PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Richard Lionheart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Katsu Higashikuni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lionheart's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Van Damme - Lion Heart (Final Fight). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lionheart
vs
Higashikuni

160 cm
32
142 lbs
27 - 9 - 2

162 cm
27
146 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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Reaper Combatwear

Perkele!
Brute

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Richard Lionheart!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Katsu Higashikuni!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lionheart takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Higashikuni closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Lionheart struggling a bit here.
Higashikuni is working Lionheart over with some ground and pound from side control.
Lionheart tries to bench press Higashikuni off him but Higashikuni keeps the position.
Lionheart sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Lionheart looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lionheart looking for submissions off his back.
Lionheart wants to get back to full guard.
Higashikuni works his way into side control.
Higashikuni landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Higashikuni advances to full mount.
Lionheart tries to hold on but Higashikuni pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Higashikuni with shots to the head and body - Lionheart looks very uncomfortable down there.
Higashikuni prevents Lionheart from getting the reversal.
Lionheart is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Lionheart is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Higashikuni avoids the attempt from Lionheart to control.
Higashikuni trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Lionheart keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Lionheart tries to lock up and control but Higashikuni gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Higashikuni working the ground and pound effectively.
Higashikuni raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Lionheart is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Higashikuni lands a heavy elbow.
Higashikuni lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Higashikuni tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Lionheart is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Higashikuni can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lionheart is looking to escape.
Lionheart is in a horrible position here. Higashikuni smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Lionheart wants to hold on but Higashikuni pushes him away.
Lionheart is trying to escape the mount.
Lionheart is squirming around, avoiding Higashikuni's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lionheart is in all sorts of trouble here.
Lionheart tries to hold on but Higashikuni pushes him away.
Lionheart is trying to escape the mount.
Higashikuni is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Higashikuni with shots to the head and body - Lionheart looks very uncomfortable down there.
Lionheart regains half guard.
Lionheart taking some punishment here, with Higashikuni in his half guard.

Lionheart is rocked!
Nice strikes from Higashikuni there.
Oh Lionheart is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Lionheart on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Higashikuni has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Higashikuni landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Higashikuni is working for a kimura but Lionheart is defending it quite comfortably.

Lionheart looking for submissions off his back.
Higashikuni landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Higashikuni lands a big elbow from half guard. That looks like it's hurt Lionheart quite badly. Lionheart pulls Higashikuni in close trying to recover. Higashikuni postures up and lands two really hard shots that put Lionheart on queer street! The ref takes a look and decides to call an end to the fight! Possibly an early stoppage but Lionheart doesn't seem to be complaining too much.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Katsu Higashikuni!
Katsu Higashikuni is the new bantamweight champion!
After winning the bout, Katsu Higashikuni thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.