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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kotaro Asakura (ranked 4235 p4p, 5263 weight class) and Ben Hornby (ranked 269 p4p, 310 weight class). Kotaro Asakura could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Ben Hornby's chin.
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| 173 cm
18
137
1 - 0 - 0 |
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167 cm
18
143
1 - 1 - 0 |
BJJ White Belt
Decent elbows
Granite chin |
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BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kotaro Asakura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Hornby!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Richard Clark and Steven Brown.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hornby has managed to clinch.
Asakura lands a nice elbow.
A short left from Hornby.
Hornby tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hornby misses with a knee to the head.
Asakura breaks from the clinch.
Hornby lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Asakura circles away quickly and effectively.
Ben Hornby seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Asakura leaves Hornby with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Hornby tries to close the distance and clinch but Asakura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hornby tries to clinch there but Asakura circles away.
Asakura keeps the fight on the outside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Asakura misses with a head kick.
Hornby doesn't manage to clinch there - Asakura circles away.
Hornby throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Asakura throws a quick counter head kick but Hornby was just out of range.
Asakura looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Asakura throws a head kick but Hornby moves out of range.
Asakura throws a head kick but Hornby moves out of range.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura throws a sloppy head kick and Hornby moves out of range easily.
Hornby moves to clinch but Asakura breaks away
and Asakura counters with a solid body kick.
Hornby tries to close the distance and clinch but Asakura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hornby shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Asakura but Asakura pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hornby moves into the clinch.
Asakura pushes off an throws an elbow but Hornby leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Asakura misses with an elbow strike.
Asakura being controlled against the cage.
Hornby wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hornby avoids a wild elbow strike from Asakura.
Asakura pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Come on Asakura - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Hornby missing with knees to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hornby.
Hornby tries to break free but Asakura pushes him back against the cage.
Hornby looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hornby lands with a right to the head.
Asakura stalling in the clinch.
Asakura misses with an elbow over the top.
Hornby struggles to land a body shot inside as Asakura controls his hands.
Hornby's coach down at JAG Battle Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Hornby's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Hornby with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Asakura comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hornby taking a breather.
Hornby looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Asakura throws an elbow but it misses.
Hornby is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Hornby tries to break the clinch but Asakura is controlling the position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hornby throws a head punch that misses.
Asakura lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Asakura just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hornby's brow.
Hornby lands a shot to the body.
Hornby lands a hook to the side of the head.
Hornby avoids the elbow strike from Asakura, against the cage.
Asakura misses with an elbow over the top.
Hornby tries to circle away but Asakura has him pinned against the cage.
Hornby blocks an elbow strike.
Asakura misses with an elbow over the top.
Hornby dodges an elbow strike from Asakura.
Asakura escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hornby avoids the head kick by Asakura.
Hornby darts in and clinches Asakura up against the cage.
Hornby tries to break free but Asakura pushes him back against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Hornby.
Asakura misses with an elbow strike.
Asakura content to slow the pace in the clinch.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Asakura.
Hornby wants to break the clinch but can't.
Asakura has Hornby pressed against the cage.
Hornby blocks an elbow strike from Asakura.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hornby creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
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!
Hornby tries a body shot but Asakura blocks it.
A nice right hand lands inside from Hornby.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Asakura just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hornby's brow.
Hornby looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hornby tries a knee to the head but Asakura blocks it.
Hornby taking a breather.
Asakura throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Hornby avoids the elbow strike from Asakura, against the cage.
Hornby takes an elbow to the temple.
Hornby blocks the elbow strike.
A frustrated look appears on Hornby's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Asakura pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Asakura gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Asakura breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
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 Kotaro Asakura will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.
Hornby throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Hornby tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hornby has closed the distance and engaged Asakura in a clinch.
Asakura is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Hornby is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Asakura lands an elbow inside that Hornby shrugs off.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Asakura throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Asakura lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hornby tries to break the clinch but Asakura is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hornby dodges an elbow strike from Asakura.
Hornby misses with a short punch on the inside.
Asakura lands a damaging elbow.
Asakura lands an elbow inside.
Asakura lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A short right from Hornby on the inside.
Hornby dodges an elbow strike from Asakura.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura slowing the pace effectively.
Hornby is trying to maintain a safe position but Asakura gets an underhook and turns Hornby into the cage.
Asakura stalling in the clinch but Hornby improves position.
Asakura creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Hornby avoids a wild elbow strike from Asakura.
Asakura throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Asakura breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Asakura swats away the attempt to clinch by Hornby.
Asakura tries a head kick but it misses.
Hornby tries to clinch up but Asakura circles away and keeps his distance.
Asakura throws a head kick that misses.
Hornby tries to close the distance and clinch but Asakura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hornby is looking to clinch but Asakura is avoiding it.
Asakura thinks about countering with a head kick.
Hornby throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asakura circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hornby just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromAsakura.
Kotaro Asakura is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Asakura throws a head kick that misses.
Hornby moves into the clinch.
Asakura breaks from the clinch.
Kotaro Asakura is winning the standup battle so far.
Hornby tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Asakura manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Asakura throws a counter high kick but Hornby was just alert enough to avoid it.
Hornby takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Hornby tries to clinch there but Asakura circles away.
Hornby tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Asakura defends well and Hornby ends up having to push Asakura into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Asakura is looking to counter with head kicks.
Hornby tries to clinch up.
Asakura lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Hornby doesn't manage to clinch there - Asakura circles away.
Asakura thinks about countering with a head kick.
Asakura swats away the attempt to clinch by Hornby.
Asakura is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hornby can do to turn this around?
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hornby wants to clinch.
Hornby looks to clinch
and Asakura counters with a head kick. That will keep Hornby thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Hornby has a takedown stuffed.
Hornby tries to clinch up but Asakura circles away and keeps his distance.
Hornby has taken the fight to the clinch.
Asakura looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Hornby misses with a punch on the inside.
Hornby works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Hornby blocks an elbow strike.
A short uppercut from Hornby.
Hornby blocks an elbow strike.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Asakura's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Asakura pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Asakura pushes off an throws an elbow but Hornby leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Asakura lands an elbow that stopped Hornby in his tracks for a moment.
Hornby wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hornby blocks an elbow strike from Asakura.
Hornby blocks the elbow strike.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hornby.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hornby avoiding damage.
Asakura misses with an elbow strike.
Asakura lands a nice elbow.
Asakura looking to slow down the pace here.
Asakura throws an elbow but it misses.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Hornby takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Kotaro Asakura dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!
Hornby closes the distance and clinches.
Hornby looking to stall.
Asakura breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hornby moves in looking to clinch but Asakura pushes him off.
Asakura lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Hornby tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Asakura manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hornby moves in looking to clinch but Asakura pushes him off.
Hornby is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hornby fails to land with a series of punches.
Hornby pushes Asakura up against the cage in a clinch.
Asakura takes a shot to the head.
Asakura breaks the clinch.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura throws a leg kick which misses Hornby's front leg but catches the back leg as Hornby tries to avoid it.
A head kick misses from Asakura.
A combination from Hornby does no damage.
Hornby wants to clinch.
Hornby tries to close the distance and clinch but Asakura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Asakura is looking to counter with head kicks.
Hornby tries to clinch up but Asakura circles away and keeps his distance.
Asakura is looking to counter with head kicks.
Asakura circles away from the clinch attempt.
Asakura misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A head kick misses from Asakura.
Hornby throws a counter combo.
Hornby throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Asakura.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hornby doesn't manage to clinch there - Asakura circles away.
Hornby tries to clinch there but Asakura circles away.
Hornby moves in looking to clinch but Asakura pushes him off.
Asakura on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Hornby looks to clinch
and Asakura counters with a big head kick but Hornby shrugs it off.
Hornby rushes Asakura and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Asakura lands a nice elbow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Asakura has Hornby pressed against the cage, preventing Hornby from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hornby avoids the elbow strike from Asakura, against the cage.
Nice elbow from Asakura.
Asakura breaks from the clinch.
Hornby tries to close the distance and clinch but Asakura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Asakura lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Asakura lands a head kick!
Kotaro Asakura is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hornby is looking to clinch but Asakura is avoiding it.
A slow jab from Hornby misses its intended target.
Hornby just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromAsakura.
Hornby wants to clinch up but Asakura keeps it at a distance.
Asakura throws a quick counter head kick but Hornby was just out of range.
Hornby doesn't manage to clinch there - Asakura circles away.
Asakura looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Hornby has a takedown stuffed.
Hornby dives in for a single leg takedown but Asakura sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Asakura throws a quick counter head kick but Hornby was just out of range.
Hornby wants to clinch.
Asakura is looking to counter with head kicks.
Hornby moves out of range of the body kick from Asakura.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hornby moves in looking to clinch but Asakura pushes him off.
Hornby has closed the distance and engaged Asakura in a clinch.
Hornby is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Hornby is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Asakura leaning his opponent against the cage.
Asakura taking a breather.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hornby misses with a short punch on the inside.
And that's the end of the fight!
Kotaro Asakura showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Asakura, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kotaro Asakura!
A very excited looking Kotaro Asakura made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
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
46% |
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