PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Omar Khan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rikiya Sonoda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rikiya Sonoda will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Khan
vs
Sonoda

191 cm
28
238 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

192 cm
25
272 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

Zombie Nutrition - LOD
Tokyo United Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Omar Khan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rikiya Sonoda!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khan avoids a kick to the body.
Sonoda throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Khan.
Khan stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Sonoda.
A head kick misses from Sonoda.
Sonoda throws a head kick but Khan moves out of range.

Khan looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Khan stops Sonoda from getting back to his feet.
Sonoda is trying to get back to full guard.
Khan blocks the strikes from Sonoda.
Sonoda wants to get back to his feet.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Khan in particular looking to stall.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sonoda landing small, sideways elbows.
We've been hearing that Khan has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Khan content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Khan has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonoda is trying to stand back up but Khan is controlling him
Khan passes to side control.
Sonoda tries to escape but Khan is in control.
Sonoda has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Khan working the head and body with strikes.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Sonoda is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Khan is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Sonoda will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonoda tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Sonoda misses with a strike from the bottom.

Khan working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Khan content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Sonoda looks frustrated here - throwing a couple of shots from the bottom though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Khan wants to control but Sonoda is keeping him busy.
Sonoda wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonoda misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Khan slows the pace down.
Sonoda is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Khan scoring with punches from side control.
Khan slows the pace down.
Khan lands a decent elbow from side control.
Sonoda pushes Khan away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Khan gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Sonoda trying to remain calm as Khan controls from the top position.
We've been informed that Sonoda has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Sonoda is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Khan is controlling him well.
Khan taking a breather here.
Sonoda is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khan slows the pace down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Khan is trying to get an arm triangle but Sonoda is defending well.
Sonoda is trying to buck Khan off.

Khan tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Khan has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Khan is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonoda is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Khan asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Sonoda is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Omar Khan will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sonoda misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sonoda scores with a spinning back kick!

Sonoda looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Khan!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Khan is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Sonoda wants to stand but Khan has his arm trapped.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sonoda lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Sonoda tries to stand but Khan is controlling his head.
Sonoda is looking to take a break and control but Khan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Sonoda seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Sonoda throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Sonoda wants to stand but Khan is controlling his arm.
Sonoda works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
You can see the frustration on Khan's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Khan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sonoda tries to stand but Khan is controlling his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonoda in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Khan on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Khan tries to get out of the position.
Khan regains half guard.
Khan is looking to escape.

Sonoda stands up and beckons Khan to join him on the feet.
Sonoda is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

A big head kick from Sonoda and Khan is sent sprawling to the canvas!

It looks like Omar Khan has been cut.
Rikiya Sonoda has got the better of the ground game so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sonoda wants to control from the top but Khan keeps moving.
Khan has a closed guard, preventing Sonoda from standing up.
Khan tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonoda trying to stand up but can't free himself from Khan's guard.
Khan is pulling down on Sonoda's head. It's preventing any offense from Sonoda, at least for the moment.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Sonoda throws a big right hand that misses.
Sonoda wanted to stand there but Khan had control of the position.
Khan is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sonoda is trying to stand.
Khan slows the pace down in half guard.
Sonoda regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khan is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Khan seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Sonoda for as long as he can get away with.

Omar Khan has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Khan avoids the head kick by Sonoda.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sonoda misses with a head kick.
Sonoda tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Khan looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sonoda!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sonoda tries to escape but Khan is in control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rikiya Sonoda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Omar Khan's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sonoda tries to clinch there but Khan circles away.
Sonoda feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Khan's calf.
Sonoda tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Horrible takedown by Khan or perhaps it was just good defense by Sonoda which made him look bad.
Sonoda moves in looking to clinch but Khan pushes him off.
Sonoda throws a push kick but Khan slaps the foot to one side.
Sonoda tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sonoda wants to clinch.
Sonoda tries to clinch there but Khan circles away.
Rikiya Sonoda seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sonoda looks to land a combination but Khan avoids it well.
Sonoda rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Khan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Khan closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sonoda did well to prevent Khan getting side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonoda is looking to escape.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Khan in particular looking to stall.
Khan's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Khan is nestled in close to Sonoda, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Khan content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Khan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Khan winds up and cracks Sonoda with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sonoda is looking to escape.
Khan uses his free foot to push down on Sonoda's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Sonoda.
Sonoda is trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khan sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Sonoda is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
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!
Sonoda is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Khan lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Khan takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Khan pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Khan with the ground and pound from mount.
Khan working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Khan lands a big elbow.
Khan tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Khan punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonoda tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Khan controlling from mount.
Sonoda swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Khan tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sonoda wants to get back to his feet.
Sonoda tries to reverse the position but Khan maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonoda is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Khan sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Sonoda is trying to stand.

Khan jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Sonoda manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Khan controls the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Khan scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Sonoda to see if he's OK.
Sonoda is looking to reverse the position.
Khan is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonoda wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Sonoda throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Omar Khan clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Omar Khan's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Khan gets a double leg takedown into Sonoda's guard.
Khan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sonoda is trying to keep Khan in close.
Sonoda wants to stand and escape but Khan is having none of it.
Khan controlling from the top position.
Sonoda is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Khan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Khan shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Khan was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sonoda pushes Khan away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Khan gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Sonoda tries to bench press Khan off him but Khan keeps the position.
Khan happy to just control the position for now.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Khan prevents Sonoda from escaping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Khan tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Khan has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Sonoda is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Khan off and has taken his back!
Khan trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Sonoda somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Khan rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Sonoda tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Khan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khan is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Khan avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sonoda.
Sonoda is trying to control. Khan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Khan is trying is best to control the position here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sonoda.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sonoda throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Khan.
Sonoda throws a head kick but Khan moves out of range.
Sonoda wants to clinch.
Sonoda throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonoda misses with a kick to the body.

Khan shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Khan was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Khan taking a breather here.
Sonoda tries to escape but Khan is in control.

Khan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sonoda is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sonoda throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Sonoda takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Khan connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Sonoda some visible discomfort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonoda gets back to half guard.
Khan keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Sonoda manages to get to full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Khan stops Sonoda from standing up.
Sonoda throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Khan wants to control from the top but Sonoda keeps moving.
Sonoda wants to get back to his feet but Khan is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sonoda is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Omar Khan will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Omar Khan's cut.
That's time! Khan's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Khan bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Sonoda tries to bench press Khan off him but Khan keeps the position.
Sonoda tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Khan controls the position from side control.
Sonoda is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Khan has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Khan staying calm.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - a gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khan has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Sonoda in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Sonoda is squirming around, avoiding Khan's attempts to control the action.
Khan putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sonoda throwing hammer fists to the chest of Khan. What's that going to do exactly?
Khan tries to control but Sonoda wriggling away.
Khan working the ground and pound effectively.
Sonoda manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Khan prevents Sonoda from standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khan content to control rather than advance.
Sonoda is looking for a sweep. Khan is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Khan seems to be looking for submissions.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Khan controlling the action here.
Sonoda missing with punches from the bottom.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Khan in particular looking to stall.
Sonoda is trying to stand up here but Khan is controlling him well.
Khan controlling the pace.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Khan lands a nice short elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khan stops Sonoda from getting back to his feet.
Khan keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Khan stops Sonoda from getting back to his feet.

Khan in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Sonoda tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Khan!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:45 of round 5, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Omar Khan!
Omar Khan took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.
Rikiya Sonoda spoke after the fight, saying 'Battle Lost but the War continues Team Goroshi - Tokyo United Fightwear - Zombie Nutrition'.