PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gura Hyunjo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Goku Sekimoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hyunjo
vs
Sekimoto

175 cm
20
173 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
172 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gura Hyunjo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Goku Sekimoto!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shigeki Sano and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hyunjo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sekimoto's waist but Sekimoto gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hyunjo off to one side.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hyunjo.
Hyunjo thuds his shin into the meat of Sekimoto's side.
Hyunjo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hyunjo is looking to clinch but Sekimoto is avoiding it.
Hyunjo tries for a takedown but Sekimoto sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gura Hyunjo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sekimoto throws a series of punches but Hyunjo avoids them all with ease.
Sekimoto stuffs the takedown.
Sekimoto doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Sekimoto feints and as Hyunjo raises his hands in defense, Sekimoto changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sekimoto scoring with punches to the head and body.
Sekimoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Hyunjo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hyunjo working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Sekimoto has passed into half guard!
Hyunjo is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sekimoto scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hyunjo wants to control but Sekimoto is keeping busy.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Sekimoto is thwarting Hyunjo's attempts to control the position.
Hyunjo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hyunjo keeping control of the position.
Hyunjo is trying to stand back up but Sekimoto is controlling him
Hyunjo is breathing heavily.

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.
Sekimoto content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Hyunjo is looking to improve his position.
Sekimoto perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Hyunjo wants to get back to full guard.
Sekimoto trying to control the action but Hyunjo is working from the bottom.

Sekimoto stands up from half guard.
Hyunjo has his takedown stuffed

and Sekimoto counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hyunjo's guard now.
Hyunjo trying to keep a closed guard but Sekimoto is proving a slippery customer.
Sekimoto wants to control from the top but Hyunjo keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hyunjo being controlled here, momentarily.
Hyunjo looking to control.

Hyunjo throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Sekimoto escapes and throws Hyunjo's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Sekimoto controlling the position from side mount.

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

Sekimoto wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hyunjo, who protects the arm well.
Hyunjo is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Sekimoto is controlling him well.
Sekimoto scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Hyunjo to see if he's OK.
Sekimoto is looking to take a break and control but Hyunjo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hyunjo sneaks back into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Goku Sekimoto dominated that round.
That's time! Hyunjo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hyunjo misses with a takedown

and Sekimoto counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Well, if Sekimoto is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Despite being in the dominant position, Goku Sekimoto just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Sekimoto drives through and clinches with Hyunjo against the cage.

Sekimoto has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hyunjo is trying to keep an underhook but Sekimoto manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Hyunjo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sekimoto's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sekimoto's back!
Sekimoto is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Hyunjo cracks Sekimoto with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Sekimoto from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.

Sekimoto is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Sekimoto covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hyunjo cracks Sekimoto with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Sekimoto from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.

Hyunjo looking for the RNC.
Sekimoto just trying to survive but Hyunjo is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Sekimoto tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Hyunjo looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sekimoto sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Hyunjo trying to mount his opponent but Sekimoto defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hyunjo is keen to just control but Sekimoto is a slippery customer.
Sekimoto won't allow Hyunjo to pass to mount.

Hyunjo looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Hyunjo is trying to control the action in half guard but Sekimoto is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hyunjo takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hyunjo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sekimoto does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Hyunjo with a poor takedown
and Sekimoto counters with a left and a right that stings Hyunjo.

Sekimoto tries to keep at a distance but Hyunjo has taken the fight into the clinch.

Sekimoto jumps into guard, dragging Hyunjo to the mat.
Hyunjo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hyunjo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sekimoto swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hyunjo passes into half guard.
Hyunjo tries to stand and escape but Sekimoto is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hyunjo trying to control the action but Sekimoto is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sekimoto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hyunjo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Hyunjo tries to pass the half guard into mount. Sekimoto knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Hyunjo is keen to just control but Sekimoto is a slippery customer.
Sekimoto is trying to maintain the position but Hyunjo is very close to passing his half guard.
Hyunjo tries to stand and escape but Sekimoto is controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sekimoto circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Goku Sekimoto showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hyunjo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Sekimoto changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hyunjo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Goku Sekimoto has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hyunjo struggling a bit here.
Hyunjo is not content to let Sekimoto control the position.
Hyunjo tries to buck Sekimoto off but Sekimoto is having none of it.
Hyunjo pushes Sekimoto away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Sekimoto gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sekimoto is putting a hurting on Hyunjo here, landing some big shots from side control.
Sekimoto wants to take a breather but Hyunjo manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Sekimoto.
Sekimoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Hyunjo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hyunjo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Sekimoto counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hyunjo!
Sekimoto manages to capitalize on a mistake by Hyunjo to take his back!
Hyunjo trying to control the action but Sekimoto just sinks the hooks in.
Hyunjo breaks Sekimoto's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Hyunjo tries to stand but Sekimoto is controlling from the bottom.
Sekimoto keeping moving, preventing Hyunjo from controlling successfully.
Hyunjo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hyunjo tries to free his leg and advance position but Sekimoto is retaining full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hyunjo tries for a takedown but Sekimoto circles away easily

and Sekimoto counters with a single leg into guard. Hyunjo didn't expect that.
Hyunjo throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Hyunjo keeping moving, preventing Sekimoto from controlling successfully.
Sekimoto wants to pass the guard but Hyunjo is keeping the position.
Sekimoto is stalling in the full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hyunjo looking to control.
Sekimoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Hyunjo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sekimoto decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hyunjo, up you get!
Hyunjo misses with a two punch combination.
Sekimoto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Sekimoto clinches up with Hyunjo and pushes him back against the cage.

Sekimoto pulls guard.
Hyunjo wanted to stand there but Sekimoto had control of the position.
Hyunjo trying to control but Sekimoto is working from the bottom.
Sekimoto working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hyunjo.

Sekimoto had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Hyunjo is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Sekimoto Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Hyunjo's back instead.
Sekimoto is working the ground and pound. Can Hyunjo escape?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hyunjo tries to escape the position.

Sekimoto working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Sekimoto is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Hyunjo is defending well though. Sekimoto let's go of the attempt for now.
Hyunjo is in bad spot here.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Sekimoto.
Gura Hyunjo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hyunjo is taking damage to the body and head.
Sekimoto lands strikes to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Goku Sekimoto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sekimoto 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Goku Sekimoto!