PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Francisco Akonia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dean Sutherland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Francisco Akonia has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Akonia
vs
Sutherland

200 cm
24
218 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
19
188 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Francisco Akonia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dean Sutherland!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Stewart Dunkirk and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sutherland throws a sloppy head kick and Akonia moves out of range easily.
Akonia fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sutherland manages to avoid it.
Sutherland walks into a stiff left hand from Akonia.

It looks like Dean Sutherland has been cut.
Sutherland thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Akonia if he has to take too many more of those.
Akonia moves out of range of the strikes.
Akonia throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sutherland.
Akonia misses with a wild combination.
Sutherland lands a head kick!

It looks like Francisco Akonia has been cut.
Sutherland takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Sloppy strikes from Akonia. Those never looked like landing.
Sutherland darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sutherland slips under a jab from Akonia.
Sutherland keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sutherland ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sutherland slips under a jab.
Francisco Akonia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Akonia cracks Sutherland with a good jab.
Akonia sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sutherland keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sutherland tries to counter with a clinch but Akonia shakes him off and moves away.
Sutherland lets loose with a powerful body kick. Akonia will feel that in the morning.
Sutherland staying out of range there.
Sutherland buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Sutherland scores with a jab.
Sutherland uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Akonia has time to react.
Sutherland tries a head kick but it misses.
Sutherland turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Akonia takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Akonia throws a combination that misses
and Sutherland counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A jab from Akonia misses.
Sutherland lands with a nice body kick.
Akonia seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Akonia misses with a hook
and Sutherland counters with a body kick.
Akonia is breathing heavily.
Akonia throws a sloppy body shot
and Sutherland makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Akonia takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Sutherland steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Akonia.
Sutherland is looking to slow Akonia down with leg kicks.
Sutherland misses with a head kick.
Decent striking displayed by Sutherland there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akonia chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sutherland can pounce on him.
Sutherland feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Akonia's calf.
Akonia throws a lazy right hand but Sutherland sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Akonia stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Akonia swings widly with a right hand
and Sutherland counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Sutherland throws a jab but it's blocked by Akonia.
Akonia moves out of range of the strikes.
Sutherland throws a body kick that misses.

Sutherland clinches.
Sutherland lands a hook that snaps the head of Akonia backwards.
Sutherland stalls.
Sutherland throws a punch but it's blocked by Akonia.
Sutherland lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A short left from Sutherland.
Akonia is trying to break the clinch but Sutherland has him pressed against the cage.
Sutherland blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sutherland lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Akonia.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sutherland keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Akonia's efforts to push away.
A nice left hand lands by Sutherland.
Sutherland tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A nice left hand lands by Sutherland.
Akonia swings wildly with an uppercut but Sutherland uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sutherland pushes Akonia back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sutherland has Akonia pushed against the cage.
Sutherland misses with a punch to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Sutherland.
Sutherland lands with a light punch inside.
Sutherland tries a body shot but Akonia blocks it.
Sutherland misses with some punches.
Sutherland blocking some punches.
Sutherland lands a shot to the body.
Sutherland content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Sutherland breaks the clinch.
Akonia misses with a body shot.
It seemed like Sutherland was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sutherland uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Akonia.
It seemed like Sutherland was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Akonia throws out a loose jab but Sutherland uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sutherland uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Akonia.
A slapping body kick lands there for Sutherland.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Akonia throws a poor cross that misses
and Sutherland counters with an inside leg kick.
Sutherland throws a jab but it's blocked by Akonia.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sutherland.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sutherland.
Sutherland throws a sloppy head kick and Akonia moves out of range easily.
A shot to the liver by Akonia. Beautiful body shot.
Akonia takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
A swing and a miss from Sutherland.
Akonia swings away with a body shot that misses
and Sutherland counters with a nice low kick that buckles Akonia's knee momentarily.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Akonia fails to land with a series of punches.
Sutherland moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Akonia misses with a hook to the body
and Sutherland counters with a nice body kick.
Akonia swings away with a body shot that misses
and Sutherland counters with a thumping low kick.

Sutherland has managed to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Sutherland dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action!

Akonia throws a lazy right hand but Sutherland sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sutherland throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Akonia throws a right and a left that both miss.
Akonia takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Sutherland in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Akonia misses with a jab to the body
and Sutherland counters with a nice kick to the body.
Sutherland lands with a kick to the temple. Akonia shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Sutherland throws a shot from downtown. Akonia moves away and avoids it.
Sutherland scores with a push kick.
Akonia throws an off balance right hand
and Sutherland counters with a thumping low kick.
Sutherland throws a half hearted mid kick.
A combination from Akonia does no damage.
Akonia misses with a combination

and Sutherland counters by clinching up.

Sutherland escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Akonia has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Sutherland.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
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!
Sutherland lands with a straight right. Akonia didn't see that one coming.
Akonia tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sutherland was well out of range. Poor timing from Akonia.
A head kick from Sutherland lands but Akonia takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sutherland lets loose with a powerful body kick. Akonia will feel that in the morning.
Akonia thuds his right hand into Sutherland's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Akonia looks to score with a jab to the body but Sutherland is just out of range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Sutherland. That's going to slow Akonia down.
Sutherland lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Sutherland tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Akonia swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Sutherland throws a body punch but Akonia moves out of range.
Akonia ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sutherland moves away.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Sutherland. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
A slapping body kick lands there for Sutherland.
Sutherland misses with a body shot.
Sutherland throws a sloppy head kick and Akonia moves out of range easily.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
A good leg kick by Sutherland.
Sutherland pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sutherland fails with an attempt to clinch.
Akonia throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sutherland ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sutherland appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Sutherland throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Dean Sutherland seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sutherland throws out a loose jab but Akonia uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akonia throws a series of punches but Sutherland avoids them all with ease.
Sutherland replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Akonia blocks it well.
Akonia is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Sutherland walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sutherland throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Sutherland is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Akonia.
A big left from Sutherland misses.
That kick from Sutherland tenderised Akonia's leg. Akonia is trying to keep his angry face on.
Sutherland uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Akonia.
Akonia ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sutherland keeps Akonia at a distance using the push kick.
Sutherland throws a head kick that Akonia semi-blocks.
Sutherland lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Sutherland is looking to slow Akonia down with leg kicks.
The fighters circling - Akonia throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Akonia connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Sutherland's hands.
Sutherland throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Akonia stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sutherland.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Akonia.
Akonia takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Akonia misses with a body shot.
Akonia falls off balance throwing a combination

and Sutherland counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Sutherland breaks the clinch.
Akonia lands a right hook to the body.
Sutherland defending well as Akonia loads up on a big left hand.
Sutherland has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Akonia keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Akonia misses with a wild combination.
Nice shot by Sutherland.
No joy there for Akonia, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Akonia rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Sutherland counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sutherland lands with a kick to the temple. Akonia shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
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!
Sutherland ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Sutherland misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akonia looks to land a combination but Sutherland avoids it well.
Akonia swings for the body but Sutherland moves out of range.
Sutherland lands with a kick to the ribs.
Akonia throws a right hand that misses
and Sutherland counters with a nice leg kick.
Sutherland lands a head kick. Akonia smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Sutherland throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Sutherland throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A decent looking cross lands there for Sutherland.
Akonia blocks a jab.
Akonia slips a straight right by Sutherland.
Sutherland misses with a two punch combination.
Akonia blocks a head kick by Sutherland.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sutherland throws a push kick but Akonia slaps the foot to one side.
Akonia connects with a right hand. Sutherland shakes it off.
Sutherland lands a front kick.
Sutherland lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Sutherland showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Akonia walks into a left hand.
Sutherland feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Akonia's calf.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Sutherland.
Sutherland tries to clinch up.
No joy there for Akonia, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A big left from Akonia misses.
Akonia misses with a straight left.
Akonia walks forward, straight into a front kick from Sutherland.
A jab from Akonia finds it's way through Sutherland's defenses.
Akonia misses with a hook.
Akonia will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Akonia avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sutherland fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Akonia.
Sutherland throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sutherland misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Akonia takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Akonia takes a kick to the side of the head.
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!
Akonia swings for the body but Sutherland moves out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sutherland scores with a head kick. Akonia tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Akonia misses the jab.
Nice body kick from Sutherland.
Akonia throws a lazy uppercut
and Sutherland counters with a solid body kick.
A head kick misses from Sutherland.
Akonia connects with a right hand. Sutherland shakes it off.
Akonia fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Sutherland scores with a nice body kick.
A punch combination from Akonia misses.
Sutherland looks to score with a jab to the body but Akonia is just out of range.
Akonia throws a lazy uppercut
and Sutherland counters with a left and a right that stings Akonia.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sutherland throws a head kick but Akonia moves out of range.
Akonia throwing a counter right hand but Sutherland manages to avoid it.
Akonia misses with a combination
and Sutherland counters with a nice body kick.
Akonia throws a hook to the side of Sutherland's head but Sutherland sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sutherland tries to counter with a clinch but Akonia shakes him off and moves away.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Sutherland - that will leave a mark!
Akonia misses with a straight left.
Akonia sets himself, and Sutherland steps forward looking for the clinch! Akonia avoids it this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akonia throws out a loose jab but Sutherland uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sutherland looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Sutherland throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

Sutherland rushes Akonia and presses him up against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Sutherland fails to land.
A hook to the body from Sutherland.
Akonia misses with some punches.
Sutherland tries to work over Akonia's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A left hand lands to the body for Sutherland.
Sutherland softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Akonia tries a body shot but Sutherland blocks it.
Akonia blocks a body shot from Sutherland.

Sutherland breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sutherland tries to bum rush Akonia with a series of wild strikes but Akonia uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A slow jab from Sutherland misses its intended target.
Sutherland takes one to the side of the head.
Francisco Akonia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sutherland connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akonia pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sutherland throws a shot from downtown. Akonia moves away and avoids it.
Akonia on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Akonia throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Akonia misses with a looping right.
Sutherland throws out a counter right but Akonia avoids it with no problem.
Akonia looks to land a left hand but Sutherland moved out of range nicely.
Akonia misses with a double jab

and Sutherland counters by clinching up.
Sutherland misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sutherland lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Akonia backwards.
Akonia is trying to break the clinch but Sutherland is controlling him.
Sutherland throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Akonias head.

Sutherland breaks from the clinch.
Sutherland slips under a jab.
Sutherland walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sutherland lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Sutherland looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akonia misses with a hook
and Sutherland counters with an inside leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sutherland scores with a nice body kick.
Sutherland connects with a high kick.
Akonia blocks the body kick.
It looked like Akonia wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Akonia misses the jab.

Sutherland closes the distance and clinches.
Akonia is trying to break free.

Sutherland manages to break the clinch.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Sutherland.
A left lands for Sutherland.
Sutherland throws a nice outside leg kick.
Sutherland defending well as Akonia loads up on a big left hand.
Sutherland feints a counter leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sutherland scores with a spinning back kick!
Akonia moves out of range of the strikes.
Sutherland's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Akonia connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sutherland scrambles back to his feet.
Francisco Akonia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sutherland jabs Akonia to the body, keeping him at a distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dean Sutherland comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sutherland has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dean Sutherland!