PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Akaro Horiguchi (ranked 787 p4p, 597 weight class) and Paulo Gentil (ranked 101 p4p, 77 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Horiguchi might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Japanese Imperial Army Death March. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Horiguchi
vs
Gentil

176 cm
28
159
12 - 5 - 0

177 cm
27
166
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Voodoo Nutrition

Conviction

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 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Akaro Horiguchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Gentil!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Sosuke Kotani and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horiguchi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gentil.
Gentil slips a jab from Horiguchi.
Horiguchi has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Horiguchi misses with a kick to the body.
Gentil walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Horiguchi checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Horiguchi misses the jab.
Horiguchi closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Gentil throws a nice outside leg kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Horiguchi needs to keep his hands up - Gentil had a free shot at his head there.
Horiguchi misses with a body shot.
Horiguchi throws a jab when Gentil was well out of range.
Horiguchi checks the leg kick.
Horiguchi swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Gentil throws a lazy right hand but Horiguchi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gentil tries to work over Horiguchi's front leg with a kick but Horiguchi checks it.
Horiguchi throws a leg kick but Gentil sees it coming and moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gentil throws a low kick, looking for Horiguchi's leg but Horiguchi calmly moves out of range.
Horiguchi darts in trying to clinch
and Gentil counters with a straight right hand.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Gentil.
Horiguchi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Horiguchi wants to slow Gentil down by chopping away at his legs.
Gentil appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horiguchi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gentil throws out the jab.
Horiguchi missing with a left hand there. Gentil was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gentil throws out a loose jab but Horiguchi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Horiguchi changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A clash of legs there as Horiguchi blocks the low kick.
Gentil tries a low kick but Horiguchi avoids it.
Gentil walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Horiguchi checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Horiguchi takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Gentil moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Gentil thuds a left hand into Horiguchi's body.
Horiguchi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gentil.
An inside leg kick lands from Horiguchi.
Horiguchi throws a body punch but Gentil moves out of range.
Horiguchi misses with an uppercut.
Donk. Gentil catches Horiguchi right on the button with a cross.
Gentil blocks a leg kick.
Horiguchi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gentil.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Horiguchi lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Gentil has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Gentil and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd cheers as Gentil lands an impressive looking overhand right. Horiguchi doesn't seem phased though.
Gentil attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gentil.
A looping hook to the body misses from Horiguchi. Gentil does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gentil jabs at Horiguchi's body.
The fighters circle momentarily. Horiguchi darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Horiguchi throws a good cross that connects.
A nice inside leg kick there by Gentil. That's going to slow Horiguchi down.
Gentil connects with a solid leg kick.
Gentil swats away the attempt to clinch by Horiguchi.
Gentil throws a jab but it's blocked by Horiguchi.
Horiguchi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gentil avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gentil scores with a punch to the head.
Horiguchi just misses with a punch to the body.
Horiguchi throws a big shot that misses.
Gentil swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Horiguchi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Horiguchi cracks Gentil with a good jab.
Gentil throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi checks the leg kick nicely there.
Horiguchi throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Gentil throws a leg kick but Horiguchi moved away.
Horiguchi is looking to clinch.
Horiguchi throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Gentil counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gentil throws a low kick but it's checked well by Horiguchi.
Gentil keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Horiguchi scoring well with a low kick there.
Gentil takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Gentil fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Horiguchi manages to avoid it.
Gentil is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Horiguchi.
A shot to the body from Horiguchi misses
and Gentil counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Horiguchi scores with a nice strike.
Horiguchi wants to clinch up but Gentil keeps it at a distance.
Gentil ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gentil moves out of range as Horiguchi strikes.
Horiguchi has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Gentil.
Horiguchi misses the jab.
Gentil lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gentil goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Horiguchi throws a body punch but Gentil moves out of range.
Horiguchi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gentil lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Gentil cracks Horiguchi with an open hand slap.
A jab from Gentil misses.
Gentil is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Horiguchi had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
A low kick from Gentil misses
and Horiguchi counters with an outside leg kick.
A big left from Gentil misses.
Gentil finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Gentil blocks a low kick nicely.
Horiguchi lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Horiguchi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Horiguchi tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Gentil counters with a thumping low kick.
Gentil lands with an uppercut that bounces Horiguchi off the cage and back into range.
Gentil connects with a right hand. Horiguchi shakes it off.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gentil is looking to chop away at Horiguchi's legs.
Gentil swings for the body but Horiguchi moves out of range.
Gentil scores with a punch to the head.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Gentil - that will leave a mark!
Gentil scores with a jab. Horiguchi acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Gentil dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gentil throws a leg kick
and Horiguchi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Horiguchi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gentil was well out of range. Poor timing from Horiguchi.
Gentil throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gentil moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gentil looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Horiguchi lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Horiguchi checks a leg kick nicely.
Gentil throws a lazy right hand but Horiguchi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sloppy strikes from Gentil. Those never looked like landing.
Gentil dips to his left and cracks Horiguchi with an uppercut!
Donk. Gentil catches Horiguchi right on the button with a cross.
Gentil throws a push kick but Horiguchi slaps the foot to one side.
Horiguchi throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Horiguchi takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Horiguchi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Gentil counters with a body kick.
Gentil has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Horiguchi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gentil manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Horiguchi is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Gentil swings for the body but Horiguchi moves out of range.
Horiguchi wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
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!
Gentil keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Gentil throws a sloppy head kick and Horiguchi moves out of range easily.
Nice shot by Horiguchi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horiguchi lands a body shot.
Gentil has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Horiguchi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gentil paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gentil appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Horiguchi ducks under a wild hook from Gentil.
Gentil throws a body punch but Horiguchi moves out of range.
Gentil tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Horiguchi is able to avoid easily.
Horiguchi is looking to counter punch.
Horiguchi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gentil moves away.
Gentil flicks out a counter leg kick but Horiguchi steps away.
A big left from Gentil misses.
Gentil thows a body kick. Horiguchi tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Gentil avoids a kick to the body.
Gentil walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Horiguchi checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Horiguchi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gentil is looking to chop away at Horiguchi's legs.

Horiguchi forces Gentil back against the cage and clinches.
Horiguchi has a couple of punches blocked by Gentil.
Gentil lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Horiguchi backwards.
Horiguchi throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Gentil breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Horiguchi throws out a leg kick but Gentil moves out of range and Horiguchi only half commits.
Horiguchi checks a leg kick nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi misses the jab.
Horiguchi lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gentil misses with a leg kick
and Horiguchi counters with a left to the body.
Gentil lands a leg kick that knocks Horiguchi off balance momentarily.
Horiguchi connects with a body shot that sends Gentil's belly button to the back.
Gentil is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Horiguchi.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Gentil.
Horiguchi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Horiguchi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A little jabbing left from Gentil on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Horiguchi misses with a low kick.
Horiguchi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gentil throws a wild body kick that Horiguchi sees coming a mile off.
Gentil displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Horiguchi throws out the jab.
Gentil pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Horiguchi swings for the body but Gentil moves out of range.
Gentil takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Gentil goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A quick step to the side and Horiguchi tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Horiguchi changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Gentil throws a hook to the side of Horiguchi's head but Horiguchi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi tries to clinch but Gentil is having none of it.
Gentil misses with a kick to the body.
Horiguchi doesn't manage to clinch there - Gentil circles away.
Horiguchi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Horiguchi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gentil.
Horiguchi lands a glancing blow to the side of Gentil's head.
An inside leg kick lands from Gentil.
Horiguchi misses with a straight left.
Gentil misses with a straight left.
Horiguchi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gentil.
Gentil lands a glancing blow to the side of Horiguchi's head.
Gentil tries a low kick but Horiguchi avoids it.
Horiguchi misses with a low kick.
Gentil tried to score with a low kick but Horiguchi checks it.
Horiguchi looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Horiguchi cracks a nice hook into Gentil's ribs.
Gentil turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gentil fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Horiguchi checks it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi misses with an uppercut. Gentil saw that one coming.
Gentil scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gentil moves away from the strike by Horiguchi.
Gentil swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Horiguchi misses with a low kick.
Gentil has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Horiguchi.
Horiguchi fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gentil on the side of the head.
Horiguchi finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Gentil finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Horiguchi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Horiguchi throws a leg kick but Gentil checks it.
Nice cross by Gentil.
Horiguchi throws a leg kick that misses.
Gentil on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Horiguchi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gentil manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Horiguchi 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.
Gentil thows a leg kick but Horiguchi checks it

and Horiguchi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Horiguchi fails to pull guard.
Gentil tries to break free but Horiguchi pushes him back against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Akaro Horiguchi will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Horiguchi checks a leg kick.
Gentil lands a nice shot to the body.

Horiguchi rushes Gentil and presses him up against the cage.

Gentil manages to break the clinch.
Horiguchi tries to clinch up.
Horiguchi takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Horiguchi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gentil.
Horiguchi misses with a left hand
letting Gentil counter with a right hand.
Horiguchi takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
A low kick lands for Gentil.
Horiguchi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gentil throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Horiguchi lands a jab to the head.
Horiguchi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gentil throws out the jab.
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!
Horiguchi defending well as Gentil loads up on a big left hand.
Gentil tries to work over Horiguchi's front leg with a kick but Horiguchi checks it.
Horiguchi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gentil paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gentil avoids a kick to the body.
Horiguchi has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Horiguchi there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gentil avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
A bone on bone clash there as Horiguchi blocks the leg kick.

Horiguchi rushes Gentil and presses him up against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Horiguchi scores with a nice short uppercut.
Gentil is looking to control Horiguchi's arms but Horiguchi gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gentil has his back to the cage.
Horiguchi pushes Gentil back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Horiguchi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Horiguchi gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Horiguchi scores with a shot to the side of Gentil's head.
Horiguchi tries for a takedown but Gentil manages to get underhooks.
Gentil blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gentil scores with a hook to the body.
Gentil tries to break free but Horiguchi pushes him back against the cage.

Gentil escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Horiguchi keeps control of Gentil as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Gentil breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gentil throws an overhand right that lands on Horiguchi's shoulder, as Horiguchi tries to avoid the shot.
Horiguchi scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gentil fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Horiguchi manages to avoid it.

Horiguchi darts in and clinches Gentil up against the cage.
Horiguchi keeps control of Gentil as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Horiguchi looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Horiguchi lands with a right to the head.

Gentil pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jab by Horiguchi.
Gentil bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Horiguchi throws a big shot that misses.
Horiguchi throws a chopping leg kick but Gentil manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Gentil blocks a head kick by Horiguchi.
Horiguchi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gentil fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Horiguchi has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Gentil swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Gentil misses with a wild body shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Horiguchi misses the target.
A jab from Gentil finds it's way through Horiguchi's defenses.
Horiguchi throws a low kick but Gentil moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gentil tries a low kick but Horiguchi avoids it.
A telegraphed right hand from Horiguchi misses the target.
Gentil throws a leg kick that is checked
and Horiguchi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Horiguchi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Horiguchi sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A slapping body kick lands there for Gentil.
Good work by Horiguchi as he checks the leg kick.
Gentil throws a hook but Horiguchi blocks it.
Gentil misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gentil slips a straight right by Horiguchi.
Horiguchi throws a leg kick that misses.
Gentil pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Gentil pushes Horiguchi away with a front kick.
Gentil scores with a three punch combo!
Horiguchi throws a lazy right hand but Gentil sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Horiguchi throws out a loose jab but Gentil uses good head movement to avoid it.
Horiguchi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Horiguchi misses with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Horiguchi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gentil manages to avoid it.
Horiguchi throws a jab but it's blocked by Gentil.
Gentil appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Horiguchi pivots, looking for a leg kick but Gentil is out of range and Horiguchi settles back down.
An inside leg kick from Horiguchi misses.
Horiguchi misses with a looping right.
Horiguchi bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Gentil's head backwards.
Gentil scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Jab by Gentil.
Gentil swings for the body but Horiguchi moves out of range.
Horiguchi is looking to counter the offense by Gentil and move into the clinch.
A clash of legs there as Horiguchi blocks the low kick.
Horiguchi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Horiguchi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Horiguchi will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Gentil is looking to slow Horiguchi down with leg kicks.
A good leg kick by Horiguchi.
Horiguchi throws a leg kick which misses Gentil's front leg but catches the back leg as Gentil tries to avoid it.
Gentil connects with a crisp jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Horiguchi throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Gentil counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Paulo Gentil.
I think Gentil has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Gentil!
Our winner, Paulo Gentil, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.