PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Akihiro Shirasu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Squirrel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Squirrel is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Bio Crisis - Delirio. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Shirasu
vs
Squirrel

190 cm
35
216 lbs
11 - 3 - 0

195 cm
22
226 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Valhalla Fight Wear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Akihiro Shirasu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steve Squirrel!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Squirrel gets the takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shirasu tries to buck Squirrel off but Squirrel is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shirasu dodges the ground and pound from Squirrel.
Shirasu taking a bit of punishment here - Squirrel scoring with strikes.
Squirrel trying to control the action but Shirasu is working from the bottom.
Squirrel working away.
Squirrel working the head and body with strikes.
Squirrel has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Shirasu pushes Squirrel away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Squirrel gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Squirrel scoring with punches and elbows.
Shirasu taking a bit of punishment here - Squirrel scoring with strikes.
Squirrel cracks Shirasu with a big right hand but Shirasu just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Squirrel working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Shirasu is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Bloodsport Gym 16 Elites that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Squirrel looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Shirasu is avoiding damage well.
An elbow from Squirrel crashes against the mat.
My spies in Silverback MMA Academy (Elite + Sauna & 160VM) inform me that Squirrel has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Squirrel postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Shirasu sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Shirasu avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Squirrel.
Squirrel not doing much here.
Squirrel is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Squirrel drops an elbow to the side of Shirasu's head.
Squirrel wants to control but Shirasu is keeping him busy.
Squirrel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Shirasu's head.
Squirrel thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shirasu trying to control but Squirrel postures up.
Squirrel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Shirasu's head.
Shirasu wants to control but Squirrel is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Squirrel thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Squirrel stalling away here and it's allowed Shirasu to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Squirrel is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Squirrel looking to sit in guard and control but Shirasu gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Squirrel throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Squirrel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Shirasu is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Shirasu manages to get himself to full guard.

Squirrel missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Squirrel wants to control from the top but Shirasu keeps moving.
Shirasu wants to stand and escape but Squirrel is having none of it.
Squirrel is in close to Shirasu's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Shirasu keeping moving, preventing Squirrel from controlling successfully.
Squirrel throws a strike but Shirasu rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Squirrel keeping full guard, as Shirasu tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel trying to keep a closed guard but Shirasu is proving a slippery customer.
Squirrel wants to sweep here but Shirasu controlling him for the moment.
Shirasu has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Squirrel is trying to control the position but Shirasu postures up.
Squirrel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Shirasu is one step ahead there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Squirrel controlling Shirasu's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Squirrel dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Squirrel shoots in for a takedown but Shirasu shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Shirasu throws a body punch but Squirrel moves out of range.
Squirrel leaves Shirasu with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Squirrel drives through and clinches with Shirasu against the cage.
Squirrel misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Squirrel works on Shirasu's body with a couple of short punches.
Squirrel misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Shirasu jumps guard but Squirrel stands there with Shirasu around his waist. Shirasu gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Squirrel throws a punch but it's blocked by Shirasu.
Shirasu tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Squirrel smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akihiro Shirasu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shirasu circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Squirrel closes the distance looking to clinch
and Shirasu counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Squirrel looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Squirrel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Steve Squirrel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Shirasu working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Squirrel.
Shirasu working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Squirrel.
Shirasu preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Squirrel stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shirasu swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Squirrel won't allow Shirasu to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Shirasu looking for a sweep. Not yet Shirasu, not yet.
Squirrel trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Squirrel trying to control but Shirasu is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Squirrel drives through and clinches with Shirasu against the cage.
Squirrel doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Shirasu tries to break free but Squirrel pushes him back against the cage.
Squirrel has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Shirasu tries to break the clinch but Squirrel is controlling the position.
Squirrel softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Squirrel misses with a hook from the clinch.
Shirasu is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Squirrel pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Shirasu tries to circle away but Squirrel has him pinned against the cage.
Shirasu prevents a body shot from Squirrel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shirasu prevents the takedown attempt.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Squirrel.

Shirasu successfully pulls guard.
Squirrel wants to control from the top but Shirasu keeps moving.
Squirrel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Squirrel tries to free his leg and advance position but Shirasu is retaining full guard.
Squirrel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Squirrel cracks Shirasu with a solid left hand.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Squirrel's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Squirrel trying to control the position from guard on top but Shirasu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Squirrel with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shirasu has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Squirrel is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Squirrel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shirasu is keeping the position for now.
Squirrel trying to control the position from guard on top but Shirasu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shirasu circles away from the clinch attempt.
Squirrel throws a nice looking combination but Shirasu bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Squirrel tries to clinch

and Shirasu counters by clinching up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Squirrel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Shirasu shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Squirrel clinches up against the cage.
Squirrel keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Shirasu's efforts to push away.
Shirasu tries for a takedown. No joy.
Squirrel tries a body shot but Shirasu blocks it.
Squirrel wants to take the fight to the mat but Shirasu manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Shirasu has had enough of the clinch but Squirrel keeps him there for the moment.
Shirasu is trying to force a seperation but Squirrel has the dominant position.

Squirrel is fighting off a takedown attempt but Shirasu is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Squirrel to the mat. Squirrel regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shirasu wants to control from the top but Squirrel keeps moving.
Shirasu stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Squirrel swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Squirrel is trying to keep Shirasu in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shirasu is looking to stand up but Squirrel won't let him.

Squirrel escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Shirasu gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Squirrel trying to keep a closed guard but Shirasu is proving a slippery customer.
Squirrel is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Squirrel has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Squirrel blocks Shirasu's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Shirasu that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

It looks like Akihiro Shirasu has been cut.
Squirrel dominating with strikes here.
Squirrel scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Akihiro Shirasu's cut is getting worse.
Squirrel connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Squirrel working the ground and pound effectively.

Akihiro Shirasu's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Shirasu takes a big shot to the dome and his eyes have rolled back in his head! Squirrel's killer instinct has kicked in as he finishes the fight with more strikes. Impressive finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Steve Squirrel!
Steve Squirrel gave a mention to Valhalla Fight Wear in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).