PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kenichi Atoshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazuhira Honda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Atoshi comes to the cage accompanied by Samourai. Honda has chosen Zetsubou Billy - Maximum The Hormone as his entrance music. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Atoshi
vs
Honda

168 cm
24
162 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

170 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenichi Atoshi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazuhira Honda!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Sosuke Kotani and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Atoshi scores with a takedown into Honda's guard.
Atoshi postures up.

Atoshi got a little sloppy there for a moment and Honda has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Atoshi has managed to get both his arms back between Honda's legs - danger averted.
Honda is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Honda keeping full guard, as Atoshi tries to pass.

Honda is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Atoshi defends well.
Honda manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Atoshi manages to get himself to full guard.
Honda sitting in guard here, content to control.
Honda trying to control the position from guard on top but Atoshi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Honda showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Honda stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Atoshi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Atoshi not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Honda throwing strikes from guard but Atoshi blocks nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Atoshi drives through with a takedown into guard.
Atoshi stopping the sweep attempt from Honda.

Atoshi avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Honda throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Honda looking for a sweep. Not yet Honda, not yet.

Honda has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Atoshi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Atoshi is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Atoshi trying to control but Honda is working from the bottom.
Atoshi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Honda is trying to keep Atoshi in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atoshi wants to stand and escape but instead Honda has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Atoshi keeping moving, preventing Honda from controlling successfully.
Atoshi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Honda manages to get himself to full guard.
Honda wants to sweep here but Atoshi controlling him for the moment.
Atoshi controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Atoshi trying to control but Honda is working from the bottom.

Honda working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Atoshi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Atoshi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Atoshi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Honda is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Atoshi trying to control but Honda is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Kenichi Atoshi.
Atoshi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Atoshi drives through and clinches with Honda against the cage.
Honda has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Atoshi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Atoshi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Atoshi is trying to break free.

Atoshi has Honda pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Atoshi pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Honda tumbling to the mat - Atoshi dives into Honda's guard.

Honda throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Atoshi escapes and throws Honda's legs to the side, diving into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenichi Atoshi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Atoshi gets a takedown into half guard.
Atoshi is looking to take a break and control but Honda is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Atoshi is working for a submission of some sort.
Honda is looking to control Atoshi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Honda avoid being mounted?
Atoshi is keen to just control but Honda is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Atoshi is working for a kimura but Honda is defending it quite comfortably.
Honda trying to hold on to Atoshi's head to control him but Atoshi postures up.
Honda is trying to get back to full guard.
Honda wants to control but Atoshi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Honda is holding on to half guard well.
Honda wants to improve his position but Atoshi is controlling well.
Atoshi is trying to control. Honda wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Kazuhira Honda wasn't active enough on the ground.

Honda rushes Atoshi and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Honda jumps guard.
Atoshi wants to pass the guard but Honda is keeping the position.

Atoshi avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Honda looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Atoshi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Honda is keeping the position for now.
Honda keeping moving, preventing Atoshi from controlling successfully.
Atoshi is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Atoshi with a flurry of punches that miss.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Kenichi Atoshi wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Atoshi moves into the clinch.

Atoshi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Atoshi scores a takedown into full mount!
Kenichi Atoshi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Honda slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Honda wants to control but Atoshi is keeping busy.
Honda tries to roll over but Atoshi keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Honda is in trouble now - Atoshi has advanced to mount!
Atoshi tries to control but Honda wriggling away.
Honda is trying to escape the mount but Atoshi keeps good control and instead manages to take Honda's back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Honda trying to control but not successfully.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Atoshi's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

Atoshi has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Honda has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Atoshi is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Honda is defending well though. Atoshi let's go of the attempt for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenichi Atoshi dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Atoshi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Atoshi trying to control the position from guard on top but Honda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Honda not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Honda is on top in guard.

Atoshi had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Honda defends it easily.
Honda stops Atoshi from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atoshi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Honda wants to control from the top but Atoshi keeps moving.
Honda looking to pass the guard.
Honda wants to control from the top but Atoshi keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Kazuhira Honda.

Atoshi scores a takedown into full mount!
Atoshi trying to control but Honda is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Atoshi fails to move to back control.
Honda tries to hold on but Atoshi pushes him away.
Honda tries to reverse the position but Atoshi maintains control.

Atoshi has control of Honda's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Honda regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Atoshi throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Honda wants to control but Atoshi is having none of it.
Honda keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Honda tries to hold on but Atoshi postures up.
Atoshi landing strikes, looking to finish!
Atoshi content just to control the position here.
Atoshi looking to control but Honda is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Honda tries to reverse the position but Atoshi maintains control.
Atoshi tries to control but Honda wriggling away.
Atoshi is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Honda can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Honda wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

Atoshi is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Atoshi controlling well, preventing Honda from escaping the position.
Honda takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Atoshi has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Atoshi wants to control but Honda is keeping busy.
Kazuhira Honda has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kenichi Atoshi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Honda wants to control his opponent's hands but Atoshi gets his hands free.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kenichi Atoshi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Atoshi 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenichi Atoshi!
Our winner, Kenichi Atoshi, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.