PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joel Kuokkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenshiro Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kuokkanen is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kuokkanen
vs
Yamamoto

170 cm
18
174 lbs
2 - 12 - 0

183 cm
22
190 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Decent elbows
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joel Kuokkanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenshiro Yamamoto!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kuokkanen shoots in for a takedown but Yamamoto shows good takedown defense.
Kuokkanen is breathing heavily.

Yamamoto looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Yamamoto is working Kuokkanen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Yamamoto slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Yamamoto gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Yamamoto closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Yamamoto lands in his opponent's guard.
Yamamoto stands and throws Kuokkanen's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Yamamoto is chipping away with strikes.
Yamamoto landing strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamamoto staying calm.
Yamamoto has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Yamamoto decides to stand up, so the ref orders Kuokkanen to his feet.

Yamamoto scores a takedown into full mount!

Yamamoto jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Kuokkanen manages to avoid the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yamamoto remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuokkanen is looking to reverse the position.
Yamamoto moves into full mount!
A nice elbow there by Yamamoto.
Yamamoto controlling the position easily from mount.
Yamamoto is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Kuokkanen can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Kuokkanen could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Yamamoto is standing up, even though he is in mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuokkanen shoots and misses

and Yamamoto counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Yamamoto is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Kuokkanen!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto controlling the position easily from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yamamoto with shots to the head and body - Kuokkanen looks very uncomfortable down there.
Yamamoto controlling the pace for now.
Yamamoto punishing his opponent with strikes.
Yamamoto raining down shots from the mount!
Yamamoto controlling the position easily from mount.
Let's hope that Yamamoto has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuokkanen is bucking up trying to escape but Yamamoto cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Yamamoto landing strikes, looking to finish!

Kuokkanen is flailing around, obviously not happy about being mounted. Yamamoto locks hold of one of his arms and spins for an armbar. He's got it! Kuokkanen is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:44 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Kenshiro Yamamoto!