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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Masa Funaki (ranked 168 p4p, 330 weight class) and Tom Rivers (ranked 23 p4p, 49 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
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| 180 cm
29
154
13 - 10 - 0 |
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178 cm
37
157
26 - 14 - 0 |
Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible |
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Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Masa Funaki!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Rivers!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Robert Twigg.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Funaki darts in and clinches Rivers up against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Rivers tries to throw a body punch but Funaki avoids it by throwing Rivers back against the cage.
Funaki pushes off an throws an elbow but Rivers leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Rivers misses with a punch on the inside.
Rivers working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rivers lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Funaki lands a damaging elbow.
It looks like Tom Rivers has been cut.
Funaki has Rivers pushed against the cage.
Funaki lands a knee to the body.
Funaki tries to stall but Rivers uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Funaki lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rivers misses with the head strike.
Our sources have told us that Funaki has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Funaki blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Funaki looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Funaki throws an elbow but it misses.
Funaki missing with knees to the body.
Rivers tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rivers blocking some punches.
Funaki lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Funaki blocking some punches.
Funaki is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rivers is keeping busy.
Funaki looking to throw knees to the head but Rivers is blocking nicely.
Funaki has Rivers pressed against the cage.
Funaki looking to throw knees to the head but Rivers is blocking nicely.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Funaki.
Funaki prevents a body shot from Rivers.
Funaki blocks an uppercut.
Rivers avoiding damage as Funaki throws knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Funaki.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Funaki.
Funaki lands an elbow inside.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rivers.
Rivers tries to work over Funaki's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A right hand to the body from Rivers.
Funaki throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rivers lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Funaki throws an elbow but it's blocked.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rivers.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rivers lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Funaki or not.
Funaki pushes off an throws an elbow but Rivers leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Funaki tries to land knees in the clinch but Rivers avoids the damage to the body.
Rivers tries to work over Funaki's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Still in the clinch, Funaki scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rivers blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Funaki misses with an elbow strike.
Funaki slows down the pace here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Funaki.
Funaki working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rivers misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rivers lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Funaki backwards.
Funaki creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Funaki misses with an elbow over the top.
Funaki lands a good knee to the midsection. Rivers won't want to take too many of those.
Rivers throws a punch but it's blocked by Funaki.
Funaki throws an elbow but it misses.
Funaki with a knee to the head.
That has opened up Tom Rivers's cut even more.
A short right from Rivers.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rivers tries a body shot but Funaki blocks it.
Rivers dodges an elbow strike from Funaki.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rivers creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Funaki blocks a body shot from Rivers.
Funaki manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Rivers lands a shot to the body.
Rivers blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Funaki just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rivers's brow.
Funaki lands an uppercut.
Funaki utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Funaki is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rivers is defending well for now.
Rivers lands an uppercut.
Funaki misses with a knee strike.
Nice elbow from Funaki.
Funaki pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Funaki scores with a shoulder strike.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Funaki tries to stall but Rivers uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivers digs a right hand underneath Funaki's ribcage. Funaki let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Funaki lands a left hand.
Funaki is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Rivers blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rivers throws a head punch that misses.
Rivers lands with a left to the head.
Rivers throws a punch but it's blocked by Funaki.
Rivers fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rivers misses with a body punch.
Funaki can't find room to land a body shot as Rivers controls the action.
Funaki with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Funaki missing with knees to the body.
Funaki throws an elbow that misses.
Rivers takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rivers lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Funaki's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Funaki lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Funaki is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Rivers as the two fighters clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Masa Funaki dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tom Rivers's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.
Rivers just misses with a punch to the body.
Funaki is looking to score with low kicks.
Rivers steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Funaki looks to throw the jab but Rivers is out of range.
Rivers thinks about the counter body kick.
Funaki will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Funaki throws a jab when Rivers was well out of range.
Rivers connects with the punch.
Rivers throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Funaki on the side of the head.
Rivers scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Funaki doesn't seem bothered though.
Rivers shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Funaki eats them both and turns towards Rivers to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Rivers has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Funaki.
Rivers keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rivers gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rivers throws a punch but it's blocked by Funaki.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rivers creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A short uppercut from Funaki.
Funaki throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Funaki tries to land knees in the clinch but Rivers avoids the damage to the body.
Funaki misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rivers blocks an elbow strike from Funaki.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Rivers lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rivers avoiding damage as Funaki throws knees to the body.
Funaki is stalling here.
Rivers throws a head punch that misses.
Funaki utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Funaki with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rivers tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Funaki's elbow.
Rivers tries to work over Funaki's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Funaki.
Rivers lands an uppercut.
Funaki tries to land knees in the clinch but Rivers avoids the damage to the body.
Rivers tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Funaki.
Funaki misses with an elbow over the top.
Rivers takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rivers lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Funaki.
Rivers struggles to land a body shot inside as Funaki controls his hands.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Funaki lands a damaging elbow.
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 blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rivers takes an elbow to the temple.
The cut above Tom Rivers's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
A bit of stalling here from Funaki.
Funaki taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Funaki throws an elbow that misses.
Funaki throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Funaki blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rivers prevents a body shot from Funaki.
Rivers takes an elbow to the forehead.
Tom Rivers's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Funaki looking to throw knees to the head but Rivers is blocking nicely.
A short right from Rivers.
Funaki tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rivers avoids it.
Rivers struggles to land a body shot inside as Funaki controls his hands.
Funaki blocks a body shot from Rivers.
Funaki will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Rivers up against the cage.
Rivers misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rivers lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Funaki or not.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funaki is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
With the fighters up against the cage, Funaki throws an elbow but misses.
Rivers tries a body shot but Funaki blocks it.
Funaki throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Knees in the clinch landing for Funaki.
Funaki will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Rivers up against the cage.
Funaki is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rivers is defending well for now.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Rivers scores with a shoulder strike.
Funaki prevents a body shot from Rivers.
Rivers doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rivers avoids a wild elbow strike from Funaki.
Rivers lands a left hand.
Funaki wants to stall.
Funaki scores a nice knee to the body.
Funaki tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rivers avoids it.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funaki throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Funaki tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Funaki is trying to maintain a safe position but Rivers gets an underhook and turns Funaki into the cage.
Rivers blocks the elbow strike.
Funaki creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rivers dodges an elbow strike from Funaki.
Funaki pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rivers.
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!
Rivers managing to block the knees to the body from Funaki.
A hook to the body from Rivers.
Funaki looking to stall.
Masa Funaki has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Rivers fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Good body shot from Rivers.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rivers tries to work over Funaki's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rivers avoids a wild elbow strike from Funaki.
Rivers takes an elbow to the temple.
The referee calls the doctor in to look at Tom Rivers's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!
Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Masa Funaki!
Masa Funaki retains his lightweight title!
Masa Funaki decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.
In defeat, Tom Rivers stepped up to the mic, saying 'good fight'.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
45% |
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