PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Cormier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akimoto Akira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Daniel Cormier has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Cormier
vs
Akira

182 cm
26
265 lbs
1 - 3 - 1

198 cm
23
260 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Daniel Cormier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Akimoto Akira!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Hugh Johnson and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Akira gets a takedown into half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Akira content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Akira takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Cormier tries to kick Akira off but Akira keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Akira is taking a breather. Cormier says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Akira trying to control the action but Cormier is working from the bottom.

Akira seems to be looking for submissions.

Cormier makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Cormier stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cormier wants it to stay on the feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Akira takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

It looks like Akimoto Akira has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cormier lands a jab-cross combination.
Cormier shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Akira eats them both and turns towards Cormier to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Cormier swats away the attempt to clinch by Akira.
Daniel Cormier seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Akira wants to clinch.
Cormier fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cormier misses with a wild combination.
Cormier pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cormier misses with a few strikes there.
Cormier throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cormier lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Akira circles away quickly and effectively.
Akira misses with a combination

and Cormier counters with a single leg into guard. Akira didn't expect that.
Cormier is breathing heavily.
Akira controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cormier wants to get up but he can't break Akira's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Cormier trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Akira escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cormier gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cormier with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Akira is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Cormier defends well.
Cormier wants to stand but Akira is controlling his posture from full guard.
Akira pulls Cormier in to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Akira throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Cormier decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Akira, up you get!
Akira tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
No luck for Akira with that takedown attempt.
Cormier misses with a wild body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Akira looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cormier throws a right and a left that Akira avoids nicely.

Akira closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Akira lands in his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Cormier dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Akimoto Akira's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cormier misses with the combination.
Daniel Cormier is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cormier fails to land with a series of punches.
Cormier swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Akira misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cormier.
Akira is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cormier looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Akira is fending him off so far but Cormier persists. Nope, Akira circles away and we're back to standing.

Akira shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Cormier manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Akira wants to control from the top but Cormier keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cormier is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cormier wants to stand up but Akira is controlling him.
Akira stays in close to Cormier's body and controls the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Akimoto Akira was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Sloppy strikes from Cormier. Those never looked like landing.
Cormier misses with a body kick.
Akira finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Daniel Cormier is winning the standup battle so far.
Cormier misses with a few strikes there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akira closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cormier circles away.
Cormier will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Akira is looking to clinch but Cormier is avoiding it.
Akira is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Akira moves into range and clinches up with Cormier.
Akira goes for a takedown attempt but Cormier pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
No luck for Cormier with that takedown attempt.
Akira is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cormier tries to bum rush Akira with a series of wild strikes but Akira uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Akira looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cormier is fending him off so far but Akira persists. Nope, Cormier circles away and we're back to standing.
Daniel Cormier has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Akimoto Akira.
Akira wants to clinch.
Akira fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cormier avoids it really well and circles away.
Akira dodges the punch combination from Cormier.
Akira slips a jab and a cross from Cormier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cormier throws a nice looking combination but Akira bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cormier shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Akira as he avoids it easily.

Akira rushes Cormier and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Cormier wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Akira has him pressed against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Akira.
Akira wants to break free but Cormier has control.
Cormier working aggressively here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cormier.

Akira gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Akira trying to control but Cormier is working from the bottom.
Akira controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akimoto Akira showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Akimoto Akira's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cormier gets caught flat footed, as Akira shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Akira is stalling in the full guard.
Akira trying to control the position from guard on top but Cormier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Akira won't allow Cormier to get back to his feet.

Akira avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Cormier keeping moving, preventing Akira from controlling successfully.
Cormier wants to get back to his feet but Akira is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Akimoto Akira has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Akimoto Akira was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Cormier shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cormier is thwarting Akira's attempts to control the position.

Akira is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cormier pulls his head out easily.
Akira is trying to maintain the position but Cormier is very close to passing his half guard.
Akira keeping hold of Cormier's head, controlling as best he can.

Cormier is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akira wants to control but Cormier is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Akira keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Akira can do anything to dispel that myth.
Akira is looking for a sweep. Cormier is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Akimoto Akira hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Akira defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cormier.
A combination from Cormier does no damage.
Akira tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cormier paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cormier displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Akira.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Akira fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cormier sprawls well initially but Akira persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Cormier is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Akira's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Akira's back!

Cormier looking for the RNC.
Akira manages to escape to a better position under a series of strikes. Cormier is now in side control.
Akira is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Cormier's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Akira manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akira is adopting a defensive guard.

Akira working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cormier doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cormier manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Cormier wants to stand but Akira is controlling his posture from full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Akira has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Cormier can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Cormier stands up from guard. Let's bang!

And that's the end of the fight!
Akimoto Akira comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Akira has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Akimoto Akira!