PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sasaki Kojiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mats Söderlund (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kojiro comes to the cage accompanied by Assassin in the Shadows. Sasaki Kojiro is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Kojiro
vs
Söderlund

183 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
24
181 lbs
15 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Pitt Nutrition + Laundry (160 Recovery, Stamina

MB Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sasaki Kojiro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mats Söderlund!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Richard Clark and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
I was talking to Kojiro's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Söderlund misses with some punches.
Kojiro lands a left hand that snaps the head of Söderlund backwards.
Kojiro's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Nice body punch from Söderlund - that landed with a thud.
Still in the clinch, Söderlund scores with a nice short uppercut.
Kojiro misses with a body punch.

Söderlund breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Söderlund has managed to clinch.
Söderlund is looking to break free of the clinch but Kojiro has double underhooks.
Söderlund wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kojiro has him pressed against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Söderlund.

Söderlund manages to break the clinch.
Söderlund swings for the body but Kojiro moves out of range.
Söderlund jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

It looks like Sasaki Kojiro has been cut.
Kojiro takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kojiro fails to land the takedown.
Söderlund on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Söderlund throws a right and a left that both miss.

Kojiro shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Söderlund looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kojiro is one step ahead there.

Kojiro thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Söderlund wants to get back to his feet but Kojiro is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Kojiro has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Söderlund wants to sweep but no luck.
Söderlund keeps trying to improve his position.
Kojiro throws a big right hand that misses.
Söderlund wants to sweep but no luck.
Kojiro working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kojiro postures up in Söderlund's guard and throws a big left but Söderlund blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Söderlund managing to control the position.

Kojiro drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kojiro jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Söderlund throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Söderlund working a defensive guard here.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Kojiro scoring with some ground and pound.
Kojiro wants to control from the top but Söderlund keeps moving.
Söderlund wants to sweep here but Kojiro controlling him for the moment.

Kojiro is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Kojiro postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Kojiro with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kojiro postures up in Söderlund's guard and throws a big left but Söderlund blocks it.
Kojiro preventing the sweep.
Söderlund looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Kojiro puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Kojiro is nestled in close to Söderlund, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Söderlund is pressing down on Kojiro's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Kojiro trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Söderlund is trying to control the position but Kojiro postures up.
Söderlund working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kojiro.
Söderlund looking for a sweep. Not yet Söderlund, not yet.
Kojiro with a nice head shot there.
Söderlund looking for a sweep. Not yet Söderlund, not yet.
Kojiro scoring with punches to the head and body.
Kojiro preventing the sweep.
Kojiro with a nice head shot there.
Söderlund has momentary wrist control but Kojiro slips an elbow through the middle.
Söderlund keeping full guard, as Kojiro tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Söderlund looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kojiro working some strikes from top position.
Kojiro lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Kojiro drops back looking for a leg! Söderlund is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Söderlund manages to kick Kojiro off! Kojiro jumps back into Söderlund's guard.
Söderlund looking for a sweep. Not yet Söderlund, not yet.
Kojiro works over Söderlund with some ground and pound from guard.
Kojiro preventing the sweep.
Söderlund is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kojiro preventing the sweep.
Söderlund is still trying to improve position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Söderlund keeping moving, preventing Kojiro from controlling successfully.
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 Sasaki Kojiro will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Sasaki Kojiro'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.

Kojiro moves out of range of the strikes.
Kojiro tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Söderlund swivels and escapes.
Kojiro on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Söderlund throws an off balance right hand

and Kojiro counters by clinching up.

Söderlund manages to break the clinch.
Kojiro moves out of range as Söderlund strikes.
Kojiro throws a sloppy body shot
and Söderlund counters with a straight right hand.
Kojiro misses with a series of wild punches.
Kojiro ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
That kick from Söderlund tenderised Kojiro's leg. Kojiro is trying to keep his angry face on.
Mats Söderlund seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kojiro doesn't manage to clinch there - Söderlund circles away.
Sasaki Kojiro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kojiro lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Söderlund circles away quickly and effectively.

Söderlund moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Söderlund escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Söderlund tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kojiro was well out of range. Poor timing from Söderlund.
Kojiro looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Söderlund tries to break the clinch but Kojiro is controlling the position.
Kojiro struggles to land a body shot inside as Söderlund controls his hands.

Söderlund escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kojiro tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Söderlund swivels and escapes.

Söderlund feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Kojiro sprawling to the canvas! Kojiro rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Söderlund finish him?!

Kojiro is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Söderlund fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kojiro has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Oh Kojiro is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Söderlund lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Söderlund lands with a massive overhand right! Stick a fork in Kojiro - he's out cold! Ermm... I think I just mixed my metaphors but yeah... That was a nice KO! Big win for Söderlund!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Mats Söderlund!
After winning the bout, Mats Söderlund thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.