PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Katsu Noburu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shuji Kou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Noburu
vs
Kou

188 cm
25
195 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
183 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very confident

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Katsu Noburu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shuji Kou!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Noburu looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Noburu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Noburu tries to clinch but Kou is having none of it.

Kou gets tackled into the cage by Noburu. Noburu maintains the clinch.
Kou goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kou tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Noburu breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kou looks to score with a jab to the body but Noburu is just out of range.
Kou gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Kou misses the shot to the body.
Kou throws a leg kick but Noburu checks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kou throws a body punch but Noburu moves out of range.
Kou misses with a two punch combination.
Noburu closes the distance but Kou moves to the side
and Kou counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Noburu thinking.
Kou fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Noburu pushes Kou up against the cage in a clinch.
Kou blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Noburu misses with a punch to the body.
Kou tries to throw a body punch but Noburu avoids it by throwing Kou back against the cage.
Noburu misses with an elbow strike.
Kou can't find room to land a body shot as Noburu controls the action.
Noburu tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Noburu lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Kou tries to throw a body punch but Noburu avoids it by throwing Kou back against the cage.
Noburu softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kou goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Noburu taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Kou blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A hook to the body from Noburu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noburu is pushing Kou up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Noburu.
Kou doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kou's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kou prevents a body shot from Noburu.
With the fighters up against the cage, Noburu throws an elbow but misses.
Noburu throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kous head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Noburu manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Kou blocks a punch to the side of the head.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noburu scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Noburu lands with a short shot to the head.
Noburu lands a left hand.
A short right from Noburu on the inside.
Noburu is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Kou struggles to land a body shot inside as Noburu controls his hands.
Kou tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Noburu's elbow.
Noburu trying to land knees to the body.
Kou misses with a hook to the ribs.
Noburu lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Noburu misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kou doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kou tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Noburu's elbow.
Still in the clinch, Noburu scores with a nice short uppercut.
Kou misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kou struggles to land a body shot inside as Noburu controls his hands.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Noburu.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Noburu.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Noburu lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Noburu avoiding damage.
Kou blocks the elbow strike.
Noburu has Kou pushed against the cage.
Noburu slowing the pace effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A shot to the liver by Kou. Beautiful body shot.
Kou scores with a jab to the head.
Noburu is looking to clinch.
Kou appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Kou throws a body kick that misses.
Noburu throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Noburu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kou paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kou throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Noburu on the side of the head.
Shuji Kou seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kou slips under a jab.
Kou throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Noburu closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Noburu lands with a left to the head.
Noburu unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Kou! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Noburu is unloading with more strikes now! Kou drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Katsu Noburu!