PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kanji Kagawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kuai Liang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Kagawa
vs
Liang

170 cm
25
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

168 cm
25
147 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kanji Kagawa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kuai Liang!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Paul Tew and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kagawa closes the distance and clinches.
Liang is trying to break the clinch but Kagawa has him pressed against the cage.
Kagawa is working for takedown but Liang is calmly controlling the position for now.
Liang wants to get back to striking at distance but Kagawa won't allow it.
Kagawa is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Liang to keep the fight standing.
Kagawa stalling.
Liang working aggressively here.
A head punch on the inside from Liang fails to land.

Kagawa has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Liang uses from the top position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Liang stands and throws Kagawa's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kagawa is trying to control Liang's posture but Liang avoids it.

Liang wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kagawa, who protects the arm well.
Liang in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Liang tries for a kimura but Kagawa is defending well.
Liang tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liang staying calm.
Kagawa is trying to work for a sweep but Liang has mounted him!
Liang controlling from the full mount.
Let's hope that Liang has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liang prevents Kagawa from getting the reversal.
Kagawa is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Liang takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kagawa doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
Kagawa tries to hold on but Liang pushes him away.
Liang sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kagawa wants to control but Liang is having none of it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Liang throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kagawa counters with a three punch combo that has Liang backing up. Liang nods at Kagawa to acknowledge the strikes.
Kagawa stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kagawa wants it to stay on the feet.
Liang rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kagawa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kagawa tries to clinch but Liang moves out of range.
Kagawa fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kanji Kagawa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Liang scores with a hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kagawa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Liang tries to avoid it but Kagawa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Liang to the ground. Liang escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kagawa is breathing heavily.
Liang closes the distance and clinches up with Kagawa, looking for a takedown. Liang pushes Kagawa against the cage but Kagawa circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Liang swings widly with a right hand

and Kagawa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Liang goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kuai Liang dominated that round.
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.

Liang misses with an uppercut. Kagawa saw that one coming.
Liang stuffs the takedown attempt from Kagawa. Kagawa gets slowly back to his feet.
Kagawa keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Liang.
Liang closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kagawa circles away.
Some wild striking there from Kagawa.
Kagawa shoots in for a takedown but Liang shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Kagawa gets a clinch.
Liang is trying to push Kagawa away but Kagawa has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Kagawa successfully pulls guard.
Liang stands and throws Kagawa's legs to the side, diving into side control.
You can see the frustration on Kagawa's face as Liang controls the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kuai Liang has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liang tries to move into full mount but can't pass Kagawa's legs.
Liang has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Liang sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Liang wants to take his opponent's back but Kagawa doesn't allow it.
Kagawa tries to lock up and control but Liang gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liang tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Kuai Liang.
Kagawa ducks right into an uppercut from Liang.
Kuai Liang seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liang throws an off balance right hand
and Kagawa counters with a two punch combo.
Liang slaps away a takedown attempt from Kagawa, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kanji Kagawa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kagawa uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Liang.
Liang smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Kanji Kagawa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Liang stuffs the takedown.
Kagawa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Liang counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Liang.
Liang controls from within his opponent's guard.
Kagawa trying to keep a closed guard but Liang is proving a slippery customer.

That's four 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!
Liang is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Kanji Kagawa.
Kagawa tries to clinch but Liang is having none of it.
Liang jabs Kagawa right on the nose. Kagawa blinks but takes it well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Liang throws a body punch but Kagawa moves out of range.
Kagawa throws a sloppy head kick and Liang moves out of range easily.
Kagawa ducks under a wild hook from Liang.

Liang closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kuai Liang 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. This is the final round!

Liang bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Kagawa - that will leave a mark!
Liang throws a hook to the side of Kagawa's head but Kagawa sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kagawa scores with a head kick. Liang tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Liang throws an overhand right that lands on Kagawa's shoulder, as Kagawa tries to avoid the shot.
Liang shoots for a double leg takedown but Kagawa sprawls well. He's pushed Liang's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Liang throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Liang feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Liang works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Kagawa is looking for a sweep. Liang is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Liang is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kagawa is looking to control Liang's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kagawa avoid being mounted?
Kagawa is pressing down on Liang's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Liang content to stall in guard here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Liang slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Liang controlling from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Liang is working to tighten his grip on Kagawa's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Kagawa has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Liang is really squeezing tight and eventually Kagawa passes out! Liang breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Kuai Liang!