PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jorge Morueco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gichin Funakoshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jorge Morueco could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Gichin Funakoshi's chin.

Morueco
vs
Funakoshi

187 cm
22
204 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

189 cm
23
215 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jorge Morueco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gichin Funakoshi!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morueco misses the shot to the body.
Funakoshi misses with an attempted mid kick.
Funakoshi tries to bum rush Morueco with a series of wild strikes but Morueco uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Funakoshi does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Morueco throws a push kick but Funakoshi slaps the foot to one side.
Morueco takes a swing at Funakoshi's ribcage but misses.
A chopping leg kick lands by Funakoshi.
Funakoshi fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Morueco on the side of the head.
Funakoshi circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Funakoshi misses with a straight left.
Funakoshi lands with a nice body kick.
Morueco ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Funakoshi moves away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Morueco. Funakoshi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Morueco smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morueco misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Funakoshi cracks the inside of Morueco's front leg.
Morueco misses with a low kick as Funakoshi jumps back.
Morueco blocks a leg kick.
Morueco looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Morueco misses with a leg kick
and Funakoshi counters with a nice uppercut.
Jorge Morueco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Funakoshi lands with a thumping leg kick.
Morueco walks into a jab.
Funakoshi throws a head kick that misses
and Morueco counters with a nice leg kick.
Funakoshi throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Funakoshi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Morueco creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Funakoshi's defenses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morueco lands a hook that snaps the head of Funakoshi backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morueco is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Funakoshi to keep the fight standing.
Morueco tries to pull guard but Funakoshi forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Morueco.
Funakoshi digs a right hand into Morueco's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Morueco's gas tank.
Funakoshi scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Jorge Morueco has been cut.
Morueco tries to pull guard but Funakoshi forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jorge Morueco. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morueco tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Funakoshi using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Morueco is breathing heavily.
With the fighters up against the cage, Funakoshi throws an elbow but misses.
Funakoshi landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Funakoshi landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Funakoshi obliges.
Morueco tries to pull guard but Funakoshi holds him up against the cage and eventually Morueco drops back down to his feet.
Funakoshi using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Funakoshi lands a knee to the head.
Funakoshi using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Funakoshi lands a left hand.
Funakoshi lands a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Funakoshi.
Morueco is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Funakoshi is defending well for now.
Morueco jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Funakoshi walks away with a smile on his face. Morueco gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Funakoshi clinches.
Funakoshi leaning his opponent against the cage.
Funakoshi tries to land a knee to the head but Morueco blocks with his arms.
Morueco is trying to pull guard but Funakoshi has him pressed against the cage.
Morueco has been working on his balance at Team Migraine, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Funakoshi.
Funakoshi using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Morueco looking to stall.
Funakoshi keeps control of Morueco as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Morueco is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Funakoshi to keep the fight standing.
Morueco jumps guard but Funakoshi turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Morueco tries to pull guard but Funakoshi forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Funakoshi.
Funakoshi lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morueco jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Funakoshi walks away with a smile on his face. Morueco gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Funakoshi. Morueco shrugs it off though.

Funakoshi lands a big head kick that sends Morueco tumbling to the mat! Funakoshi takes a step backwards and waves Morueco back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Morueco is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Both fighters circling slowly here as the pace drops. Hopefully one of them does someth.. OOOHHHH!!!! Funakoshi throws an absolute beast of a head kick! Morueco is done! He's out cold, twisted and contorted up against the cage! Wow!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Gichin Funakoshi!
Gichin Funakoshi seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.