PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between yoshihiro akiyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matheus Pettis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matheus Pettis will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

akiyama
vs
Pettis

175 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, yoshihiro akiyama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matheus Pettis!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Sosuke Kotani and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pettis shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says akiyama as he avoids it easily.
Pettis closes this distance looking for a takedown but akiyama circles away.
Pettis misses with a few strikes there.

akiyama scores with a takedown into Pettis's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

akiyama drops back looking for a leg! Pettis is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Pettis manages to kick akiyama off! akiyama jumps back into Pettis's guard.

akiyama is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

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

akiyama postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Pettis is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of akiyama, into his guard.
Pettis controlling from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
akiyama preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Pettis trying to control the position from guard on top but akiyama is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Pettis wants to stand but akiyama has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
akiyama keeping full guard, as Pettis tries to pass.
Pettis is looking to work some ground and pound but akiyama has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
akiyama bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pettis's guard.

akiyama drops back, looking for a kneebar! Pettis looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Pettis looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Pettis!
akiyama is breathing heavily.
Pettis taking a break here but akiyama is having none of it and regains half guard.

Pettis is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
akiyama is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Pettis wants to free his trapped foot but akiyama is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pettis is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

yoshihiro akiyama dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Matheus Pettis's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pettis lands a nice looking body shot.
Pettis doesn't succeed with the takedown

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

akiyama has gone for a leg lock! Pettis slips out almost immediately though and dives into akiyama's guard.
Pettis is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Pettis has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of akiyama is proving hard to escape from.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pettis throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as akiyama works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pettis trying to control but akiyama is working from the bottom.

That's two 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.
akiyama might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pettis has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of akiyama is proving hard to escape from.
Pettis stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. akiyama swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pettis tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pettis tries for a takedown but akiyama circles away easily

and akiyama counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Pettis's guard now.
akiyama postures up.
Pettis throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Pettis is trying to keep akiyama in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pettis throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Pettis pulls akiyama in to control the position.
Let's hope that Pettis has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Pettis tries to close the distance and clinch up but akiyama swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pettis is looking to clinch.
Pettis connects with a looping right hand.
Pettis wants to clinch up but akiyama keeps it at a distance.
Pettis wants to clinch.
Matheus Pettis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
akiyama swats away the attempt to clinch by Pettis.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

yoshihiro akiyama dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Matheus Pettis's cut.
That's time! akiyama's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

No luck with that takedown attempt from akiyama.
akiyama keeps the fight on the outside.

Pettis gets caught flat footed, as akiyama shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

akiyama drops back, looking for a kneebar! Pettis looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Pettis looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Pettis!
Pettis scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at akiyama to see if he's OK.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pettis moves into full mount!
Pettis thowing shots but they're missing.
Pettis controlling from 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.
Pettis throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Pettis sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pettis thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Pettis with good strikes from the mount here!

Pettis looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Pettis tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Pettis wants to control the pace but akiyama is squirming around nicely.
Matheus Pettis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
akiyama wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Pettis.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matheus Pettis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think akiyama has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... yoshihiro akiyama!