PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Akihiro Gomi (ranked 751 p4p, 89 weight class) and Vang Poulsen (ranked 1521 p4p, 173 weight class). Akihiro Gomi has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Gomi
vs
Poulsen

175 cm
33
148 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

162 cm
30
148 lbs
15 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Akihiro Gomi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Vang Poulsen!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Colin Fotheringham and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomi lands a high kick!
Poulsen scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Poulsen misses with a combination
letting Gomi counter with a right hand.
Gomi definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Poulsen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gomi throws a big shot that misses.
The crowd cheers as Poulsen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gomi doesn't seem phased though.
Gomi tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Poulsen is able to avoid easily.
The fighters circling - Gomi throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gomi scores with a decent looking hook.
Gomi thumps Poulsen with a low kick.
Gomi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Poulsen sizes up Gomi with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gomi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Poulsen looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Gomi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Poulsen.
A cross from Gomi lands.
Gomi throws a leg kick but Poulsen moved away.
Nice body punch from Poulsen.
Poulsen scores with a decent looking hook.
Poulsen throws a body punch but Gomi moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi looks to land a right hand but Poulsen moved out of range.
Poulsen throws a sloppy head kick and Gomi moves out of range easily.
Gomi lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Poulsen takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Gomi ducks right into an uppercut from Poulsen.
Gomi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Poulsen takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Poulsen just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice defenses there by Gomi.
Poulsen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Poulsen ducks right into an uppercut from Gomi.
Gomi misses with a wild body shot.
Poulsen now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
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!
A head kick misses from Gomi.
Gomi connects with an inside leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Poulsen.
Gomi throws a lazy right hand but Poulsen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Poulsen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Poulsen throws out a loose jab but Gomi uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poulsen slips a jab from Gomi.
Poulsen throws a shot to the body.
Poulsen takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Poulsen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gomi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gomi fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Good leg kick by Poulsen there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Gomi lands a nice looking kick to the body. Poulsen takes a step back to recover.
Gomi slips a straight right by Poulsen.
A big left from Gomi misses.
Poulsen throws a body shot but no joy.
A quick step to the side and Gomi tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Poulsen throws a leg kick but Gomi moved away.
Gomi misses with a hook. Poulsen ducked under it nicely.
Poulsen swings widly with a right hand
and Gomi counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Gomi fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Gomi tests Poulsen's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Poulsen has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Gomi.
A big right from Gomi misses.
Poulsen feints a counter leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Poulsen's head backwards.
Gomi scores with a jab to the body.
Gomi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Poulsen.
Gomi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
It seemed like Poulsen was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Poulsen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gomi takes a swing at Poulsen's ribcage but misses.
Gomi misses with the combination.
A countering left hand to the body from Poulsen misses.
Poulsen has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Gomi.
Gomi dodges the punch combination from Poulsen.
Gomi fires out a quick counter leg kick but Poulsen just manages to avoid it.
Gomi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
A countering left hand to the body from Poulsen misses.
Gomi wants to slow Poulsen down by chopping away at his legs.
Gomi's jab looks to have found its range, popping Poulsen under the eye.
Poulsen throws a shot from downtown. Gomi moves away and avoids it.
Poulsen slips under a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Poulsen.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gomi throws a leg kick but Poulsen checks it.
Gomi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gomi fires out a quick counter leg kick but Poulsen just manages to avoid it.
Poulsen connects with a crisp jab.
Poulsen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Akihiro Gomi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Poulsen throws a looping overhand right but Gomi ducks down to avoid it.
Gomi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A head kick misses from Gomi.
Gomi is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Gomi throws a nice inside leg kick.
The fighters circling - Poulsen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Poulsen connects with a right hand. Gomi shakes it off.
Gomi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Poulsen blocks a head kick by Gomi.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gomi moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gomi misses with a leg kick
letting Poulsen counter with a right hand.
Nice defenses there by Gomi.

Poulsen clinches up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Poulsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gomi moves away.
Akihiro Gomi is winning the standup battle so far.
Poulsen throws a lazy uppercut
and Gomi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gomi moves away from the strike by Poulsen.
Gomi throws a hook but Poulsen avoids it easily.
Poulsen keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Gomi moves out of range as Poulsen strikes.
Gomi throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Poulsen wants to counter the offense by Gomi and move into the clinch position.
Poulsen avoids the head kick by Gomi.
Poulsen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gomi.
Gomi misses with a low kick.
A big right from Gomi misses.
Gomi slips under a jab from Poulsen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gomi tries a low kick but Poulsen avoids it.
Poulsen moves away from the strike by Gomi.
Gomi moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Gomi stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Poulsen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gomi. Poulsen does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi throws a left and a right that both miss
and Poulsen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Poulsen moves forwards but Gomi connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Gomi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Poulsen can do to turn this around?
Poulsen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gomi.
Gomi looks to land a body kick but Poulsen moved away.
A jab from Gomi does it's job there.
Gomi takes a swing at Poulsen's ribcage but misses.
Poulsen takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Poulsen throws a hook but Gomi blocks it.
Poulsen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gomi.
Poulsen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gomi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Poulsen.
Poulsen checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Gomi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Poulsen lands a lovely overhand right.
Poulsen chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Gomi can pounce on him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Poulsen misses the shot to the body.
Gomi's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Poulsen connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gomi scrambles back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poulsen lands with a nice body punch.
Gomi scores with a hook.
A swing and a miss from Poulsen.
Poulsen throws a looping overhand right but Gomi ducks down to avoid it.
Poulsen lands with a good body shot.
Gomi lands with a straight right. Poulsen didn't see that one coming.
Poulsen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gomi.
Gomi lands a nice looking kick to the body. Poulsen takes a step back to recover.
Poulsen misses with an uppercut.
Poulsen just misses with a punch to the body.
Poulsen comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Poulsen keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Gomi cracks a nice hook into Poulsen's ribs.
Poulsen tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gomi throws an overhand right that lands on Poulsen's shoulder, as Poulsen tries to avoid the shot.
Poulsen slips under a jab.
Poulsen takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poulsen just misses with a punch to the body.
Poulsen throws a body shot but no joy.
Gomi just misses with a punch to the body.
Poulsen takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Gomi throws a solid leg kick but Poulsen takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Gomi.
Poulsen steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Gomi.
Gomi throws a sloppy head kick and Poulsen moves out of range easily.
Poulsen moves out of range of the body kick.
Gomi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice body punch from Poulsen.
Poulsen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gomi is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Gomi ducks under a wild hook from Poulsen.
As Poulsen looks to move away, Gomi throws a big counter combo but Poulsen just gets out of the way.
Poulsen keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Poulsen's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Gomi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Poulsen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gomi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Gomi lands with a nice combination. Poulsen backs away looking to recover.
Poulsen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gomi throws out the jab.
Gomi misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomi thows a left - swing and a miss!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Poulsen scores with a shot to the body.
Poulsen swinging wildly here.
Poulsen staying out of range there.
Poulsen throws the left hand but Gomi avoids the punch easily.
Gomi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gomi thinks about countering with a body kick.
A clash of legs there as Poulsen blocks the low kick.
Poulsen avoids the head kick by Gomi.
Gomi fails to land with a series of punches.
Gomi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Poulsen.
Gomi lands the left hand.
Poulsen moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Gomi throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Poulsen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A head kick misses from Gomi.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Poulsen throws a body shot but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akihiro Gomi dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Poulsen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gomi was well out of range. Poor timing from Poulsen.
Gomi is looking to counter punch.
Gomi lands a head shot.
Poulsen misses with a looping right.
Gomi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Poulsen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gomi misses with a body kick.
Poulsen has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Gomi on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Gomi tests Poulsen's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Poulsen looks to score with a jab to the body but Gomi is just out of range.
Gomi works the jab nicely.
Poulsen staying out of range there.
Gomi looks for the body kick but Poulsen saw that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poulsen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gomi throws a jab but it's blocked by Poulsen.
Poulsen moves out of range as Gomi strikes.
A big right from Poulsen misses.
Poulsen lands with a nice body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Gomi misses.
Gomi feints and then cracks Poulsen's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Poulsen down.
Poulsen misses with a hook
and Gomi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Poulsen avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Poulsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gomi moves away.
A punch lands to the side of Gomi 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Gomi lets loose with a powerful body kick. Poulsen will feel that in the morning.
Poulsen just misses with a punch to the body.
Poulsen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gomi on the side of the head.
Poulsen throws a sloppy body shot
letting Gomi counter with a right hand.
Gomi lands with a thumping leg kick.
Poulsen misses with a hook.
Gomi missing with a left hand there. Poulsen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Poulsen is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Gomi with a body shot.
Poulsen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gomi manages to avoid it.
Gomi misses the jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Gomi misses the target.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gomi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Poulsen! But no joy.
Gomi 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.
Poulsen moves away from the strike by Gomi.
Poulsen looks to score with a jab to the body but Gomi is just out of range.
Gomi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Poulsen was well out of range. Poor timing from Gomi.
Poulsen looks to throw the jab but Gomi is out of range.
A big right from Gomi misses.
Gomi throws a right hand that misses
letting Poulsen counter with a right hand.
Poulsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Gomi throws a lazy uppercut
and Poulsen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gomi takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Poulsen slips under a jab.
Gomi throws a lazy right hand but Poulsen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Poulsen swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Gomi.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Poulsen might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Gomi has got the better of the exchanges.
Gomi throws a sloppy head kick and Poulsen moves out of range easily.
Gomi throws a jab but it's blocked by Poulsen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poulsen slips a straight right by Gomi.
Gomi connects with a jab.
Poulsen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Gomi. Gomi circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Gomi misses with a shot to the body
and Poulsen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gomi connects with a single shot there.
Gomi slips a jab from Poulsen.
Poulsen throws a big shot that misses.
Poulsen just misses with a punch to the body.
Poulsen moves out of range of the strikes.
Gomi scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Poulsen fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Poulsen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Poulsen throws a shot from downtown. Gomi moves away and avoids it.
Gomi throws a good cross that connects.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gomi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Poulsen throws a shot from downtown. Gomi moves away and avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Gomi.
Poulsen takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gomi paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Poulsen throws a body punch but Gomi moves out of range.
Poulsen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gomi was well out of range. Poor timing from Poulsen.
Poulsen lands with a right hand.
Gomi throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Poulsen on the side of the head.
Poulsen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Gomi.
Gomi thumps Poulsen with a low kick.
Gomi tries to work over Poulsen's front leg with a kick but Poulsen checks it.
Poulsen misses with a body shot.
Poulsen connects with a body shot that sends Gomi's belly button to the back.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gomi. Poulsen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gomi lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Poulsen fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gomi looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Vang Poulsen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gomi misses with a kick to the body
and Poulsen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Akihiro Gomi.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gomi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Akihiro Gomi!
Akihiro Gomi was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.