PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kaiji Inoue (ranked 5407 p4p, 367 weight class) and Kazuma Murakami (ranked 5202 p4p, 360 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.

Inoue
vs
Murakami

175 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
18
147 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kaiji Inoue!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazuma Murakami!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Murakami darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Murakami is thwarting Inoue's attempts to control the position.
Murakami takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Murakami trying to control the action but Inoue is working from the bottom.
Inoue holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murakami trying to advance position but Inoue counters by regaining guard.
Inoue being controlled here, momentarily.
Inoue is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murakami trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Murakami wants to control from the top but Inoue keeps moving.
Inoue thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Inoue.
Inoue misses with a takedown

and Murakami counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Murakami's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

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.
Murakami defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Inoue.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kaiji Inoue. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murakami stuffs the takedown attempt from Inoue. Inoue gets slowly back to his feet.
Murakami throws a fast counter high kick but Inoue manages to duck under it in time.
Inoue shoots in for a double leg but Murakami sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Murakami is looking for the big counter here.

Murakami has Inoue up against the ropes in a clinch.
Inoue wants to break free but Murakami has control.
The referee is keeping an eye on Murakami - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Murakami breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Inoue drives through and clinches with Murakami against the ropes.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Murakami gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Inoue.

Murakami turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Murakami manages to end up in side control.

Inoue throws Murakami to one side and escapes!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Inoue looks to land a combination but Murakami avoids it well.
Murakami with the counter takedown but Inoue avoids it easily.

Murakami shoots in and bounces Inoue off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Inoue looking to hit a scissor sweep but Murakami is one step ahead there.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Murakami wants to control from the top but Inoue keeps moving.
Inoue manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Murakami manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Inoue stays in close to Murakami's body and controls the position.
Inoue trying to control but Murakami is working from the bottom.
Inoue is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Murakami is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Murakami is looking for a triangle but Inoue pushes his legs off easily.

Murakami has an active guard here but Inoue has managed to pass into half guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Murakami keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Inoue gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Inoue connects with a crisp jab.
Inoue tries to close the distance and clinch up but Murakami swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Murakami gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A bit of stalling here from Murakami.
Inoue fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Murakami jumps guard but Inoue turns him against the ropes and keeps the fight standing.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Murakami breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Inoue avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Murakami feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Murakami stands and steps away. Inoue gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Murakami displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Inoue.
Inoue sets himself, and Murakami steps forward looking for the clinch! Inoue avoids it this time.

Inoue clinches.
Murakami crunches a lovely knee into Inoue's ribcage.
Inoue wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Murakami has him pressed against the ropes.
Inoue is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Murakami is defending well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Inoue wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Murakami breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Murakami slaps away a takedown attempt from Inoue, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Murakami closes the distance and clinches.
Inoue tries to pull guard but Murakami won't allow it.
Inoue has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Murakami avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Murakami tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Inoue just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Inoue is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Inoue trying to land knees to the body.
Murakami fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Murakami breaks the clinch.
Murakami tries to clinch up.
Murakami fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Murakami has a takedown stuffed.
Inoue fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Murakami misses with a head kick.
Inoue misses with a two punch combination.
Inoue looks for a takedown but Murakami sprawls well.
Inoue fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Inoue tries to close the distance and clinch but Murakami swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Inoue looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
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. Inoue connects with a nice short shot to Murakami's temple.

Murakami is defending against the submission attempts here by Inoue.
Murakami flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Inoue trying to control the action but Murakami is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Inoue is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Murakami is just riding it out for now. Inoue eventually gives up the hold.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kazuma Murakami will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Murakami has taken the fight to the clinch.
Inoue is looking to control Murakami's arms but Murakami gets an underhook and turns him. Now Inoue has his back to the ropes.

Inoue drags the fight down to the ground.
Inoue is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Murakami keeping control of the position.
Inoue wants to lay and pray for a moment but Murakami keeps working.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Murakami looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Murakami is staying active underneath Inoue, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Inoue missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Inoue escapes and gets back to his feet.
Inoue throws a head kick that misses

and Murakami counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Inoue tries for a takedown. No joy.
Murakami stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Inoue is trying to force a seperation but Murakami has the dominant position.
Stalling in the clinch from Murakami.

Inoue jumps guard.
Inoue looking to control.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Inoue is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Inoue passes into half guard.
Murakami controlling the position for now.
Inoue is thwarting Murakami's attempts to control the position.

Murakami looking for submissions off his back.
Inoue is thwarting Murakami's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Inoue is looking to take a break and control but Murakami is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Inoue stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Inoue wants to clinch up but Murakami keeps it at a distance.
Murakami with the counter takedown but Inoue avoids it easily.
Murakami throws a sloppy head kick and Inoue moves out of range easily.
Inoue seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Murakami closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Murakami lands in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murakami sitting in guard here, content to control.
Murakami loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Murakami's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Inoue striking from his own guard.

Inoue has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Murakami can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Inoue had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Murakami defends it easily.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Murakami looking to pass the guard.

Murakami stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Murakami takes the fight into the clinch.
Inoue is working for takedown but Murakami is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Inoue tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Murakami smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kaiji Inoue. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murakami stuffs the takedown.
Murakami throws a sloppy head kick and Inoue moves out of range easily.

Murakami dives in and scores a takedown into Inoue's guard.
Murakami trying to control the position from guard on top but Inoue is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Inoue pulls Murakami in close to prevent any damage.
Inoue is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Inoue looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Murakami is defending well. Inoue quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Murakami has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Inoue celebrates on the ropes, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 7:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Kaiji Inoue!