PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gunji Koizumi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ares Espiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Koizumi
vs
Espiro

176 cm
25
193 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
191 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gunji Koizumi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ares Espiro!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Eddie Farnsworth and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Espiro looks to land a right hand but Koizumi moved out of range.
Koizumi misses with a few strikes there.

Koizumi darts in and clinches Espiro up against the cage.
Koizumi has Espiro pressed against the cage.
Koizumi stalls.
Koizumi seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Koizumi pressing his opponent against the cage.
Koizumi blocks a body shot from Espiro.
Koizumi is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Espiro to keep the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espiro is trying to break the clinch but Koizumi is controlling him.

Koizumi lands a takedown into guard.
Espiro wants to stand and escape but Koizumi is having none of it.
Koizumi wants to pass the guard but Espiro is keeping the position.
Espiro is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koizumi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Koizumi could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Koizumi preventing the sweep.
Koizumi engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Koizumi has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Espiro thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Espiro bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gunji Koizumi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Koizumi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Koizumi takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Koizumi is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Espiro trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Koizumi wants to pass the guard but Espiro is keeping the position.
Espiro is looking to stand up but Koizumi isn't so interested in that idea.
Koizumi lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koizumi content to stall in guard here.
Koizumi seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Espiro for as long as he can get away with.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Koizumi won't allow Espiro to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Koizumi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Espiro.
A swing and a miss from Espiro.
Nice uppercut lands for Espiro. That snapped Koizumi's head back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Koizumi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Koizumi is looking for a kimura but Espiro is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Koizumi to get the leverage.
Koizumi sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Espiro looks like he's trying to stand up.
Espiro pushes Koizumi off but Koizumi dives into side control.
Espiro is trying to get back to half guard.
Koizumi prevents Espiro from escaping the position.
We've been informed that Espiro has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Koizumi remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Espiro prevents Koizumi from moving into mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gunji Koizumi 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.

Koizumi throws a shot from downtown. Espiro moves away and avoids it.
Koizumi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Espiro can do to turn this around?

Koizumi has managed to clinch.
Koizumi leaning against his opponent.
Espiro letting Koizumi take a breather here.
Koizumi just leaning against Espiro, taking a breather.
Koizumi blocks a body shot from Espiro.
Espiro swings wildly with an uppercut but Koizumi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Koizumi taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Espiro is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Espiro is trying to push Koizumi away but Koizumi has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espiro misses with a hook from the clinch.

Koizumi tightens his grip and picks Espiro up, before dumping him to the ground. Espiro manages to land in guard.
Espiro wants to get back to his feet but Koizumi passes into half guard.

Espiro wants to control but Koizumi is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espiro won't allow Koizumi to pass to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Still in half guard, Koizumi seems content to control.
Koizumi wants to pass to mount but Espiro is defending the position.
Koizumi stops Espiro from getting back to his feet.
Koizumi is looking to advance position but Espiro won't allow it.
Espiro is trying to stand.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Gunji Koizumi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Koizumi landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Espiro tries to get to full guard but Koizumi has control of the leg.

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.
Koizumi perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Espiro is trying to stand.
Koizumi wants to pass to mount but Espiro is defending the position.
Koizumi performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Koizumi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Espiro defending well though.
Koizumi perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Espiro throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
The fighters circling - Espiro throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
As Espiro tries to get set, Koizumi tries to push him back and clinch up but Espiro manages to avoid the attempt.
A slow jab from Espiro misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Koizumi drives through with a takedown into Espiro's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Koizumi showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Espiro trying to control the position.
Koizumi stands and throws Espiro's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Koizumi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Espiro keeps working.
Koizumi in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espiro is trying to get back to half guard.

Koizumi is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Espiro is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Espiro is being controlled here.
Koizumi continues to stall.
Espiro wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
You can see the frustration on Espiro's face as Koizumi controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gunji Koizumi dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Koizumi has managed to clinch.
Koizumi is working for takedown but Espiro is calmly controlling the position for now.

Koizumi wants the takedown. Espiro is fighting it off but Koizumi persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Espiro's guard against the cage.
Koizumi passes into half guard.

Koizumi is looking for a kimura here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Espiro manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koizumi's corner is telling him to maintain position.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Koizumi.
Espiro tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Espiro has his foot on Koizumi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Koizumi works his way back into a safe position though.

Koizumi avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Koizumi controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Koizumi is working Espiro over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Koizumi sitting in guard here, content to control.
Koizumi throws a big right hand that misses.
Koizumi is stalling in the full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Espiro throws a looping overhand right but Koizumi ducks down to avoid it.

Koizumi takes the fight into the clinch.
Espiro is trying to force a seperation but Koizumi has the dominant position.

Koizumi turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Koizumi swings around for an armbar but Espiro sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Koizumi's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koizumi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Espiro's guard.

Koizumi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Koizumi advances position into side control!
Koizumi has control of an arm but Espiro manages to advance to Koizumi's back!
Koizumi breaks Espiro's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Espiro looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Koizumi slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Koizumi slips nicely into half guard.
Koizumi not doing much here.
Ares Espiro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koizumi prevents Espiro from standing back up.
Koizumi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Gunji Koizumi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Espiro looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Koizumi trying to control the pace.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gunji Koizumi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Koizumi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gunji Koizumi!