PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Masahiko Kimura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ritsuko Asuke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Kimura
vs
Asuke

170 cm
22
187 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

163 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masahiko Kimura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ritsuko Asuke!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shirou Masuda and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kimura with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Asuke to score with a decent uppercut.
Asuke throws a shot to the body.
Asuke misses with a shot to the body

and Kimura decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Asuke's guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Asuke keeping full guard, as Kimura tries to pass.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Kimura trying to control the position from guard on top but Asuke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kimura not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Asuke trying to keep a closed guard but Kimura is proving a slippery customer.
Kimura with a nice head shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kimura looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kimura wants to stand but Asuke is controlling his posture from full guard.
Asuke wants to stand but Kimura is controlling the position.
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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kimura tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Asuke swivels and escapes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asuke takes a swing at Kimura's ribcage but misses.
Kimura slips a jab from Asuke.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kimura is defended easily by Asuke.
Asuke lands a nice hook to Kimura's body. Kimura takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Asuke tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kimura was well out of range. Poor timing from Asuke.
Asuke just misses with a punch to the body.
Asuke looks to score with a jab to the body but Kimura is just out of range.
Kimura shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Asuke as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Masahiko Kimura. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Asuke throws out a loose jab but Kimura uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four 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.
Asuke throws an overhand right that lands on Kimura's shoulder, as Kimura tries to avoid the shot.
Ritsuko Asuke is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kimura avoids a punch combination nicely.
Asuke tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kimura was well out of range. Poor timing from Asuke.
Asuke lands a jab to Kimura's midsection.
Asuke misses with a straight right.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Masahiko Kimura will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Kimura slips a jab from Asuke.
Asuke swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Kimura cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Asuke stuffs the takedown attempt from Kimura. Kimura gets slowly back to his feet.
Kimura shoots for a double leg takedown but Asuke sprawls well. He's pushed Kimura's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Asuke. Kimura does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kimura ducks under a wild hook from Asuke.
Kimura uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Asuke.
Asuke swings away with a body shot that misses

and Kimura counters with a shoot takedown. Asuke fights it but they end up in guard.
Kimura wants to control from the top but Asuke keeps moving.
Kimura stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Asuke swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Asuke is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kimura defends well.

Kimura drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Asuke dives on top into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asuke looking to sit in guard and control but Kimura gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Asuke wants to stand up but Kimura is controlling him.
Kimura trying to control the position from guard on top but Asuke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Asuke keeping full guard, as Kimura tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kimura drops back, looking for a kneebar! Asuke looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Asuke looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Asuke!
Asuke tries to stand but Kimura is controlling his head.
Asuke working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Asuke wants to stand but Kimura is controlling his arm.
Kimura tries to buck Asuke off but Asuke is having none of it.
Asuke wants to stand but Kimura is controlling his arm.
Asuke wants to stand but Kimura has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Kimura is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Masahiko Kimura will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Asuke throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Asuke throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Kimura slips under a jab from Asuke.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Asuke looks to land a left hand but Kimura moved out of range nicely.
A combination from Asuke does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Asuke.
Kimura ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kimura shoots for a takedown but Asuke saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kimura keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Asuke is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Nice defenses there by Kimura.
Asuke lands a jab to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asuke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kimura manages to avoid it.
Asuke takes a swing at Kimura's ribcage but misses.
Asuke throws a looping overhand right but Kimura ducks down to avoid it.
Asuke looks to score with a jab to the body but Kimura is just out of range.
Kimura tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Asuke swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kimura shoots in and drives through. Asuke sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Masahiko Kimura. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kimura on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Kimura fails with the takedown.
A looping hook to the body misses from Asuke. Kimura does a little dance to reset his feet.
Asuke displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kimura.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kimura keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
No luck for Kimura with that takedown attempt.
Asuke misses with a body shot

and Kimura counters with a nice double leg into side control. Asuke won't be happy with that.
Masahiko Kimura is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Kimura is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Asuke has escaped the position, nice work there.

Kimura decides to take the fight back to the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ritsuko Asuke.
I think Kimura has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Masahiko Kimura!