PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Masa Funaki (ranked 1670 p4p, 192 weight class) and Hatori Hanzo (ranked 1823 p4p, 200 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Funaki
vs
Hanzo

180 cm
20
159 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

177 cm
21
163 lbs
4 - 0 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Masa Funaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hatori Hanzo!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Richard Clark and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice shot by Funaki.
Funaki looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Hanzo lands a jab to Funaki's midsection.
Hatori Hanzo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hanzo connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Funaki throws a low kick, looking for Hanzo's leg but Hanzo calmly moves out of range.
Hanzo fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Funaki looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Hanzo lands a nice hook to Funaki's body. Funaki takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Hanzo scores with a sloppy right hand. Funaki should have avoided that one.
Hanzo lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Funaki throws a hook to the side of Hanzo's head but Hanzo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hanzo connects with a body shot that sends Funaki's belly button to the back.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hanzo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hanzo has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Hanzo there as he acknowledges the shot.
Hanzo throws a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanzo lands with a right hand.
Hanzo swings for the body but Funaki moves out of range.
Hanzo lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Hanzo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Funaki gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Hanzo.
Hanzo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Funaki doesn't seem bothered though.
Funaki takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Hanzo moves into range and clinches up with Funaki.
Hanzo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Funaki's efforts to push away.

Funaki's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hanzo cracks Funaki with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Funaki walks into a stiff left hand from Hanzo.
Hanzo lands a jab to the nose.
Hanzo connects with a body shot.
Hanzo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Funaki moves away.
Hanzo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Funaki walks into a stiff left hand from Hanzo.
Hanzo throws a good cross that connects.
Hanzo misses with a wild body shot.
Hanzo bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Funaki's head.
Hanzo comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Hanzo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Funaki rather than just go for the knockout.
Hanzo lands with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanzo takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Funaki's corner calls for a 1-2. Funaki obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Funaki pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Funaki loads up on a big right hand but Hanzo slips the punch.
Hanzo wants to counter with a clinch but Funaki pushes him away.
Hanzo lands a jab to Funaki's midsection.
Hanzo stuns Funaki with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Hanzo scores with the left hand. Funaki knows he should have avoided that one.
Funaki throws a push kick but Hanzo slaps the foot to one side.
Funaki throws a jab when Hanzo was well out of range.
Hanzo fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Funaki looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hanzo lands with a good body shot.
Hanzo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hanzo just misses with a punch to the body.
Hanzo has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hanzo lands a glancing blow to the side of Funaki's head.
Hanzo moves out of range of the strikes.
Hanzo moves out of range as Funaki strikes.
Funaki tries to move into range but Hanzo moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Funaki throws an overhand right that lands on Hanzo's shoulder, as Hanzo tries to avoid the shot.
Hanzo tries to counter with a clinch but Funaki shakes him off and moves away.
Hanzo cracks Funaki with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Funaki tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hanzo was well out of range. Poor timing from Funaki.
Hanzo paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nice straight punches there by Hanzo. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Hanzo.
Hanzo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hanzo scores with a nice right hand.
A head kick by Funaki misses

and Hanzo counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hanzo.
Funaki tries to circle away but Hanzo has him pinned against the cage.
Funaki trying to control the position but instead, Hanzo has worked for underhooks and has pushed Funaki into the cage.
Hanzo lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Masa Funaki has been cut.
Hanzo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hanzo throws an elbow but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hanzo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Funaki is trying to force a seperation but Hanzo has the dominant position.
Hanzo has Funaki pressed against the cage, preventing Funaki from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hanzo lands an elbow inside that Funaki shrugs off.
Hanzo prevents Funaki from breaking the clinch.
Hanzo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hanzo putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Funaki in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Funaki is trying to break the clinch but Hanzo is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanzo putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Funaki in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Hanzo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Funaki blocks it with crossed arms.
Funaki looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Funaki as Hanzo tries to tie him up.
Come on Hanzo - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Hanzo utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Funaki looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hanzo with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Hanzo stalling.
Hanzo creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Funaki's defenses.
Hanzo lands an elbow inside that Funaki shrugs off.
Come on Hanzo - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
The referee is keeping an eye on Hanzo - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Funaki can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanzo has Funaki pressed against the cage, preventing Funaki from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hanzo stalling the fight.
Hanzo misses with a knee strike.
Funaki looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hanzo lands a good knee to the midsection. Funaki won't want to take too many of those.
Funaki wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hanzo has him pressed against the cage.
Funaki taking a breather.
Hanzo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hanzo lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Masa Funaki's cut is getting worse.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Funaki is trying to push Hanzo away but Hanzo has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Hanzo taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Hanzo looking to throw knees to the head but Funaki is blocking nicely.
Funaki avoiding damage as Hanzo throws knees to the body.
Funaki wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Funaki tries to break free but Hanzo pushes him back against the cage.
Funaki has Hanzo pushed against the cage.
Nice elbow from Hanzo.
Hanzo putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Funaki in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Hanzo will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Funaki up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanzo lands a knee to the body.
Hanzo lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Nice elbow from Hanzo.
Hanzo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hanzo lands an elbow inside.

Masa Funaki's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Funaki trying to stall but Hanzo improves his position.
Nice elbow from Hanzo.
Hanzo tries to land a knee to the head but Funaki blocks with his arms.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Hanzo lands a damaging elbow.
Funaki letting Hanzo take a breather here.
Hatori Hanzo seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Funaki wants to get back to striking at distance but Hanzo won't allow it.
Hanzo utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Funaki working hard to break the clinch.
Hanzo unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Funaki has had enough of the clinch but Hanzo keeps him there for the moment.
Hanzo lands a nice elbow.

Jeez, Masa Funaki's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Funaki takes a knee right on the jaw!
Funaki takes an elbow to the temple.

Funaki is rocked!

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Masa Funaki's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:23 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Hatori Hanzo!