PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Akira Katana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tai Sonni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sonni comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Foo Fighters - Times Like These kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! This should be fireworks!

Katana
vs
Sonni

176 cm
21
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akira Katana!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tai Sonni!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Ren Mimura and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Sonni, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sonni jabs at Katana's body.
Katana scores with a kick to the body.
Katana lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Sonni!
Katana fails with a takedown attempt.
Sonni avoids the head kick by Katana.
Sonni misses with a kick to the body.
Katana misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Katana drives through and clinches with Sonni against the cage.

Sonni escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Katana throws a series of punches but Sonni moves out of range.
Katana misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akira Katana. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Katana dodges the punch combination from Sonni.
Katana closes the distance and clinches up with Sonni, looking for a takedown. Katana pushes Sonni against the cage but Sonni circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katana misses with a head kick.
Katana has a takedown stuffed.
Katana is breathing heavily.
Katana throws a head kick that misses.
Sonni stalks Katana and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Katana's face. Katana staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Akira Katana has been cut.
Tai Sonni seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sonni misses with a double jab

and Katana counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Sonni manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Katana slips a jab and a cross from Sonni.
Sonni keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sonni.
Sonni throws a right hand that Katana ducks under and follows up with a left that Katana also avoids with ease.
Sonni misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Sonni.
Katana looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nice uppercut lands for Sonni. That snapped Katana's head back.
Katana misses with a double jab
and Katana takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Katana tries to land a front kick but Sonni steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Katana punishes Sonni's body with a nice straight punch.
Sonni tries to bum rush Katana with a series of wild strikes but Katana uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A lazy body kick from Sonni
and Katana counters with a flying knee. Nice.

It looks like Tai Sonni has been cut.
Katana misses with a combination
and Sonni connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sonni misses with a hook.
Katana tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katana shoots in and drives through. Sonni sprawls well.
Sonni throws a series of punches but Katana moves out of range.
Katana shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sonni showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Katana.
Sonni throws a hook to the side of Katana's head but Katana sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Katana lands a head kick. Sonni smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Sonni misses with a combination
and Katana counters with a big head kick but Sonni shrugs it off.
Katana closes the distance but Sonni moves to the side
and Sonni counters with a nice uppercut.
Sonni scores with the left hand. Katana knows he should have avoided that one.
Sonni lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Sonni fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four 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.
Sonni on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Katana. Katana obviously looking to wear him down.
Katana lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Sonni throws an overhand right that lands on Katana's shoulder, as Katana tries to avoid the shot.
Katana throws a front kick that sends Sonni stumbling back into the cage.
Sonni tries to clinch but Katana is having none of it.
Katana is looking to clinch.
Sonni tries to bum rush Katana with a series of wild strikes but Katana uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Sonni takes the fight into the clinch.
Katana is struggling to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Katana breaks the clinch.
Katana takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Katana tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Katana dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Katana changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sonni looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
You can see the frustration on Sonni's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Katana is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sonni is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The strikes coming from Katana are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonni is trying to control Katana's posture but Katana avoids it.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Katana throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Sonni throws Katana to one side and escapes!

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.
Sonni buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Katana fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sonni swats away the attempt to clinch by Katana.
Sonni takes a swing at Katana's ribcage but misses.
Katana fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sonni scores with a hook.

Sonni decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Katana wants to get back to full guard but Sonni has passed into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonni controlling from mount.
Katana is trying desperately to improve position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tai Sonni 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!

Katana misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sonni's corner calls for a 1-2. Sonni obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Katana throws a head kick that misses.

Katana gets the takedown into side control.
Sonni is looking to reverse the position.
Sonni regains half guard there - taking advantage of Katana's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Katana missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katana sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sonni defending well though.

Katana stands up out of the half guard.
Sonni is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Katana.
Katana tries to close the distance and clinch but Sonni swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sonni throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's two 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.
Katana is looking to clinch.
Katana shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Sonni counters with a left and a right that stings Katana.
A punch combination from Sonni misses.

Katana has taken the fight to the clinch.

Sonni breaks the clinch.
Katana misses with a head kick.
Some wild striking there from Sonni.
Sonni pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sonni misses with an uppercut. Katana saw that one coming.
Katana clinches but Sonni breaks the clinch
letting Sonni counter with a right hand.
Katana doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Sonni counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katana tries to clinch there but Sonni circles away.
Katana misses with a takedown attempt
and Katana takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akira Katana. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonni closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Sonni feints and as Katana raises his hands in defense, Sonni changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sonni won't allow Katana to get back to his feet.

Katana isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Sonni stacks Katana on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Sonni!
Katana throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Katana is pushing Sonni's head away, looking to escape. Sonni manages to hold on to the position though.
Katana tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sonni wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Sonni decides to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tai Sonni comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sonni has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tai Sonni!