PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sheng Shimozukushichi (ranked 5868 p4p, 5924 weight class) and Magnus Larsen (ranked 443 p4p, 446 weight class). Shimozukushichi's entrance music is RUDE - Eternal Youth. A fine choice. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Shimozukushichi
vs
Larsen

175 cm
20
145
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
157
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Conquer
Barry Bonds Performance Enhancers $120 160q Rec&St

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sheng Shimozukushichi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Magnus Larsen!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Dean Styles and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shimozukushichi wants to clinch up but Larsen keeps it at a distance.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Larsen. Shimozukushichi shrugs it off though.
Larsen has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Larsen ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Larsen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Shimozukushichi.
Shimozukushichi moves in looking to clinch but Larsen pushes him off.
Larsen changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Shimozukushichi wants to clinch but Larsen slips to the side
and Larsen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Larsen lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Larsen scores with a jab to the jaw.
Shimozukushichi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Larsen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Larsen paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Larsen feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Shimozukushichis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Shimozukushichi moves into range and clinches up with Larsen.

Larsen breaks from the clinch.
Larsen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Shimozukushichi takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Shimozukushichi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Shimozukushichi misses with a jab to the body

and Larsen counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Larsen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Magnus Larsen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shimozukushichi darts in trying to clinch
and Larsen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Larsen fakes the leg kick and cracks Shimozukushichi in the body.
Larsen tries to bum rush Shimozukushichi with a series of wild strikes but Shimozukushichi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Larsen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Larsen pushes Shimozukushichi away with a front kick.
Larsen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Shimozukushichi has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Larsen.
Larsen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Shimozukushichi has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Magnus Larsen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Shimozukushichi clinches up with Larsen and pushes him back against the cage.
Larsen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Shimozukushichi's elbow.
Shimozukushichi is looking to take this one to the mat.

Shimozukushichi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larsen thuds his right hand into Shimozukushichi's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shimozukushichi on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Larsen moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Larsen looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Larsen lands a slapping body shot.
Larsen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Shimozukushichi has time to react.
Shimozukushichi wants to clinch
and Shimozukushichi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Larsen gets tackled into the cage by Shimozukushichi. Shimozukushichi maintains the clinch.
Larsen can't find room to land a body shot as Shimozukushichi controls the action.
Larsen works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Shimozukushichi gets control of Larsen's arms and successfully pulls guard. Shimozukushichi will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Shimozukushichi wants to get back to his feet but Larsen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shimozukushichi can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Larsen controls the pace.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Magnus Larsen dominated that round.
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.

Larsen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shimozukushichi with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Larsen to score with a decent uppercut.
Shimozukushichi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Larsen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Larsen throws out a counter right but Shimozukushichi avoids it with no problem.
Larsen throws a good cross that connects.
Shimozukushichi is looking to clinch but Larsen is avoiding it.
Larsen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Shimozukushichi has managed to clinch.

Shimozukushichi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Larsen lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Larsen bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Shimozukushichi tries to clinch up but Larsen circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larsen swats away the attempt to clinch by Shimozukushichi.
An inside leg kick lands from Larsen.
Larsen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larsen throws a leg kick which misses Shimozukushichi's front leg but catches the back leg as Shimozukushichi tries to avoid it.
Larsen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Shimozukushichi.
Shimozukushichi is looking to clinch but Larsen is avoiding it.
Shimozukushichi tries to clinch up but Larsen circles away and keeps his distance.

Shimozukushichi closes the distance and pushes Larsen back into the cage.
Shimozukushichi is stalling here.

Shimozukushichi jumps guard.
Shimozukushichi wants to stand up but Larsen is controlling him.
Shimozukushichi is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larsen is stalling in the full guard.
Shimozukushichi is trying to control the position but Larsen postures up.
Larsen stopping the sweep attempt from Shimozukushichi.
Larsen won't allow Shimozukushichi to get back to his feet.
Larsen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shimozukushichi takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Magnus Larsen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Larsen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sheng Shimozukushichi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Larsen throws a leg kick but Shimozukushichi moved away.
Magnus Larsen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Larsen scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Shimozukushichi takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A punch combination from Larsen misses.
Larsen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shimozukushichi wants to clinch.
Magnus Larsen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Larsen misses with a body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shimozukushichi tries to clinch up but Larsen circles away and keeps his distance.
Larsen misses with a wild combination.
Nice cross by Larsen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larsen throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Larsen lands a nice shot that snaps Shimozukushichi's head back.
Shimozukushichi tries to clinch up but Larsen circles away and keeps his distance.
Larsen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Shimozukushichi is looking to clinch but Larsen is avoiding it.
Shimozukushichi will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Larsen jabs Shimozukushichi right on the nose. Shimozukushichi blinks but takes it well.
Shimozukushichi tries to clinch but Larsen is having none of it.
Larsen swats away the attempt to clinch by Shimozukushichi.
Shimozukushichi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Larsen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Larsen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Larsen lands a nice looking body kick.
Larsen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Larsen shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Shimozukushichi eats them both and turns towards Larsen to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shimozukushichi takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larsen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Larsen scores with a hook.
Shimozukushichi tries to clinch
and Larsen counters with a thumping low kick.
Shimozukushichi tries to clinch there but Larsen circles away.

Shimozukushichi instigates a clinch.
Shimozukushichi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Larsen has Shimozukushichi pushed against the cage.
Shimozukushichi has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Larsen after a bit of a struggle.
Larsen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Shimozukushichi backwards.

Larsen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sheng Shimozukushichi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Larsen swats away the attempt to clinch by Shimozukushichi.

And that's the end of the fight!
Magnus Larsen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Larsen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 26:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 26:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Magnus Larsen!
A very excited looking Magnus Larsen rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.