175 cm
26
165 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

170 cm
27
165 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite 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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Retri Paladin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kotaro Hakku!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shirou Masuda and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paladin dodges the punch combination from Hakku.
A jab from Paladin does it's job there.
Paladin leaves Hakku with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Paladin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hakku moves away.
Hakku bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hakku lands with a cross.
Hakku ducks under a wild hook from Paladin.
Hakku dives in and grabs Paladin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Paladin pushes down on Hakku's head and hops out.
Good shot there by Hakku.
Hakku displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Paladin throws out the jab.
Hakku closes this distance looking for a takedown but Paladin circles away.
Retri Paladin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kotaro Hakku.
A jab from Paladin does it's job there.
Hakku misses with a few strikes there.

Hakku clinches up with Paladin and pushes him back against the cage.
Paladin throws a head punch that misses.
Paladin is trying to force a seperation but Hakku has the dominant position.

Hakku's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Paladin lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Kotaro Hakku has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hakku fails to land with a series of punches.
Hakku connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Hakku misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hakku misses with a double jab
and Paladin counters with a left and a right that stings Hakku.
Hakku moves in looking to clinch but Paladin pushes him off.
Paladin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Left hook, right uppercut from Hakku.
Hakku uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Paladin.
Hakku throws a shot to the body.
Paladin throws a nice looking combination but Hakku bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hakku uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Paladin.
A combination from Paladin does no damage.
Hakku scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Hakku shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Paladin but Paladin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Paladin misses with a body shot
and Hakku counters with a three punch combo that has Paladin backing up. Paladin nods at Hakku to acknowledge the strikes.
Hakku throws a series of punches but Paladin moves out of range.

Hakku scores with a takedown into Paladin's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hakku missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hakku working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Paladin looking for a sweep. Not yet Paladin, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hakku loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Paladin can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hakku controls the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hakku postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hakku postures up in Paladin's guard and throws a big left but Paladin blocks it.
Hakku trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Paladin looks to land a left hand but Hakku moved out of range nicely.
Paladin throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Hakku on the side of the head.
Paladin is breathing heavily.
Hakku shoots for a double leg takedown but Paladin sprawls well. He's pushed Hakku's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Paladin throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hakku counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Paladin thinking.
Paladin misses with a wild body shot.
Hakku throws a combination. Paladin tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Hakku throws a combination. Paladin tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Hakku closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hakku blocks an uppercut.
Paladin gets underhooks to prevent Hakku's takedown attempt.
Paladin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hakku has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paladin misses with a hook from the clinch.

Hakku pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hakku lands a right hook to the body.
Paladin works Hakku's body with a nice hook.
Hakku fails with the takedown.
Paladin tries to clinch there but Hakku circles away.

Hakku has Paladin up against the cage in a clinch.

Paladin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hakku lands a head shot.
Hakku looks to land a combination. Paladin sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Paladin throws a right hand that Hakku ducks under and follows up with a left that Hakku also avoids with ease.
Hakku lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Hakku.
Hakku goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Hakku lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Hakku.

Hakku darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Hakku missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hakku trying to control from half guard but Paladin is working away.

Hakku decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Retri Paladin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hakku swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kotaro Hakku seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hakku throws a right and a left that Paladin avoids nicely.
Hakku slips a jab and a cross from Paladin.

Hakku shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Hakku was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Paladin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hakku on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hakku punishing his opponent with strikes.
Hakku breaks from Paladin's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hakku raining down shots from the mount!
Hakku fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kotaro Hakku dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kotaro Hakku's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hakku misses with a few strikes there.
Hakku avoids a punch combination nicely.

Hakku has closed the distance and engaged Paladin in a clinch.

Hakku breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hakku misses with a double jab
and Paladin counters with a series of strikes. Hakku will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hakku swinging wildly here.
Paladin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Hakku moves into the clinch successfully.
Paladin is looking to break free of the clinch but Hakku has double underhooks.
Hakku blocks an uppercut.

Hakku pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Retri Paladin is winning the standup battle so far.
Paladin swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Hakku counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Paladin misses with a looping right.
Hakku lands with a hook. Paladin tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Hakku connects with the punch.
Hakku slips a straight right by Paladin.
Retri Paladin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paladin slips a jab and a cross from Hakku.

Hakku looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Paladin!
Paladin's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Hakku working the ground and pound effectively.

Hakku looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Hakku breaks from Paladin's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Paladin is rocked!
Hakku unloading with bombs!
Oh Paladin is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hakku looking to finish Paladin with some ground and pound. This is bad for Paladin!
Paladin is bucking up trying to escape but Hakku cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hakku cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Paladin taking shots to the head.
Hakku with shots to the head and body - Paladin looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hakku postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Paladin bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Hakku and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kotaro Hakku!