PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tatsuya Gomi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joel Kuokkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kuokkanen has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! Joel Kuokkanen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gomi
vs
Kuokkanen

175 cm
18
164 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
18
174 lbs
2 - 13 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tatsuya Gomi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joel Kuokkanen!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shirou Masuda and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gomi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Kuokkanen looks gassed!
Gomi 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.
Gomi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Gomi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Gomi looking to pass the guard.
Gomi slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Tatsuya Gomi just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Gomi scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuokkanen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gomi.
Gomi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gomi looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Kuokkanen taking some punishment here, with Gomi in his half guard.
Gomi prevents Kuokkanen from standing back up.
Kuokkanen won't allow Gomi to pass to mount.
Gomi prevents Kuokkanen from improving his position.
Gomi controlling the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Gomi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kuokkanen, pushing him back against the cage.

Gomi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gomi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kuokkanen with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gomi counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Kuokkanen's guard now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kuokkanen is working an open guard so Gomi takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Kuokkanen doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gomi counters by moving into the clinch.

Gomi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kuokkanen has a takedown stuffed.
Tatsuya Gomi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joel Kuokkanen.

Gomi rushes Kuokkanen and presses him up against the cage.

Gomi manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Kuokkanen won't allow Gomi to sweep him here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gomi is on top in guard.

Gomi drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gomi jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gomi wants to pass the guard but Kuokkanen is keeping the position.
Gomi preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomi controlling from the top position.

Gomi stands up and waves to Kuokkanen to follow him.

Gomi drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Gomi is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gomi decides to stand back up.

Gomi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tatsuya Gomi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joel Kuokkanen's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kuokkanen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Gomi gets a clinch.
Gomi lands a knee to the body.

Gomi wants the takedown. Kuokkanen is fighting it off but Gomi persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Kuokkanen's guard against the cage.
Gomi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gomi 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.
Gomi stands and throws Kuokkanen's legs to the side, diving into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Kuokkanen gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Kuokkanen is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi unloading with bombs!

Kuokkanen defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Gomi.
Kuokkanen is in a horrible position here. Gomi smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gomi looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Gomi.
Gomi landing strikes, looking to finish!
Gomi controlling the position easily from mount.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Gomi here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Gomi with good strikes from the mount here!
Gomi landing punches.
Gomi scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Gomi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Kuokkanen tries to lock up and control but Gomi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi controlling from mount.
Kuokkanen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gomi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gomi looking to finish with strikes here!
Gomi controlling from the full mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Kuokkanen is trying to escape the mount.
Gomi content just to control the position here.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Tatsuya Gomi just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Gomi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kuokkanen looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Kuokkanen is not content to let Gomi control the position.
Gomi is working Kuokkanen over with some ground and pound from side control.
Gomi tries to advance to mount but Kuokkanen denies him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tatsuya Gomi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joel Kuokkanen's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Gomi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kuokkanen.

Kuokkanen gets caught flat footed, as Gomi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gomi wants to pass the guard but Kuokkanen is keeping the position.
Gomi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Gomi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gomi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gomi controlling from the top position.
Kuokkanen should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Gomi stands up from Kuokkanen's guard - Gomi perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gomi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kuokkanen!
Kuokkanen manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Gomi content to control rather than advance.
Gomi trying to control from half guard but Kuokkanen is working away.

Gomi seems to be working for a kimura but Kuokkanen defends the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomi is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Gomi trying to pass the guard but Kuokkanen defending well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gomi in particular looking to stall.
Gomi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kuokkanen can do to turn this around?

The referee stands the fighters back up. Tatsuya Gomi just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Gomi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kuokkanen looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuokkanen is not content to let Gomi control the position.

Gomi working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Tatsuya Gomi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gomi wants to stand but Kuokkanen has his arm trapped.
Gomi lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Joel Kuokkanen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Gomi stands up and beckons Kuokkanen to his feet.
Gomi tries for a takedown but Kuokkanen circles away easily

and Kuokkanen counters with a single leg into guard. Gomi didn't expect that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomi has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Gomi wants to sweep but no luck.
Kuokkanen trying to control but Gomi is working from the bottom.
Kuokkanen prevents Gomi from getting back to his feet.

Kuokkanen drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gomi manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Kuokkanen has Gomi in his guard.
Gomi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tatsuya Gomi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gomi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:25
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:25
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tatsuya Gomi!