PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shigeru Otori (ranked 2161 p4p, 2938 weight class) and Joseph Futeran (ranked 225 p4p, 291 weight class). Joseph Futeran acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Otori
vs
Futeran

178 cm
21
145
6 - 5 - 1

176 cm
23
146
6 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 6 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Shigeru Otori!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Joseph Futeran!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Donald Grub and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Futeran waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Otori.
Otori looks for the body kick but Futeran saw that one coming.
Otori throws a chopping leg kick but Futeran manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Futeran moves in looking to clinch but Otori pushes him off.
Otori chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Futeran tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Otori paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Otori throws a sloppy head kick and Futeran moves out of range easily.
Otori swats away the attempt to clinch by Futeran.
Otori throws a wild body kick that Futeran sees coming a mile off.
Futeran changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Futeran moves out of range of the leg kick from Otori.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Futeran's jab looks to have found its range, popping Otori under the eye.
Otori blocks the body kick.
Otori throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Futeran plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Futeran throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Otori stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Futeran with a lazy takedown attempt
and Otori counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Futeran ducks under a wild hook from Otori.
Futeran tries to clinch but Otori moves out of range.
Otori fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Futeran manages to avoid it.
Futeran misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Futeran throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Otori walks into a jab.
Otori lands a head kick. Futeran smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Futeran throws a lazy uppercut
and Otori counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A head kick misses from Otori.
Futeran with the counter takedown but Otori avoids it easily.
Otori with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Futeran is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Otori.
Futeran takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Otori takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Otori misses with a low kick as Futeran jumps back.
Futeran tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Otori was well out of range. Poor timing from Futeran.
Futeran pivots, looking for a leg kick but Otori is out of range and Futeran settles back down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Otori motions for Futeran to come forward. Otori throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Futeran has his takedown stuffed
and Otori counters with a series of strikes. Futeran will be more careful next time no doubt.
Otori throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Futeran sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Futeran is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Futeran misses with a low kick as Otori jumps back.
Otori avoids the head kick by Futeran.

Futeran rushes Otori and presses him up against the cage.
Otori misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Otori unloads a knee to the mid-section.
I was talking to Otori's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Otori on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Futeran throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Otori has a couple of punches blocked by Futeran.
Futeran swings wildly with an uppercut but Otori uses good head movement to avoid it.
Otori misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Otori tries to circle away but Futeran has him pinned against the cage.
Otori avoids the elbow strike from Futeran, against the cage.
Otori with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Otori goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Otori escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Futeran lunges at Otori with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Otori's hand.
Otori is looking to chop away at Futeran's legs.
Otori scores with a jab to the jaw.
A good leg kick by Otori.
Futeran misses with a kick to the body.
Shigeru Otori is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Otori pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Otori throws a push kick but Futeran slaps the foot to one side.
Futeran throws out a counter right but Otori avoids it with no problem.
Futeran 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Otori fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Otori blocks a jab.
A big left from Futeran misses.
Futeran with a nice cross.
Futeran darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Otori looks for the body kick but Futeran saw that one coming.
Futeran misses with a wild body shot.
Otori was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Otori avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Futeran misses with a takedown attempt - Otori sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Shigeru Otori has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Futeran.
Futeran swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Futeran takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A nice leg kick lands there from Otori.

Futeran gets a clinch.
Otori blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Futeran working aggressively here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Shigeru Otori will probably get the nod.
That's time! Otori's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Futeran throws a combination. Otori tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Futeran tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Otori defends well and Futeran ends up having to push Otori into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A cross from Otori lands.
Otori tried to score with a low kick but Futeran checks it.
Otori tries a head kick but it misses.
Otori is looking to score with low kicks.
Futeran works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Futeran moves in looking to clinch but Otori pushes him off.
Otori looks to land a body kick but Futeran moved away.
Futeran tries to close the distance and clinch up but Otori swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Futeran moves in looking to clinch but Otori pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Futeran blocks the body kick.

Futeran gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Futeran scores a nice knee to the body.
Otori tries to stall but Futeran uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Futeran is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Futeran throws a body kick that misses.

Otori gets tackled into the cage by Futeran. Futeran maintains the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Otori creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Otori misses with a punch on the inside.
Otori stalling in the clinch but Futeran improves position.
Futeran swings wildly with an uppercut but Otori uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Futeran.

Otori's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Futeran moves into the clinch.
Otori using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Futeran has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Futeran's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A leg kick checked by Futeran.
Otori misses with a kick to the body.
Futeran tries to clinch up.
Futeran throws out a loose jab but Otori uses good head movement to avoid it.
Futeran checks a leg kick.
Futeran lands a nice leg kick that just misses Otori's sensitive parts.
An inside leg kick lands from Otori.
Futeran misses with an uppercut. Otori saw that one coming.
Otori lands with a thumping leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Otori lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Futeran is looking to clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Futeran is defended easily by Otori.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Otori swinging wildly here.
Futeran takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Futeran tries to clinch but Otori is having none of it.
Otori staying out of range there.
Futeran tries to clinch but Otori is having none of it.
Otori with the inside leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Futeran. Otori does a little dance to reset his feet.
Otori scores with a shot to the body.
Nice straight punches there by Otori. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Otori.
Otori tries to land a leg kick but Futeran saw it coming and moves away.

Otori gets tackled into the cage by Futeran. Futeran maintains the clinch.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Futeran fails with an attempt to clinch.
That kick from Otori tenderised Futeran's leg. Futeran is trying to keep his angry face on.
Futeran throws a head kick but Otori moves out of range.
Futeran's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Futeran falls off balance throwing a combination
and Otori cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Otori throws a low kick, looking for Futeran's leg but Futeran calmly moves out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Futeran throws a hook to the side of Otori's head but Otori sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Futeran looking to land some kicks to the body here.
An inside leg kick lands from Otori.
Futeran misses with an uppercut. Otori saw that one coming.
Futeran throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Otori looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A nice leg kick lands there from Otori.

Futeran rushes Otori and presses him up against the cage.
Futeran tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
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 Shigeru Otori will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

A jab from Futeran misses.

Futeran instigates a clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Futeran.
Futeran throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Otoris head.
Futeran misses with some punches.
Futeran effectively controlling the action here.
Otori misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Otori lands a nice shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Otori is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Otori swings wildly with an uppercut but Futeran uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Otori softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Otori is looking to break free of the clinch but Futeran has double underhooks.
Otori blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Otori tries to break the clinch but Futeran is controlling the position.
A frustrated look appears on Otori's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Futeran blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Otori misses with a short punch on the inside.
Futeran can't get the takedown.
Otori is pushing Futeran up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Futeran lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Otori.
Joseph Futeran has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A body shot lands from Futeran.
Otori working aggressively here.
Joseph Futeran seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Otori misses with some punches.
Otori slows down the pace here.
Otori lands with a right to the head.
Otori swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Futeran's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Otori throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Futeran cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Otori throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A nice leg kick lands there from Otori.
Shigeru Otori is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Futeran pushes Otori up against the cage in a clinch.
Otori throws a head punch that misses.
Futeran stalling in the clinch.
Otori lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Futeran is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Otori to keep the fight standing.
Futeran presses Otori against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A right handed body shot lands from Otori.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Futeran lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Shigeru Otori has been cut.
Otori looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Futeran wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Otori has him pressed against the cage.
Futeran presses Otori against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Futeran pushes off an throws an elbow but Otori leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Futeran.
Futeran fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joseph Futeran comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Otori has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Shigeru Otori!
Shigeru Otori seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.