PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Waru Kuzuri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Wright (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Waru Kuzuri has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Kuzuri
vs
Wright

163 cm
19
135 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
142 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Granite chin

FULL METAL GEAR
FULL METAL GEAR

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Waru Kuzuri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Anthony Wright!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Ren Mimura and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wright changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kuzuri tries to avoid it but Wright manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kuzuri to the ground. Kuzuri escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A slow jab from Kuzuri misses its intended target.
Kuzuri misses with a right hand

and Wright counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kuzuri won't be happy with that.
Wright fails to land a wild elbow strike.

Wright goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Kuzuri has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Wright but great work by Kuzuri.
Kuzuri wants to stand but Wright has his arm trapped.
Wright struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuzuri tries to move to mount but Wright blocks the move with his legs.
Wright is trying to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Wright looks to move to half guard but instead Kuzuri has passed into mount! Damn!
Wright tries to hold on but Kuzuri postures up.
Wright working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuzuri can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Wright is looking to escape.
Kuzuri prevents Wright from getting the reversal.
Wright wants to hold on but Kuzuri pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Anthony Wright has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Kuzuri misses the shot to the body.
A left and a right from Kuzuri both land. Nice combination.
Kuzuri swings widly with a right hand

and Wright counters with a single leg into guard. Kuzuri didn't expect that.
Wright wants to control from the top but Kuzuri keeps moving.

Kuzuri pushes Wright off and scrambles back to his feet.
Kuzuri throws a combination that misses

and Wright counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kuzuri won't be happy with that.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Kuzuri gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Wright avoids the attempt from Kuzuri to control.
Wright punching from mount but Kuzuri doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Kuzuri in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Wright wants to control the pace but Kuzuri is squirming around nicely.
Kuzuri is trying to escape the mount.
The referee warns Kuzuri that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Wright takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Wright unloads with some shots from mount but Kuzuri bucks and avoids them well.
The referee warns Kuzuri that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Wright thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Wright tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kuzuri tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Wright connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Wright raining down shots from the mount!
Wright trying to control but Kuzuri is having none of it.
Kuzuri blocking the ground and pound.
Wright unloads with some shots from mount but Kuzuri bucks and avoids them well.
Kuzuri taking shots to the head.
Wright looking to control but Kuzuri is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kuzuri is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Wright can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kuzuri is looking to escape.
Kuzuri blocking the ground and pound.
Wright landing shots from mount.
Kuzuri in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Wright thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Kuzuri is looking to improve his position but Wright isn't that keen on the idea.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Wright unloads with some shots from mount but Kuzuri bucks and avoids them well.
Wright lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Kuzuri holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Wright tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Wright punching from mount but Kuzuri doing a good job of avoiding damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Wright dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Wright with a lazy takedown attempt
and Kuzuri counters with a one-two to the body.
Kuzuri throws an off balance right hand

and Wright counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Wright.
Anthony Wright has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wright trying to control but Kuzuri is working from the bottom.
Wright with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Wright throws a big right hand that misses.
Wright throws a strike but Kuzuri rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Kuzuri is looking to stand up but Wright won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wright pushes Kuzuri off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Kuzuri throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Wright counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Wright.
Kuzuri keeping moving, preventing Wright from controlling successfully.

Wright postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kuzuri is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Wright, into his guard.
Wright has a closed guard, preventing Kuzuri from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wright trying to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Anthony Wright.
Kuzuri throws a lazy uppercut

and Wright counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Kuzuri is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wright is controlling him.
Wright throwing strikes but missing.
Wright wants to stand and escape but instead Kuzuri has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Wright not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Anthony Wright was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Kuzuri misses with a straight right.
Kuzuri keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Wright fails to land the takedown.
Kuzuri stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kuzuri wants it to stay on the feet.
Waru Kuzuri has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anthony Wright.
Wright shoots in looking for a takedown but Kuzuri manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Wright's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Kuzuri ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Wright moves away.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Wright slips under a jab from Kuzuri.
Kuzuri misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Wright.
Kuzuri misses with a looping right.
Kuzuri digs a good body shot into Wright's ribs.
Kuzuri throws a poor cross that misses

and Wright counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Wright.
Wright has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kuzuri trying to keep a closed guard but Wright is proving a slippery customer.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Kuzuri can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Wright controls the pace.
Kuzuri pulls Wright in close to prevent any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Waru Kuzuri wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Wright avoids the body shot from Kuzuri.
Kuzuri will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kuzuri misses with a body shot.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Wright shoots in for a takedown but Kuzuri shows good takedown defense.
Kuzuri changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Kuzuri digs a good hook to Wright's body.
Wright is breathing heavily.
Kuzuri throws a hook to the side of Wright's head but Wright sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Wright takes a swing at Kuzuri's ribcage but misses.
Good standup being displayed there by Kuzuri as he connects with a hook.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Kuzuri throws a poor cross that misses

and Wright counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Wright missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Wright missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Wright wants to control from the top but Kuzuri keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kuzuri is on top in guard.
Kuzuri has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Kuzuri stands up and waves to Wright to follow him.
Waru Kuzuri has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Wright with a lazy takedown attempt
and Kuzuri connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kuzuri throws a jab when Wright was well out of range.
Kuzuri sizes up Wright with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Kuzuri rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Wright counters with a takedown into side control.
Wright looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Kuzuri is avoiding damage well.
Kuzuri tries to buck Wright off but Wright is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sloppy strikes there by Wright.
Wright lands an elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anthony Wright comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Wright has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Anthony Wright!
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight for Anthony Wright!
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Anthony Wright!

Anthony Wright wins by unanimous decision!