PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kiso Akinaga (ranked 2718 p4p, 3135 weight class) and Hunter Acosta (ranked 327 p4p, 380 weight class). Akinaga comes to the cage accompanied by The HU - Wolf Totem. This should be fireworks!

Akinaga
vs
Acosta

207 cm
23
273
7 - 8 - 0

200 cm
20
275
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Prefers standup

Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kiso Akinaga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hunter Acosta!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Eddie Farnsworth and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Acosta connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A left and a right from Akinaga both land. Nice combination.

It looks like Hunter Acosta has been cut.
Akinaga misses with a two punch combination.
A punch combination from Akinaga misses.
Akinaga looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Acosta avoids a punch combination nicely.
Akinaga with a nice cross.
Akinaga falls off balance throwing a combination

and Acosta counters with a shoot takedown. Akinaga fights it but they end up in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Acosta thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Acosta sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Akinaga's guard.
Akinaga is refusing to be controlled, as Acosta sits in half guard.
Akinaga is trying to get back to full guard.

Acosta wants to work for an arm triangle but Akinaga is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Akinaga is trying is best to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Acosta passes to side control.

Acosta is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Akinaga knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Acosta goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Akinaga has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Acosta but great work by Akinaga.
Acosta tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Akinaga presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Akinaga trying to control but Acosta is having none of it.
Acosta wants to control but Akinaga is having none of it.
Akinaga sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Acosta really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Akinaga knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Acosta on the ground.
Akinaga controlling the position easily from mount.
Akinaga looking to control but Acosta is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Acosta can't escape the position.
Acosta tries to hold on but Akinaga pushes him away.
Akinaga can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Acosta is looking to escape.
Acosta wants to hold on but Akinaga pushes him away.
Acosta tries to reverse the position but Akinaga maintains control.
Akinaga trying to control but Acosta is having none of it.
Acosta sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akinaga wants to control but Acosta is keeping him busy.
Akinaga tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Acosta.
Acosta tries to roll over but Akinaga keeps him under control.
Acosta is still trying to improve position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kiso Akinaga dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hunter Acosta's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Akinaga scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Akinaga slips a straight right by Acosta.
Akinaga tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Acosta was well out of range. Poor timing from Akinaga.
Akinaga misses with a few strikes there.
And Acosta tries to counter it with a takedown but Akinaga pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Acosta scores with a punch to the head.
Nice jab there from Akinaga.
Akinaga throws a body punch but Acosta moves out of range.
Acosta lands with a nice body punch.
Akinaga misses with a few strikes there.
Akinaga moves out of range as Acosta strikes.
Kiso Akinaga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Akinaga fails to land with a series of punches.
Acosta throws a right hand that Akinaga ducks under and follows up with a left that Akinaga also avoids with ease.
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!
Acosta thows a left - swing and a miss!
Acosta blocks a jab.
Acosta fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Akinaga looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Akinaga looks to land a combination but Acosta avoids it well.
Akinaga throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Akinaga throws a series of punches but Acosta avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akinaga drops his hands momentarily and Acosta takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Acosta cracks Akinaga with a right hand to the side of the head.
Acosta misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Akinaga is looking for a counter combo.
Akinaga tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Acosta was well out of range. Poor timing from Akinaga.
Acosta slips a jab and a cross from Akinaga.
Acosta slips a jab and a cross from Akinaga.
Akinaga's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Acosta connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Akinaga scrambles back to his feet.
Akinaga scores with a one two! Acosta had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Acosta uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Akinaga.
Acosta throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Acosta uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Akinaga.
Akinaga lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Acosta misses the jab.
Akinaga throws a right and a left that both miss.
Akinaga falls off balance throwing a combination

and Acosta counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Akinaga controlling Acosta's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Acosta stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Akinaga swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Akinaga controls Acosta momentarily but Acosta frees himself.
Acosta slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Akinaga trying to control the position.
Acosta slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Acosta content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Akinaga is trying to buck Acosta off.
Acosta tries to move into full mount but can't pass Akinaga's legs.
Acosta is looking to take a break and control but Akinaga is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Akinaga is looking for a sweep.
Akinaga can't do much from the bottom here.
Acosta tries to advance to mount but Akinaga denies him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Akinaga is not content to let Acosta control the position.
Akinaga tries to buck Acosta off but Acosta is having none of it.

Acosta tries for a kimura but Akinaga is defending well.
Acosta is looking to take a break and control but Akinaga is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Akinaga is trying to control Acosta's posture but Acosta avoids it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hunter Acosta will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Hunter Acosta's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Acosta looks to score with a jab to the body but Akinaga is just out of range.
Acosta avoids a punch combination nicely.
Acosta showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Akinaga.
Acosta will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Akinaga is looking for a counter combo.
A punch combination from Akinaga misses.
Acosta let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Akinaga misses with the combination.
Akinaga will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akinaga throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A shot to the liver by Acosta. Beautiful body shot.
Acosta misses with a straight right.
Akinaga lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Acosta circles away quickly and effectively.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Akinaga misses with a series of wild punches.
Acosta doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akinaga rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Acosta moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Acosta connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Akinaga's hands.
Akinaga rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Acosta moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Acosta lands with a shot to the body.
Akinaga tries to move into range but Acosta moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Acosta missing with a left hand there. Akinaga was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Akinaga is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Acosta.

It looks like Kiso Akinaga has been cut.
Acosta misses with a straight right.
Akinaga showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Acosta.
Acosta slips a jab and a cross from Akinaga.
Acosta drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Akinaga defends it well.
Akinaga throws a right and a left that both miss.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Akinaga walks into a left hand.
Acosta scores with a nice right hand.
Kiso Akinaga seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Acosta rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Akinaga moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Akinaga throws a jab when Acosta was well out of range.
Akinaga misses with a wild body shot.
Acosta throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Akinaga.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akinaga misses with a combination
and Acosta counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Akinaga doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Akinaga takes a swing at Acosta's ribcage but misses.
It seemed like Acosta was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Acosta avoids a punch combination nicely.
Akinaga looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Akinaga takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Acosta swinging wildly here.
Acosta connects with the punch.
Acosta jabs at Akinaga's body.
Acosta throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Akinaga.
Sloppy strikes from Akinaga. Those never looked like landing.
It seemed like Acosta was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Kiso Akinaga is winning the standup battle so far.
Acosta scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Acosta throws a nice looking combination but Akinaga bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Acosta scores with a one two! Akinaga had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
A combination from Acosta does no damage.
Akinaga on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Acosta tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Akinaga was well out of range. Poor timing from Acosta.
Akinaga slips a jab from Acosta.
Nice shot by Acosta.
Akinaga fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Akinaga looks to throw the jab but Acosta is out of range.
Akinaga moves out of range as Acosta strikes.
Acosta lands a right hook to the body.
Akinaga misses with a series of wild punches.
Acosta just misses with a punch to the body.
Acosta scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Acosta will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Acosta catches Akinaga with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Akinaga takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Acosta jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Acosta dodges the punch combination from Akinaga.
Acosta moves out of range of the strikes.
Akinaga lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Acosta circles away quickly and effectively.
Akinaga misses with a two punch combination.
Acosta throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A punch combination from Akinaga misses.
Akinaga throws a right and a left that Acosta avoids nicely.
Acosta is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Akinaga misses with a two punch combination.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Akinaga avoids a punch combination nicely.
Acosta lands with a straight right. Akinaga didn't see that one coming.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hunter Acosta comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Acosta has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:29
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Kiso Akinaga!
An out of breath Kiso Akinaga thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.