PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Xin Zhao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Masaharu Funaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zhao's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Heart Of Courage. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Zhao
vs
Funaki

190 cm
23
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
20
209 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Xin Zhao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masaharu Funaki!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Zhao. Funaki shrugs it off though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zhao looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A low kick from Funaki is predictable there
and Zhao counters with a nice body shot.
Zhao fails with the takedown
and Funaki counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Horrible takedown by Zhao or perhaps it was just good defense by Funaki which made him look bad.
Zhao stuffs the takedown.
Zhao lands a leg kick that knocks Funaki off balance momentarily.
Funaki just misses with a punch to the body.

Zhao forces Funaki back against the cage and clinches.
Funaki looking to throw knees to the head but Zhao is blocking nicely.

Zhao breaks the clinch.
Zhao throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab from Zhao.
Zhao fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Xin Zhao. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zhao shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Funaki as he avoids it easily.
Zhao plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Zhao takes the fight into the clinch.
Funaki fails to pull guard.
Zhao wants a takedown but no success here.
Zhao gets underhooks to prevent Funaki's takedown attempt.
Funaki has Zhao pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Zhao manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Funaki has Zhao pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Zhao manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Funaki is trying to pull guard but Zhao turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Funaki fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Zhao breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Funaki walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Funaki shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Zhao as he jumps to the side.
Funaki shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zhao pinned against the cage. Zhao gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Funaki tries to clinch there but Zhao circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zhao moves into the clinch.
Funaki is trying to push Zhao away but Zhao has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Funaki goes for a takedown in the clinch but Zhao prevents it.
Funaki is stalling here.

Zhao pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Funaki tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zhao was well out of range. Poor timing from Funaki.
Funaki tries a head kick but it misses.

Zhao rushes Funaki and presses him up against the cage.
Zhao throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zhao successfully pulls guard.
Zhao being controlled here, momentarily.
Funaki prevents Zhao from getting back to his feet.
Funaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Zhao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zhao wants to stand and escape but Funaki is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Funaki missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Funaki controlling from the top position.
Funaki wants to pass the guard but Zhao is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xin Zhao dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Funaki avoids a punch combination nicely.
Zhao wants to clinch.

Funaki closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Zhao quickly recovers to half guard.

Funaki seems to be working for a kimura but Zhao defends the submission attempt.
Zhao knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Funaki on the ground.
Funaki trying to control from half guard but Zhao is working away.
Zhao is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funaki tries to pass to full mount but Zhao defends it.
Funaki is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Funaki seems to be working for a kimura but Zhao defends the submission attempt.
Funaki is looking to take a break and control but Zhao is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zhao tries to kick Funaki off but Funaki keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Funaki trying to control the action but Zhao is working from the bottom.

Funaki is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Zhao defends it well.
Zhao is refusing to be controlled, as Funaki sits in half guard.
Zhao is trying to stand.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Funaki looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funaki passes to side control.
Funaki advances to full mount.
Zhao is squirming around, avoiding Funaki's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Funaki goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Zhao turns into him and now he's in Funaki's guard.

Funaki is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Zhao is aware though and is defending well.

Zhao avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Funaki working for a triangle but Zhao defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Funaki escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zhao gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masaharu Funaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Funaki fails with a takedown attempt.
Funaki takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Funaki is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Funaki throws a sloppy head kick
and Zhao makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Zhao tries a head kick but it misses.
Funaki misses with a hook.
Zhao plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Zhao tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Funaki paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funaki is looking to clinch.
Funaki throws a head kick but Zhao moves out of range.
Zhao lands a nice shot that snaps Funaki's head back.
Zhao lands a nice looking body shot.
Zhao jabs at Funaki's body.
Funaki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Zhao is fending him off so far but Funaki persists. Nope, Zhao circles away and we're back to standing.
Xin Zhao is winning the standup battle so far.
Zhao just misses with a punch to the body.
No luck for Funaki with that takedown attempt.
Xin Zhao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Masaharu Funaki.
Funaki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Funaki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zhao tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Funaki paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhao pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zhao connects with a leg kick. Funaki looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Zhao digs a good hook to Funaki's body.

Zhao gets a clinch.

Funaki decides to pull guard.
Funaki keeping moving, preventing Zhao from controlling successfully.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Funaki wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Funaki is looking for a triangle but Zhao pushes his legs off easily.
Funaki keeping full guard, as Zhao tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funaki looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Funaki has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Zhao is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Funaki.
Funaki tries to improve position but can't.
Funaki sneaks back into half guard.
Zhao wants to stand up but Funaki is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funaki manages to get to full guard.

Funaki is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Zhao has his hands clasped together but Funaki extends an breaks Zhao's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Funaki.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Masaharu Funaki!
A very excited looking Masaharu Funaki made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.