PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eagles Giants (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ichiro Kosugi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eagles Giants has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Giants
vs
Kosugi

190 cm
29
215 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

188 cm
32
210 lbs
14 - 10 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Eagles Giants!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ichiro Kosugi!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kosugi shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Kosugi showed some decent athleticism there.
Giants tries to roll over but Kosugi keeps him under control.
Kosugi is looking to advance position but Giants won't allow it.
Kosugi is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Giants tries to reverse the position but Kosugi maintains control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kosugi scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Giants?
Kosugi breaks from Giants's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Giants taking shots to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Giants tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kosugi dominating with strikes here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Kosugi cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giants is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kosugi avoids the attempt from Giants to control.
Kosugi wants to control the pace but Giants is squirming around nicely.
Giants keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Kosugi landing strikes, looking to finish!
Kosugi postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Giants looks a forlorn figure.
Kosugi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Giants working to try and regain half guard.
Kosugi with a couple of short strikes.
A nice elbow there by Kosugi.
Kosugi lands a nice shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kosugi has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Giants's face.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kosugi looking to control but Giants is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kosugi landing strikes, looking to finish!
Kosugi trying to control but Giants is having none of it.
Giants manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Kosugi is trying to work for a kimura but Giants is defending well.
Kosugi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Giants keeps working.
Ground and pound from Kosugi.
Kosugi lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kosugi wants to free his trapped foot but Giants is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Giants looking for submissions off his back.

Giants actively working from the bottom here.

Kosugi is working for a kimura but Giants is defending it quite comfortably.
Kosugi is trying to control. Giants wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kosugi is thwarting Giants's attempts to control the position.

Kosugi is working for a submission of some sort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Giants is looking to control Kosugi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Giants avoid being mounted?
Kosugi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kosugi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Kosugi is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
We've been informed that Kosugi has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Giants avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kosugi.
Kosugi is keen to just control but Giants is a slippery customer.
Kosugi slips a nice elbow through Giants's hands, connecting with Giants's forehead.
Kosugi passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Giants!
Giants is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ichiro Kosugi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kosugi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Giants.
Eagles Giants is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Giants doesn't manage to clinch there - Kosugi circles away.
Kosugi misses with a takedown attempt
and Giants counters with a stiff right hand.
Giants is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kosugi sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kosugi dives in for a single leg takedown but Giants sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Kosugi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Giants scores with a jab to the head.
Kosugi tries to clinch
letting Giants counter with a right hand.
Kosugi lands a body shot.
Giants shoots in but Kosugi avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kosugi scores with a takedown into Giants's guard.

Giants looking for subs off his back but Kosugi has passed one foot through into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kosugi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giants trying to hold on to Kosugi's head to control him but Kosugi postures up.

Kosugi is working for a kimura but Giants is defending it quite comfortably.

Giants with the active half guard here but Kosugi passes nicely into side control.

Kosugi tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Kosugi wants to control but Giants is keeping him busy.
Kosugi misses with the ground and pound.
Giants is trying to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kosugi scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Giants to see if he's OK.
Giants struggling a bit here.

Kosugi is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Giants has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giants tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kosugi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kosugi tries to advance to mount but Giants denies him.
Ichiro Kosugi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Giants is not content to let Kosugi control the position.
Giants struggling a bit here.
Kosugi in side control lands a decent elbow.
Giants is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
You can see the frustration on Giants's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kosugi is working Giants over with some ground and pound from side control.
Giants tries to buck Kosugi off but Kosugi is having none of it.
Kosugi creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Giants sneaks back into half guard.

Kosugi is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Kosugi is working for a kimura but Giants is defending it quite comfortably.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kosugi is trying to control the action in half guard but Giants is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ichiro Kosugi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kosugi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Giants shoots in looking for a takedown. Kosugi tries to sprawl out of it but Giants keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kosugi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kosugi lands with an overhand left.
Giants shoots in looking for a takedown but Kosugi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Giants's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Kosugi 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.
Kosugi keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Giants's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giants keeping moving, preventing Kosugi from controlling successfully.

Giants had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kosugi defends it easily.
Kosugi advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kosugi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Giants keeps working.
Giants is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Giants is staying active underneath Kosugi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Giants trying to hold on to Kosugi's head to control him but Kosugi postures up.
Giants is trying to get back to full guard.
Giants trying to control from the bottom.
Kosugi content to control rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Giants is defending against the submission attempts here by Kosugi.
Giants on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Nice strikes from Kosugi there.
Kosugi wants to control but Giants is keeping him busy.
Giants trying to control but Kosugi postures up.
Giants is looking for a sweep. Kosugi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Giants is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Kosugi pulls his head out easily.
Kosugi prevents Giants from improving his position.
Giants wants to control the action here but instead Kosugi manages to pass to full mount!
Giants sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Giants looking for submissions off his back.

Kosugi moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Giants.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kosugi just content to control the position.
Kosugi cracks Giants with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kosugi working the ground and pound from side control.
Kosugi tries to advance to mount but Giants instead regains half guard.
Kosugi tries to pass the half guard into mount. Giants knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Giants has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Kosugi escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Kosugi!
Kosugi cracks Giants with a big elbow.
Giants tries to improve position but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kosugi trying to control the action but Giants is working from the bottom.

Kosugi is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Giants knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ichiro Kosugi really dominated that round.
That's time! Giants's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Giants misses the body punch

and Kosugi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Giants's guard.
Kosugi looking to pass the guard.
Kosugi trying to control but Giants is working from the bottom.
Kosugi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Giants is keeping the position for now.
Giants preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kosugi controlling from the top position.
Giants preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kosugi tries to free his leg and advance position but Giants is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Giants is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Kosugi 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.

Giants looking for a guillotine here but Kosugi defends easily.
Kosugi stands and throws Giants's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Kosugi trying to control the action but Giants is working from the bottom.

Kosugi looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kosugi controlling from side mount.
Giants can't do much from the bottom here.

Kosugi is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Giants knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Kosugi working away.
Giants gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Giants looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Giants is defending against the submission attempts here by Kosugi.
Giants is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Giants is trying to control but can't.
Kosugi is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Giants!
Giants is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kosugi working Giants over with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kosugi with good strikes from the mount here!

Kosugi looking for a guillotine from mount but Giants is having none of it.
Kosugi connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Giants is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kosugi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Giants is looking to escape.

Kosugi looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Kosugi controlling from the full mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Kosugi looking for a guillotine from mount but Giants is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ichiro Kosugi dominated that fourth round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Kosugi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Giants looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kosugi is defended easily by Giants.
Kosugi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Giants.
Kosugi tries to clinch up but Giants circles away and keeps his distance.
Giants shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kosugi as he avoids it easily.
Kosugi swings for the body but Giants moves out of range.
Kosugi bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giants shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kosugi sprawls well. Kosugi wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Giants gets slowly back to his feet.
Kosugi works over Giants's head and body with a nice combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kosugi looks to throw a body kick
and Giants counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Kosugi with a nice cross.
Kosugi has a takedown stuffed.

Kosugi tries to keep at a distance but Giants has taken the fight into the clinch.
Giants tries to throw a body punch but Kosugi avoids it by throwing Giants back against the cage.
Giants misses with a punch to the body.
Giants tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Giants throws a head punch that misses.
Eagles Giants has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kosugi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Giants stuffs the takedown.
Giants is looking to counter with head kicks.
Eagles Giants has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ichiro Kosugi.
Kosugi tries to move into range but Giants moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

It looks like Ichiro Kosugi has been cut.
Giants avoids a punch combination nicely.
Giants tries to clinch but Kosugi is having none of it.
Giants throws a sloppy head kick

and Kosugi counters with a takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Giants is trying to improve his position.

Kosugi is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Giants knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Giants is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giants tries to escape but Kosugi is in control.
Giants takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Kosugi trying to control the action but Giants is working from the bottom.
Kosugi landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Giants gets back to half guard.
Kosugi is trying to control the action in half guard but Giants is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Giants looking for submissions off his back.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Kosugi lands a nice short elbow.
Ichiro Kosugi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kosugi works his foot free and advances to mount.
Kosugi with a couple of short strikes.
The referee warns Giants that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Kosugi trying to control but Giants is having none of it.
Giants throwing hammer fists to the chest of Kosugi. What's that going to do exactly?
Kosugi blocks Giants's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Giants swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Kosugi pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ichiro Kosugi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kosugi winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Ichiro Kosugi!
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight for Ichiro Kosugi!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Ichiro Kosugi!

Ichiro Kosugi wins by unanimous decision!
Ichiro Kosugi was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.