PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Akira Ishikawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hong Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ishikawa comes to the cage accompanied by mindshift genki sudo. Li has chosen The Mars Volta - as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Hong Li will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Ishikawa
vs
Li

150 cm
31
147 lbs
25 - 13 - 0

167 cm
29
119 lbs
13 - 12 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

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 25 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akira Ishikawa!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 12 - 1, fighting out of New York, Hong Li!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Thiago Cunha and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ishikawa comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Li fails with an attempt to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Ishikawa.
Li is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Ishikawa throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Li lands with a hook. Ishikawa tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Li gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Ishikawa manages to break the clinch.
Li misses the body punch

and Ishikawa counters with a nice double leg into side control. Li won't be happy with that.
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!
Li is looking for a sweep.
An elbow from Ishikawa crashes against the mat.

Ishikawa is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Li is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Ishikawa has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Ishikawa tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishikawa is looking to take a break and control but Li is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Li really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ishikawa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Ishikawa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ishikawa wants to control but Li is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ishikawa tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Ishikawa has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Ishikawa wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Li, who protects the arm well.
Li prevents Ishikawa from moving into mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Li can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ishikawa has knee on belly and moves into mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ishikawa jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Li manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Ishikawa goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Li has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Ishikawa but great work by Li.
Ishikawa is looking to reverse the position.
Ishikawa is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ishikawa wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ishikawa slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ishikawa wants to sweep here but Li controlling him for the moment.
Li stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ishikawa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ishikawa might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ishikawa bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Li's guard.
Ishikawa pushing down on Li's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ishikawa perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
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!
Ishikawa is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Ishikawa dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Li tries to clinch but Ishikawa moves out of range.
Ishikawa throws a wild body kick that Li sees coming a mile off.
Li tries to clinch but Ishikawa moves out of range.
Ishikawa throws a sloppy head kick and Li moves out of range easily.
Li tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ishikawa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A head kick misses from Li.
Li keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Li tries to clinch but Ishikawa moves out of range.

Li moves into the clinch.
Ishikawa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Li pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Ishikawa throws a knee to the head but misses.
Li is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Ishikawa pulls guard successfully.
Li trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ishikawa's guard.
Li must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ishikawa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li wants to get up but he can't break Ishikawa's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Ishikawa working for a triangle but Li defends it easily.

Ishikawa pushes Li off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Li tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ishikawa lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Li circles away quickly and effectively.
A punch combination from Li misses.
Akira Ishikawa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Li throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Ishikawa counters with a body kick that stops Li in his tracks momentarily.
A combination from Li does no damage.
Ishikawa fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Li looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Ishikawa shoots for a double leg takedown but Li sprawls well. He's pushed Ishikawa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akira Ishikawa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Li keeps Ishikawa at a distance using the push kick.
Ishikawa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ishikawa throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Ishikawa instigates a clinch.
Knees to the body from Ishikawa.
Ishikawa with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ishikawa is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Ishikawa tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ishikawa is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Li is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Ishikawa has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Li clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ishikawa working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Li rolls, trying to escape but Ishikawa keeps control of the position.

Ishikawa has the hooks in. Li is starting to panic. He's trying to push off one of the legs but he's left his neck open to attack. Ishikawa passes his arm under Li's neck and tightens up a rear naked choke! This one is surely all over! Yes, Li taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:52 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Akira Ishikawa!
Akira Ishikawa is the new bantamweight champion!
Akira Ishikawa really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Damnfield clothing logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.