PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between K Raiden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Genki Sodo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Raiden
vs
Sodo

173 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

176 cm
21
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Mustang Fight Food

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, K Raiden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Genki Sodo!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Hirohito Nitta and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raiden closes the distance and clinches up with Sodo, looking for a takedown. Raiden pushes Sodo against the ropes but Sodo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Raiden shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Raiden showed some decent athleticism there.
Sodo trying to control from the bottom.
Sodo moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sodo is trying to keep Raiden in close.

Sodo looking for a guillotine here but Raiden defends easily.
Sodo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Raiden is breathing heavily.
Sodo thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sodo is tying to control. Raiden wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Sodo is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Raiden is defending against the submission attempts here by Sodo.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Raiden is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Sodo pulls his head out easily.
Raiden tries to kick Sodo off but Sodo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sodo wants to free his trapped foot but Raiden is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Raiden rushes Sodo and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Sodo tries to stall but Raiden uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Sodo lands a right hand that snaps the head of Raiden backwards.
Raiden stops a takedown attempt from Sodo.
Raiden drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sodo gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Raiden takes a knee right on the jaw!

Sodo pulls guard successfully.
Sodo keeping moving, preventing Raiden from controlling successfully.

Sodo working for a triangle but Raiden defends it easily.
Raiden wants to control from the top but Sodo keeps moving.
Sodo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Raiden gets to his feet - Sodo follows without any prompting.
Raiden tries to clinch there but Sodo circles away.
Sodo shoots and misses
and Raiden finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Raiden has closed the distance and engaged Sodo in a clinch.
Raiden tries to pull guard but Sodo holds him up against the ropes and eventually Raiden drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for K Raiden. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sodo pulls Raiden into guard.
Sodo is trying to control the position but Raiden postures up.
Sodo keeping moving, preventing Raiden from controlling successfully.
Sodo looking for a sweep. Not yet Sodo, not yet.

Raiden stands up from Sodo's guard - Raiden perhaps looking for a knockout.
Raiden wants to clinch up but Sodo keeps it at a distance.
Sodo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Raiden counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sodo's guard now.
Sodo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Raiden manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raiden has a closed guard, preventing Sodo from standing up.
Raiden keeping moving, preventing Sodo from controlling successfully.
Sodo slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Sodo decides to stand back up. Sodo steps back and let's Raiden get back to his feet.
Sodo fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Raiden.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Sodo clinches up against the ropes.
Raiden has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sodo avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sodo stalls.
Sodo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Sodo jumps into guard, dragging Raiden to the mat.
Sodo is trying to control the position but Raiden postures up.
Raiden wants to control from the top but Sodo keeps moving.
Sodo is pulling down on Raiden's head. It's preventing any offense from Raiden, at least for the moment.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Raiden is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Raiden won't allow Sodo to sweep him here.

Sodo working for a triangle but Raiden defends it easily.
Sodo keeping moving, preventing Raiden from controlling successfully.
Raiden controlling from the top position.
Raiden wants to pass the guard but Sodo is keeping the position.
Sodo looking for a sweep. Not yet Sodo, not yet.

That's six 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.
Sodo trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Sodo tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Raiden gets a clinch.

Sodo pulls Raiden into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Raiden accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Raiden avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Raiden would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Sodo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Raiden's guard.
Sodo trying to control but Raiden is working from the bottom.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Raiden keeping full guard, as Sodo tries to pass.
Sodo advances to half guard.
Raiden wants to improve his position but Sodo is controlling well.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Sodo is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Raiden has managed to free his arm - good work.
Sodo wants to take a breather but Raiden is having none of it.
Raiden is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Sodo with good strikes from the mount here!
Raiden takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Raiden tries to hold on but Sodo pushes him away.
Sodo throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Sodo is working for a guillotine from mount but Raiden frees his head quite easily.
Sodo fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
You get the feeling that Raiden really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Sodo get's back to his feet.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Sodo wants to clinch up but Raiden keeps it at a distance.
Raiden tries to clinch up.
Raiden darts in trying to clinch
and Sodo makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Raiden gets a takedown into half guard.
Sodo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Raiden's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Raiden's back!
Raiden rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Sodo is looking to take a break and control but Raiden is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Sodo is looking for a kimura here.
Raiden is not content to let Sodo control the position.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Sodo has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Sodo looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sodo lands a nice shot to the head.

Sodo working for a submission but Raiden is keeping him at bay.
Sodo controlling from the full mount.
Sodo landing strikes, looking to finish!
Raiden is trying to reverse the position but instead Sodo has taken his back - oops!
Raiden trying to control the hands but Sodo won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Genki Sodo dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Sodo tries for a takedown but Raiden circles away easily

so Raiden counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Raiden passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Sodo trying to hold on to Raiden's head to control him but Raiden postures up.
Sodo regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sodo looking to control.
Raiden preventing the sweep.
Raiden controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Sodo is looking for a triangle but Raiden pushes his legs off easily.

Sodo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Sodo is looking for a triangle but Raiden pushes his legs off easily.
Sodo is pulling down on Raiden's head. It's preventing any offense from Raiden, at least for the moment.
Sodo manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sodo controlling the position easily from mount.

Sodo swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Raiden is now in Sodo's guard. A big mistake from Sodo there, giving up the dominant position!
Raiden looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Sodo has his hands on Raiden's head, controlling the position.

Sodo manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Sodo.

Sodo shoots in and bounces Raiden off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Raiden wants to get back to his feet but Sodo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sodo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Raiden keeping moving, preventing Sodo from controlling successfully.
Sodo stays in close to Raiden's body and controls the position.
Sodo wants to control from the top but Raiden keeps moving.
Raiden bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sodo's guard.

Sodo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Sodo throws his legs up looking for a submission but Raiden uses it to pass to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raiden lands a nice forearm strike.
Sodo regains half guard.
Sodo tries to roll over but Raiden keeps him under control.
Sodo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sodo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Raiden's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Raiden's back!
Sodo struggling to keep hold of the position.
Raiden is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Sodo has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Raiden has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Raiden rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raiden is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sodo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sodo's back!
Genki Sodo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Raiden is hanging on to Sodo's back as he tries to escape.
Raiden not allowing Sodo to control his hands.
Sodo manages to reverse the position and now he's in Raiden's guard. Nice work there by Sodo.
Sodo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Raiden is keeping the position for now.
Raiden keeping moving, preventing Sodo from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sodo fails with the takedown

and Raiden counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sodo's guard now.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Sodo working a defensive guard here.
Sodo might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Raiden kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Sodo trying to strike off his back.
Sodo is trying to keep Raiden in close.
Sodo throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Raiden trying to control but Sodo is working from the bottom.

Sodo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Raiden gets to his feet - Sodo follows without any prompting.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Raiden misses with a takedown attempt

and Sodo counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sodo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Raiden keeping moving, preventing Sodo from controlling successfully.
Sodo wants to pass the guard but Raiden is keeping the position.
Raiden has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Sodo has passed into side control.
Sodo tries to move to mount but Raiden blocks the move with his legs.
Raiden wants to control but Sodo postures up.
Raiden is looking to reverse the position.

Sodo has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Raiden tries to clinch but Sodo is having none of it.

Raiden darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sodo wants to get back to full guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Sodo actively working from the bottom here.
Sodo wants to improve his position but Raiden is controlling well.
Sodo controlling the position for now.
Sodo trying to hold on to Raiden's head to control him but Raiden postures up.
Sodo works his way to full guard. Good work.
Sodo wants to sweep but no luck.
Sodo looking to control.
Raiden slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Sodo pulls Raiden in close to prevent any damage.
Raiden slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Raiden wants to stand but Sodo is controlling his posture from full guard.

Sodo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Raiden doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Raiden manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Raiden trying to control the position from guard on top but Sodo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sodo wants to sweep here but Raiden controlling him for the moment.
Sodo throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Sodo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Raiden prevents Sodo from getting back to his feet.

Raiden gets to his feet - Sodo follows without any prompting.
Raiden keeps the fight on the outside.
K Raiden is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Raiden forces Sodo back against the ropes and clinches.
Sodo lands a knee to the head.

Sodo works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Raiden not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sodo trying to control but Raiden is working from the bottom.
Sodo forces his way into half guard.
Sodo prevents Raiden from improving his position.
Raiden is trying to maintain the position but Sodo is very close to passing his half guard.

Sodo seems to be looking for submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Raiden is trying to stand.
Raiden is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sodo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sodo's back!
Raiden doesn't have the hooks in and Sodo manages to turn into his guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Genki Sodo.
I think Sodo 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Genki Sodo!
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Genki Sodo!
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight for Genki Sodo!

Genki Sodo wins by unanimous decision!