PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kenny Kawaguchi (ranked 3559 p4p, 372 weight class) and Orange Crush (ranked 3449 p4p, 362 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kawaguchi
vs
Crush

170 cm
25
152 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
150 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big right hand

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

IniTech Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kenny Kawaguchi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Orange Crush!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Radbod Blank and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Kawaguchi as Crush shoots in.
Nice defenses there by Crush.
Kawaguchi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Crush dives in and scores a takedown into Kawaguchi's guard.
Crush controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Crush with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Crush working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Crush has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Crush throwing strikes but missing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Crush distracts Kawaguchi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Crush is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Kawaguchi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Crush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crush throwing strikes but missing.
Crush works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Kawaguchi has hold of Crush's hands but Crush slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kawaguchi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Crush on the ground.
Crush thows a huge punch but Kawaguchi dodges it nicely.
Kawaguchi is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Crush scores with a couple of nice shots.
Crush missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Crush not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Kawaguchi on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kawaguchi tries to get out of the position.
Crush keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Crush drops an elbow to the side of Kawaguchi's head.
Crush is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crush not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Crush stalling.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Kawaguchi gets caught flat footed, as Crush shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Crush with a flurry of punches that miss.
Crush throws a big elbow that misses.
Kawaguchi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Crush in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kawaguchi looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Crush throwing strikes but missing.
Kawaguchi is breathing heavily.
Crush keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kawaguchi's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crush controlling from the top position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Kawaguchi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Crush postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Crush postures up in Kawaguchi's guard and throws a big left but Kawaguchi blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Crush landing with the ground and pound.
Crush throwing strikes from guard but Kawaguchi blocks nicely.

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

Crush shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Kawaguchi wants to get back to his feet but Crush passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Crush trying to control the pace.
Crush lands strikes from half guard.
Crush lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
We've been informed that Crush has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Crush drops an elbow to the side of Kawaguchi's head.
Crush takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Kawaguchi on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Crush throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Crush scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Crush thows a huge punch but Kawaguchi dodges it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Orange Crush dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kawaguchi misses with an uppercut

and Crush holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Kawaguchi lands an uppercut.

Crush pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kawaguchi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Crush manages to avoid it.

Crush shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Kawaguchi manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Crush slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Crush trying to control but Kawaguchi is working from the bottom.
Crush has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Crush is stalling in the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Crush advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crush controlling the action here.
Orange Crush has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ground and pound from Crush.
Kawaguchi taking some punishment here, with Crush in his half guard.
Kawaguchi is looking to get back to full guard here but Crush has managed to pass to side control instead.
Crush scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Kawaguchi to see if he's OK.
Crush lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crush working the ground and pound.
Crush working the ground and pound but Kawaguchi is defending the strikes.
Crush lands a nice forearm strike.
Crush in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Crush lands a few punches from side control.
Crush controlling the position.
Crush connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Kawaguchi some visible discomfort.
Crush remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Crush connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Kawaguchi some visible discomfort.

Kawaguchi is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crush is chipping away with strikes.
Crush is working Kawaguchi over with some ground and pound from side control.
Oh Kawaguchi is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Crush misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Crush looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Kawaguchi is avoiding damage well.
Kawaguchi seems to have got his legs back now.
Crush looks up at the clock and then as Kawaguchi takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Crush smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Crush takes a little break here. Kawaguchi wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Crush scoring with punches and elbows.
Crush creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crush creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Crush scores with a couple of short elbows.
Crush lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Crush taking a breather here.
Crush advances to mount.
Crush putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kawaguchi taking shots to the head.
Crush postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kawaguchi looks a forlorn figure.
Crush scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Orange Crush 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! This is the final round!

Crush scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Crush takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Crush connects with a nice short shot to Kawaguchi's temple.
Crush lands a big elbow from half guard. That looks like it's hurt Kawaguchi quite badly. Kawaguchi pulls Crush in close trying to recover. Crush postures up and lands two really hard shots that put Kawaguchi on queer street! The ref takes a look and decides to call an end to the fight! Possibly an early stoppage but Kawaguchi doesn't seem to be complaining too much.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Orange Crush!
Orange Crush is the new featherweight champion!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Orange Crush waved his t-shirt featuring IniTech Nutrition 's logo in front of the cameras.