PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Raijin Kage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Giorgos Kourtesiotis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Raijin Kage has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Kage
vs
Kourtesiotis

165 cm
21
162 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
164 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raijin Kage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Giorgos Kourtesiotis!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Donald Grub and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Kourtesiotis.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Kage is looking for a sweep.
Kage struggling a bit here.
Kage is trying to improve his position.
Kourtesiotis trying to control the action but Kage is working from the bottom.
Kage regains half guard there - taking advantage of Kourtesiotis's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kage is looking to improve his position.
Kourtesiotis takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kage tries to roll over but Kourtesiotis keeps him under control.
Kage is working hard here to advance position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Giorgos Kourtesiotis was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Kage misses with a head kick.
Kage misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Kage looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Kourtesiotis!
Kourtesiotis tries to improve position but can't.

Kage is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kourtesiotis is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kourtesiotis regains half guard.

Kourtesiotis looking for submissions off his back.
Kage thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kourtesiotis's head.
Kage wants to control but Kourtesiotis is keeping him busy.
Kage passes to side control.
Kourtesiotis defending against the ground and pound.
Kage throws a strike aimed at the side of Kourtesiotis's head but Kourtesiotis avoids it well.
Kage looking to control but instead Kourtesiotis has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kourtesiotis keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kourtesiotis regains full guard. Nicely done.
Kage slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Kourtesiotis tries to improve position but can't.
Kage is looking to take a break and control but Kourtesiotis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kourtesiotis can't do much from the bottom here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kourtesiotis tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kage wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raijin Kage dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kourtesiotis doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kage counters with a slapping leg kick.
Kage misses with a head kick.
A slow jab from Kage misses its intended target.
Kage throws a head kick but Kourtesiotis moves out of range.

Kourtesiotis gets the takedown into side control.
Kage is not content to let Kourtesiotis control the position.
Kage stops Kourtesiotis from passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kourtesiotis works to advance to full mount. Kage defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Kourtesiotis lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kage hang on?
Kage is squirming around, avoiding Kourtesiotis's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kage is working to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kage sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Kourtesiotis keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Kourtesiotis is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Kage is just riding it out for now. Kourtesiotis eventually gives up the hold.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kage gets full guard.
Kage wants to sweep but no luck.
Kourtesiotis trying to control but Kage is working from the bottom.
Kourtesiotis must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kourtesiotis is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Giorgos Kourtesiotis wasn't active enough on the ground.
Kage throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Kourtesiotis counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Kage!
Kage struggling a bit here.
Kourtesiotis is looking to take a break and control but Kage is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Giorgos Kourtesiotis has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giorgos Kourtesiotis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A looping hook to the body misses from Kage. Kourtesiotis does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kourtesiotis tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kage sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kourtesiotis somewhat.
Kage throws a body punch but Kourtesiotis moves out of range.
Raijin Kage seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kage throws a sloppy head kick and Kourtesiotis moves out of range easily.
Kourtesiotis blocks a head kick by Kage.
Kage pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Kourtesiotis shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Kourtesiotis stalling away here and it's allowed Kage to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kourtesiotis trying to control the position from guard on top but Kage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kourtesiotis forces his way into half guard.
Kourtesiotis trying to control the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kourtesiotis trying to mount his opponent but Kage defends it.
Kourtesiotis content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Kourtesiotis trying to control from half guard but Kage is working away.
Kage might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Giorgos Kourtesiotis.

Kage fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Kourtesiotis to the ground. Kage is now in Kourtesiotis's guard.
Kage won't allow Kourtesiotis to sweep him here.
Kage looking to pass the guard.
Kourtesiotis is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kage slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Kage trying to control the position from guard on top but Kourtesiotis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

We're going to have a standup here because Raijin Kage wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Kourtesiotis has his takedown stuffed

and Kage counters with a head kick that drops Kourtesiotis!

Kourtesiotis is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kage accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kage accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kage's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Kourtesiotis seems keen to control Kage's posture.
Kourtesiotis controls Kage momentarily but Kage frees himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raijin Kage showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kage has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raijin Kage!
After winning the bout, Raijin Kage thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.