PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tyrone Carroll (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shinsuke Kushida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Carroll
vs
Kushida

161 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

190 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tyrone Carroll!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinsuke Kushida!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Hirohito Nitta and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kushida feints and as Carroll raises his hands in defense, Kushida changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kushida postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kushida is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Kushida has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Carroll controlling the position.
Carroll could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Kushida won't allow Carroll to sweep him here.
Carroll has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Kushida has passed into side control.
Carroll might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Kushida tries for a kimura but Carroll is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carroll is letting Kushida control him for a moment.
Kushida lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Carroll down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kushida trying to control the position but Carroll is working away.
Kushida taking a breather here.
Carroll tries to improve position but can't.
Kushida controls the position.
Kushida lands a nice forearm strike.
Kushida working away.
Kushida in side control, throwing shots but Carroll defends.

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.
You can see the frustration on Carroll's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Kushida decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Kushida has managed to clinch.
Carroll is looking to break free of the clinch but Kushida has double underhooks.
Carroll is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Kushida works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Kushida controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Carroll throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carroll controls Kushida momentarily but Kushida frees himself.
Kushida seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Kushida postures up and lands a big shot to Carroll's brow.
Kushida is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Carroll looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

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.
Carroll trying to control the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Carroll keeping moving, preventing Kushida from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Carroll moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Kushida scores with a takedown into Carroll's guard.
Kushida is in close to Carroll's body, working some short punches and elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinsuke Kushida dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kushida gets a double leg takedown into Carroll's guard.
Carroll tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Kushida stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Carroll tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kushida wants to counter the offense by Carroll and move into the clinch position.
Tyrone Carroll is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Kushida manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Carroll on his heels. He'll look to pass Carroll's guard now, I'm sure.
Kushida is stalling in the full guard.
Carroll has a closed guard, preventing Kushida from standing up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carroll keeping full guard, as Kushida tries to pass.
Kushida is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kushida missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Carroll wants to sweep but no luck.
Carroll looking to control.
Kushida looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Carroll gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kushida to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Kushida has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Carroll not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kushida stands and throws Carroll's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Kushida moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Carroll is trying to get back to half guard.

Kushida tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Kushida is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushida wants to control but Carroll is keeping him busy.
Carroll is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Kushida scoring with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kushida content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

Kushida decides to stand up, so the ref orders Carroll to his feet.

Kushida decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Kushida takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kushida is looking to take a break and control but Carroll is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kushida scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinsuke Kushida showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Carroll throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Carroll instigates a clinch.
Carroll is trying to pull guard but Kushida turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Carroll jumps guard but Kushida stands there with Carroll around his waist. Carroll gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Carroll pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kushida misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Carroll takes the fight into the clinch.
Carroll looking to throw knees to the head but Kushida is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Carroll escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Carroll avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Carroll gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kushida to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Carroll manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kushida manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Kushida manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

Kushida breaks from the clinch.
Kushida tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Kushida fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Carroll to the ground. Kushida is now in Carroll's guard.
Kushida scoring with punches to the head and body.
Kushida showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kushida stopping the sweep attempt from Carroll.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kushida is fighting to break Carroll's control of his arms but Carroll is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Kushida sitting in guard here, content to control.
Carroll trying to control the position.
Shinsuke Kushida has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kushida lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kushida trying to control the position from guard on top but Carroll is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Carroll tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carroll is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

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

Kushida shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Carroll's guard.
Kushida advances to half guard.
Still in half guard, Kushida seems content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kushida tries to pass the half guard into mount. Carroll knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Kushida decides to return to a standing position.

Carroll moves into the clinch successfully.

Kushida gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Carroll wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kushida escapes and gets back to his feet.
Kushida looks to land a body kick but Carroll moved away.
Kushida rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Carroll moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Carroll tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kushida manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Carroll wants to clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Carroll pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Kushida closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shinsuke Kushida comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kushida 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 26:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 26:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shinsuke Kushida!