PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Yoshiro Akiyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sancho Zola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Akiyama comes to the cage accompanied by Time To Say Goodbye. Zola is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Black Crow On A Tombstone by Satyricon. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Akiyama
vs
Zola

178 cm
27
190 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

185 cm
28
197 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshiro Akiyama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sancho Zola!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Ren Mimura and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zola fails with the takedown
and Akiyama connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zola misses with a looping left.
Zola has his takedown stuffed
and Akiyama counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Zola misses with a jab to the body
and Akiyama counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Akiyama cracks Zola with a good jab.
Akiyama looks to land a combination but Zola avoids it well.

Akiyama looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Zola!
Zola is trying desperately to improve position.
Zola tries to hold on but Akiyama pushes him away.
Zola is desperately trying to improve his position but Akiyama has a good base and remains in mount.
Zola is squirming around, avoiding Akiyama's attempts to control the action.
Zola is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Akiyama trying to control but Zola is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akiyama controlling from mount.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Akiyama prevents Zola from getting the reversal.
Akiyama can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zola is looking to escape.
Zola keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

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.
Zola is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Zola takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Zola tries to hold on but Akiyama pushes him away.
Zola is squirming around, avoiding Akiyama's attempts to control the action.
Akiyama with shots to the head and body - Zola looks very uncomfortable down there.
Akiyama avoids the attempt from Zola to control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Akiyama takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Akiyama is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Zola has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Zola keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Akiyama lands with some strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akiyama controlling the pace for now.

Akiyama with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Akiyama wants to control the pace but Zola is squirming around nicely.
Zola is looking to get to half guard.
Akiyama trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Akiyama avoids the attempt from Zola to control.

Akiyama working for a guillotine from mount but Zola is in no mood to give up.
Akiyama punching from mount but Zola doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Akiyama lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Zola wants to hold on but Akiyama pushes him away.
Zola blocking the ground and pound.
Akiyama looking to control but Zola is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Akiyama controlling his opponent.
Akiyama avoids the attempt from Zola to control.
Zola sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Akiyama is controlling the pace.
Akiyama trying to control from half guard but Zola is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshiro Akiyama dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nice defenses there by Zola.
Zola looks to land a combination but Akiyama avoids it well.
Zola fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A big right from Zola misses.
Good standup being displayed there by Akiyama as he connects with a hook.
Zola misses with a series of wild punches.
Zola fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Zola thows a body kick. Akiyama tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Akiyama cracks Zola with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Zola staying out of range there.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Akiyama.
Akiyama working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Zola is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Zola is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zola wants to get back to his feet.
Zola is breathing heavily.
The referee asks Akiyama politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Akiyama prefers to stall for the moment though.
Zola manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Zola trying to control from Akiyama's half guard. Akiyama has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Akiyama is looking to stand up but Zola isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zola is looking to work some ground and pound but Akiyama has wrist control.
Zola wants to control from the top but Akiyama keeps moving.
Zola in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Zola throws a strike but Akiyama rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Zola is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zola controls Akiyama momentarily but Akiyama frees himself.
Akiyama's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Zola is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Sancho Zola wasn't active enough on the ground.
Good leg kick by Zola there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Akiyama shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Akiyama seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Zola does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Akiyama scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Akiyama trying to control the action but Zola is working from the bottom.
Yoshiro Akiyama overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zola looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Akiyama stalling.
Zola holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Still in half guard, Akiyama seems content to control.
Zola is trying to maintain the position but Akiyama is very close to passing his half guard.
Akiyama prevents Zola from improving his position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Akiyama shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Zola manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Zola keeping moving, preventing Akiyama from controlling successfully.
Zola has control of Akiyama's left arm, preventing Akiyama from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshiro Akiyama dominated that second 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Zola throws a lazy uppercut
and Akiyama counters with a nice uppercut.
Zola ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Akiyama moves away.
Zola throws out a loose jab but Akiyama uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zola throws a body kick that misses.
Akiyama fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Zola has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Akiyama shoots in and gets a takedown into Zola's guard.

Zola pushes Akiyama off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Sancho Zola seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Akiyama shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Zola manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Akiyama trying to control the position from guard on top but Zola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zola is trying to keep Akiyama in close.
Akiyama is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Akiyama trying to control but Zola is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Zola pushes Akiyama off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Zola takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zola cracks Akiyama with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Akiyama shoots in and gets a takedown into Zola's guard.
Akiyama trying to control the position from guard on top but Zola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Akiyama slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Zola wants to get back to his feet but Akiyama is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Akiyama won't allow Zola to sweep him here.
Akiyama looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Sancho Zola has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Yoshiro Akiyama just wasn't active enough.
Akiyama misses the jab.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Zola.
Zola throws a strike aimed at the side of Akiyama's head but Akiyama avoids it well.
Akiyama wants to get back to his feet.
Zola throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Akiyama works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Zola wants to pass the guard but Akiyama is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zola sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Akiyama defending well though.
Zola looks to land a strike but Akiyama avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Zola is stalling in the full guard.
Akiyama wants to stand but Zola is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Zola is looking to advance position but Akiyama has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Zola wants to hold on but Akiyama pushes him away.
Zola is just holding on here. Akiyama manages to take his back.
Zola looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Zola is covering up but some of the strikes from Akiyama are getting through and doing damage.
Akiyama doesn't have the hooks in and Zola manages to turn into his guard.
Zola won't allow Akiyama to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoshiro Akiyama showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Akiyama has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yoshiro Akiyama!