PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gichin Funakoshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daizu Mitsusada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Funakoshi might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Martial Art Drum Beat. Mitsusada has chosen Metallica - Nothing Else Matters as his entrance music. 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.

Funakoshi
vs
Mitsusada

168 cm
22
154 lbs
11 - 0 - 0

167 cm
28
163 lbs
13 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gichin Funakoshi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Daizu Mitsusada!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, William Peck and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Funakoshi checks a leg kick.
Mitsusada keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Funakoshi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Funakoshi has closed the distance and engaged Mitsusada in a clinch.
Funakoshi pushes Mitsusada back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Funakoshi drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mitsusada blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Funakoshi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mitsusada's efforts to push away.
Mitsusada wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Funakoshi blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Funakoshi has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mitsusada is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Funakoshi is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mitsusada pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gichin Funakoshi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Funakoshi wants a takedown.
Mitsusada wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Funakoshi stalling in the clinch.
Funakoshi is trying to break the clinch but Mitsusada is controlling him.
Funakoshi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Funakoshi wants a takedown but no success here.
Funakoshi blocks an uppercut.
Mitsusada slows down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funakoshi is working for takedown but Mitsusada is calmly controlling the position for now.
Mitsusada lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Mitsusada stops a takedown attempt from Funakoshi.

Mitsusada manages to break the clinch.
Mitsusada keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Funakoshi.
Daizu Mitsusada is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mitsusada tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Funakoshi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Funakoshi.
Funakoshi wants to get up but he can't break Mitsusada's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Funakoshi trying to control the position from guard on top but Mitsusada is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Funakoshi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Mitsusada can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Funakoshi controls the pace.
Funakoshi trying to control but Mitsusada is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gichin Funakoshi has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Funakoshi takes a swing at Mitsusada's ribcage but misses.
A combination from Mitsusada does no damage.
Mitsusada throws a hook to the side of Funakoshi's head but Funakoshi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Funakoshi connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Funakoshi takes a swing at Mitsusada's ribcage but misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Funakoshi. Mitsusada does a little dance to reset his feet.
Funakoshi throws a sloppy body shot
and Mitsusada counters with a series of strikes. Funakoshi will be more careful next time no doubt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Funakoshi tests Mitsusada's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Funakoshi has his takedown stuffed
and Mitsusada counters with a left and a right that stings Funakoshi.

Funakoshi is rocked!
Funakoshi stuns Mitsusada with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Mitsusada misses with an uppercut
and Funakoshi counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Funakoshi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mitsusada takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Funakoshi throws a hook to the side of Mitsusada's head but Mitsusada sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funakoshi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Mitsusada looks gassed!
Funakoshi connects with a body shot.
Funakoshi lands a slapping body shot.
Mitsusada on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Funakoshi stuns Mitsusada with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Mitsusada walks into a jab.
Funakoshi fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A jab lands there for Funakoshi.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Funakoshi lands a nice shot to the body.
Funakoshi thows a body shot but no joy.
Mitsusada takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Mitsusada walks into a jab.

Funakoshi closes the distance and clinches.
Mitsusada is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Funakoshi has Mitsusada pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Mitsusada manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Funakoshi manages to pull guard.
Mitsusada prevents Funakoshi from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funakoshi wants to sweep here but Mitsusada controlling him for the moment.
Mitsusada looking to sit in guard and control but Funakoshi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Funakoshi trying to control but Mitsusada is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Funakoshi throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gichin Funakoshi dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Funakoshi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mitsusada.
Funakoshi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mitsusada.
Mitsusada uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Funakoshi.
Funakoshi misses with a body shot.
Mitsusada misses with a left hand
and Funakoshi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Funakoshi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Funakoshi dodges the punch combination from Mitsusada.
Gichin Funakoshi is winning the standup battle so far.
Funakoshi catches Mitsusada with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Funakoshi lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Mitsusada at a distance.
Funakoshi misses with a shot to the body
and Mitsusada connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A decent looking cross lands there for Funakoshi.
Mitsusada swings for the body but Funakoshi moves out of range.
Funakoshi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mitsusada was well out of range. Poor timing from Funakoshi.
Mitsusada throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mitsusada is breathing heavily.
Funakoshi scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Mitsusada avoids the body shot from Funakoshi.
Daizu Mitsusada seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Funakoshi smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funakoshi jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

Mitsusada is rocked!
Funakoshi lands a nice looking body shot.
Mitsusada is still on wobbly legs! Can Funakoshi finish him?
Funakoshi lands a nice shot to the body.
Funakoshi is looking to wear down Mitsusada with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Funakoshi drops Mitsusada with a straight right hand, right on the button! Funakoshi follows him down to the mat and pounds him out with hammerfists until the referee jumps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gichin Funakoshi!
Gichin Funakoshi retains his lightweight title!