PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Stephane Boucher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Katsunori Kikuno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Katsunori Kikuno has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Boucher
vs
Kikuno

175 cm
20
160 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

173 cm
24
160 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Stephane Boucher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Katsunori Kikuno!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Trevor Gratis and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boucher takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Kikuno wants to clinch but Boucher slips to the side
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Kikuno dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Boucher throws a sloppy body shot
and Kikuno counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Boucher thinking.
Kikuno tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Boucher counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kikuno won't be happy with that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Boucher trying to control the position but Kikuno is working away.

Boucher tries for a kimura but Kikuno is defending well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kikuno can do anything to dispel that myth.
Boucher in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boucher controls the position.
Boucher scores with a couple of short elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boucher working the ground and pound but Kikuno is defending the strikes.
Boucher sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Kikuno is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Boucher is looking to take a break and control but Kikuno is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kikuno tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Kikuno avoids the strikes from Boucher.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boucher struggling to land strikes to the head as Kikuno covers up.
Kikuno has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Kikuno is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Boucher somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Boucher lands shots from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boucher is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Kikuno really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Boucher. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Boucher is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Boucher gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Boucher gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Boucher apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Kikuno tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Boucher finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Kikuno tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Boucher counters with a nice body shot.
Katsunori Kikuno seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Boucher motions for Kikuno to come forward. Boucher throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kikuno tries to clinch
and Boucher counters with a body kick.
Boucher circles away from the clinch attempt
letting Boucher counter with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boucher misses with a low kick.
Kikuno tries to grapple but his opponent circles

so Boucher counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kikuno keeping moving, preventing Boucher from controlling successfully.
Boucher throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Boucher throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kikuno works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boucher is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Boucher pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kikuno is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephane Boucher dominated that round.
That's time! Boucher's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kikuno tries to clinch

and Boucher counters with a single leg into guard. Kikuno didn't expect that.
Boucher trying to control but Kikuno is working from the bottom.
Boucher working some strikes from top position.
Boucher trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Boucher seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Boucheris looking to pass into half guard but Kikuno pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Kikuno is in guard.
Boucher pulls Kikuno in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kikuno wants to stand but Boucher is controlling his posture from full guard.
Boucher seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

We're going to have a standup here because Stephane Boucher wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Kikuno throws a body punch but Boucher moves out of range.
Boucher misses with a low kick.
Kikuno looks to clinch
and Boucher counters with a leg kick.
Kikuno checks a low kick from Boucher.
Kikuno tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Boucher counters with a nice body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kikuno tries to clinch but Boucher moves away
letting Boucher counter with a right hand.
Katsunori Kikuno is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kikuno tries to clinch up
and Boucher counters with a leg kick.
Boucher circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kikuno looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Kikuno tries to clinch
and Boucher counters with a body kick that stops Kikuno in his tracks momentarily.
Kikuno moves to clinch but Boucher breaks away
and Boucher counters with a solid body kick.
Kikuno wants to clinch
and Boucher makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Kikuno really felt that one!
Kikuno looks to clinch
and Boucher counters with a good low kick that Kikuno was not able to check.

Kikuno gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Boucher is looking to control Kikuno's arms but Kikuno gets an underhook and turns him. Now Boucher has his back to the cage.
A short left from Kikuno.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kikuno misses with the head strike.
Boucher goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Boucher trying to control the position but instead, Kikuno has worked for underhooks and has pushed Boucher into the cage.
Kikuno is leaning against Boucher and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Kikuno misses with the head strike.
Kikuno presses Boucher against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Boucher is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Kikuno misses with some punches.
Kikuno throws a head punch that misses.
Kikuno lands with a right to the head.
Kikuno lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Kikuno lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kikuno throws a head punch that misses.
A short left from Kikuno.
A hook to the body from Kikuno.

Boucher manages to pull guard.
Kikuno tries to stand but Boucher is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boucher pulls Kikuno in close to prevent any damage.
Kikuno trying to stand up but can't free himself from Boucher's guard.
Boucher wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Kikuno stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Katsunori Kikuno is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kikuno closes the distance looking to clinch
and Boucher counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephane Boucher dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Kikuno closes the distance looking to clinch
and Boucher counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Kikuno tries to clinch but Boucher moves away

and Boucher counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Boucher wants to control from the top but Kikuno keeps moving.
Boucher pushing down on Kikuno's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Boucher is keen to just control but Kikuno is a slippery customer.
Kikuno wants to get back to his feet.
Boucher passes to full mount!
Kikuno is bucking up trying to escape but Boucher cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boucher throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Kikuno is in a horrible position here. Boucher smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Boucher landing strikes from the mount.

Kikuno is rocked!
Boucher putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Boucher connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Kikuno is still in real trouble! Can Boucher finish him?
Boucher wants to control the pace but Kikuno is squirming around nicely.
Katsunori Kikuno has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kikuno seems to have recovered his senses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Boucher looking to control and managing it successfully.
Kikuno is squirming around, avoiding Boucher's attempts to control the action.
Boucher working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Boucher throws some wild stikes that Kikuno manages to avoid easily.
Boucher connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boucher wants to control the pace but Kikuno is squirming around nicely.
Boucher controlling from mount.
Boucher landing punches.

Boucher has hold of Kikuno's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Kikuno manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Boucher punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boucher cracks Kikuno with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Boucher throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Kikuno because Boucher loaded up on that one.
Boucher misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Boucher with good strikes from the mount here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Boucher tries to control but Kikuno wriggling away.
Boucher is really struggling to control Kikuno but he's trying to hold on to the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephane Boucher showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Boucher, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 30:26
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephane Boucher!