PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Haiko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yu Kanta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yu Kanta is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Haiko
vs
Kanta

189 cm
19
212 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

186 cm
24
205 lbs
4 - 5 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

NFC War Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jimmy Haiko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Yu Kanta!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A lazy body kick from Haiko
and Kanta counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Haiko clinches up with Kanta and pushes him back against the cage.

Haiko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Haiko misses with a double jab
enabling Kanta to counter with a crisp jab.
Kanta doesn't manage to clinch there - Haiko circles away.
Haiko throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Kanta counters with a head kick that drops Haiko to the mat! Haiko scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Haiko throws a leg kick

and Kanta counters with a crisp right hand that drops Haiko! Kanta lets Haiko back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

Haiko is rocked!

It looks like Jimmy Haiko has been cut.
Haiko wants to clinch.
Oh Haiko is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Kanta tries to keep at a distance but Haiko has taken the fight into the clinch.
Haiko seems to have got his legs back now.

Haiko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kanta doesn't manage to clinch there - Haiko circles away.
Kanta tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Haiko swivels and escapes.

Kanta gets tackled into the cage by Haiko. Haiko maintains the clinch.

Haiko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kanta shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Haiko closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Haiko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Haiko throws a head kick that misses
and Kanta counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanta shoots in and drives through. Haiko sprawls well.
Jimmy Haiko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yu Kanta.
Kanta fails to land the takedown.
Kanta feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Haiko's calf.
Jimmy Haiko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Haiko is breathing heavily.

Haiko has Kanta up against the cage in a clinch.

Haiko breaks from the clinch.
Haiko throws a lazy body kick
and Kanta counters with a head kick. That will keep Haiko thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Kanta drops Haiko with a beautiful combination! Haiko stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Kanta is looking for the KO!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Haiko keeps the fight on the outside.
A thudding body kick lands there by Kanta!
Haiko seems to be squinting his left eye. Perhaps he got a poke in that previous exchange. Kanta shows no mercy and swarms him with a barage of strikes! Haiko is backing up but Kanta catches him with a final right hook that drops him! Haiko covers up and the referee steps in to end the fight! Kanta Jumps to his feet and flashes his guns to the crowd. Oh yeah, baby! How'd you like them apples?!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:44 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Yu Kanta!