PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Katsunori Kikuno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alek Mitchell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kikuno
vs
Mitchell

173 cm
23
160 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

179 cm
22
167 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid 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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Katsunori Kikuno!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Alek Mitchell!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Steve Smith and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kikuno moves in looking to clinch but Mitchell pushes him off.
Kikuno lands a slapping body shot.
Mitchell misses with a straight right.

Mitchell closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Mitchell lands in his opponent's guard.
Kikuno on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kikuno tries to get out of the position.
Mitchell stays in close to Kikuno's body and controls the position.

Mitchell 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.
Mitchell trying to control the position from guard on top but Kikuno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mitchell thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Mitchell trying to control the position from guard on top but Kikuno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mitchell engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

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.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Alek Mitchell wasn't active enough on the ground.
Mitchell misses with a body shot.
Kikuno slips a straight right by Mitchell.
Jab by Mitchell.
Kikuno moves in looking to clinch but Mitchell pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kikuno looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kikuno dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Mitchell throws a hook to the side of Kikuno's head but Kikuno sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kikuno tries to clinch but Mitchell moves out of range.
Kikuno wants to clinch up but Mitchell keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell throws a hook to the side of Kikuno's head but Kikuno sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kikuno throws a right and a left that Mitchell avoids nicely.
Kikuno moves in looking to clinch but Mitchell pushes him off.
Kikuno fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kikuno throws a nice looking combination but Mitchell bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mitchell lands a really nice looking cross but Kikuno seems unphased.
Kikuno scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kikuno thows a body shot but no joy.
Mitchell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kikuno scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Kikuno is breathing heavily.
Mitchell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mitchell misses with a body punch
and Kikuno counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Mitchell loads up on a big right hand but Kikuno slips the punch.
Kikuno is looking to wear down Mitchell with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Mitchell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mitchell keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell throws a hook to the side of Kikuno's head but Kikuno sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kikuno wants to clinch.
Mitchell keeps the fight on the outside.
Kikuno tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mitchell avoids the body shot from Kikuno.
Kikuno wants to clinch up but Mitchell keeps it at a distance.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mitchell. Kikuno does a little dance to reset his feet.

Kikuno clinches up with Mitchell and pushes him back against the cage.
Kikuno lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Mitchell.
Mitchell blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mitchell looking to stall.
Nice body punch from Kikuno - that landed with a thud.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kikuno gets through Mitchell's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kikuno lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Mitchell backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Kikuno.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Katsunori Kikuno dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kikuno moves in looking to clinch but Mitchell pushes him off.

Mitchell shoots in and gets a takedown into Kikuno's guard.
Mitchell trying to control but Kikuno is working from the bottom.
Mitchell won't allow Kikuno to get back to his feet.
Mitchell trying to control but Kikuno is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Mitchell slips nicely into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mitchell is working for a kimura but Kikuno is defending it quite comfortably.

Mitchell is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Mitchell trying to control the action but Kikuno is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Mitchell is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mitchell decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kikuno tries to clinch there but Mitchell circles away.
Mitchell fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mitchell ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kikuno moves away.
Mitchell shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kikuno as he jumps to the side.
Mitchell looks to score with a jab to the body but Kikuno is just out of range.
Mitchell swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Kikuno counters with a left to the body.
Kikuno wants to clinch.

Kikuno rushes Mitchell and presses him up against the cage.
Mitchell jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kikuno walks away with a smile on his face. Mitchell gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Katsunori Kikuno is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kikuno tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mitchell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kikuno fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mitchell ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kikuno moves away.
Mitchell looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Katsunori Kikuno has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alek Mitchell.
Kikuno fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kikuno is looking to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kikuno looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mitchell misses with a body shot.
Kikuno tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mitchell swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kikuno wants to clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mitchell takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Kikuno wants to clinch up but Mitchell keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alek Mitchell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Kikuno closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Kikuno blocking some punches.
Mitchell drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kikuno pulls his leg out and moves away.
Mitchell misses the shot to the body.
Mitchell throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jab, jab by Mitchell - just one landing.
Mitchell dives in and grabs Kikuno's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kikuno pushes down on Mitchell's head and hops out.
Mitchell tries for a takedown but Kikuno sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Katsunori Kikuno has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alek Mitchell.

Kikuno clinches with his opponent.
Kikuno softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kikuno lands a body shot.
Kikuno lands with a left to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kikuno lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Kikuno lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Kikuno lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Mitchell or not.
Kikuno lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Mitchell.
Kikuno lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Mitchell backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Kikuno.
Kikuno pushes Mitchell back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kikuno scores with a shoulder strike.
Kikuno scores with a shoulder strike.
Kikuno lands a nice uppercut.
Kikuno lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Mitchell goes for a takedown attempt but Kikuno pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
No luck for Mitchell with that takedown attempt.
Kikuno fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mitchell swats away the attempt to clinch by Kikuno.
Mitchell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Katsunori Kikuno seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kikuno takes one on the button.
Kikuno tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Mitchell manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kikuno looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kikuno is looking to clinch.
Mitchell throws a jab but it's blocked by Kikuno.
Kikuno wants to clinch.
Mitchell looks to land a right hand but Kikuno moved out of range.
Kikuno is looking to clinch.
Kikuno scores with a shot to the body.
Kikuno tries to clinch up.
Mitchell keeps the fight on the outside.
Mitchell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kikuno tries to clinch but Mitchell moves out of range.
Kikuno uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mitchell.
Mitchell swats away the attempt to clinch by Kikuno.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kikuno manages to avoid it.
Kikuno tries to clinch but Mitchell moves out of range.

Kikuno fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mitchell, pushing him back against the cage.

Mitchell lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Mitchell is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Mitchell is looking for a kimura but Kikuno is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mitchell to get the leverage.
Kikuno is trying to stand up here but Mitchell is controlling him well.
Mitchell is taking a breather. Kikuno says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mitchell is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Mitchell is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Katsunori Kikuno showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kikuno 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Katsunori Kikuno!