PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kosami Akagawa (ranked 2987 p4p, 4548 weight class) and Sugar Ray Karter (ranked 404 p4p, 540 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Akagawa
vs
Karter

178 cm
18
192
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
190
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kosami Akagawa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sugar Ray Karter !
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Andrew Berry and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Akagawa drops his hands momentarily and Karter takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A leg kick checked by Akagawa.

Akagawa clinches.
Karter tries a knee to the head but Akagawa blocks it.
Karter throws a punch but it's blocked by Akagawa.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Karter misses with a punch to the body.
Akagawa managing to block the knees to the body from Karter .
Akagawa has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Karter after a bit of a struggle.
Akagawa blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Akagawa manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Karter must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akagawa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Akagawa trying to keep a closed guard but Karter is proving a slippery customer.
Karter trying to control the position from guard on top but Akagawa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akagawa will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Karter preventing the sweep.
Akagawa being controlled here, momentarily.
Akagawa keeping moving, preventing Karter from controlling successfully.
Akagawa looking to control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Karter misses with a straight right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Akagawa takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A punch lands to the side of Akagawa 's head but he takes it in his stride.
A telegraphed right hand from Akagawa misses the target.
A little jabbing left from Karter on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
A head kick by Karter misses
and Akagawa counters with a low kick, right behind Karter 's knee.
Akagawa ducks under a wild hook from Karter .
Karter fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Akagawa checks it well.
Akagawa half committed to a counter leg kick.
Karter keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Karter jabs at Akagawa's body.
Akagawa delivers a nice body kick.
A head kick misses from Akagawa.
Akagawa tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Karter defends well and Akagawa ends up having to push Karter into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kosami Akagawa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Karter missing with knees to the body.
Karter using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Akagawa has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Akagawa wants a takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karter stops a takedown attempt from Akagawa.
Akagawa is trying to pull guard but Karter turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Akagawa blocks a body shot from Karter .
Karter scores with a shot to the side of Akagawa's head.
Akagawa goes for a takedown in the clinch but Karter prevents it.
Karter stops a takedown attempt from Akagawa.
A short right from Karter on the inside.

Karter 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Karter scores with a nice right hand.
A jab from Karter finds it's way through Akagawa's defenses.
Akagawa uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Karter .
Akagawa lands with a kick to the temple. Karter shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Karter pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Akagawa misses with a wild combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akagawa on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Karter connects with a good right hand that stumbles Akagawa. Akagawa circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Karter will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Karter moves out of range of the body kick.
A big right from Karter misses.
Akagawa is looking to counter with a body kick.
Akagawa takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Akagawa bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Akagawa fails to land the takedown.
Karter shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Akagawa eats them both and turns towards Karter to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Karter lands a high kick!
A looping hook to the body misses from Karter . Akagawa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Karter lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sugar Ray Karter 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.

Akagawa instigates a clinch.

Akagawa manages to pull guard.
Akagawa tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Karter trying to control the position from guard on top but Akagawa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Akagawa lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Akagawa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Akagawa lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Akagawa scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Akagawa throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akagawa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Karter working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Akagawa.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Akagawa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Akagawa throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Karter works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Akagawa throws a big elbow that misses.
Karter has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Akagawa makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Akagawa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Akagawa throws a big right hand that misses.
Karter avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Karter keeping full guard, as Akagawa tries to pass.
Akagawa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Akagawa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Karter is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Karter looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Karter looking to control.
Akagawa postures up and lands a big shot to Karter 's brow.
Akagawa throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Karter is pulling down on Akagawa's head to control his posture.
Akagawa throwing strikes but missing.
Akagawa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karter is keeping the position for now.
Akagawa works over Karter with some ground and pound from guard.
Akagawa has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Akagawa postures up and lands a big shot to Karter 's brow.
Karter is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akagawa throwing strikes but missing.
Karter working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Akagawa.
Akagawa working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Akagawa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Akagawa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Akagawa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Akagawa scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Akagawa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Karter preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Akagawa with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Akagawa throwing strikes from guard but Karter blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Akagawa throws a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karter not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Akagawa landing with the ground and pound.
Karter utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Karter keeping full guard, as Akagawa tries to pass.
Akagawa working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Akagawa tries to free his leg and advance position but Karter is retaining full guard.
Akagawa advances to half guard.
Akagawa looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Akagawa drops an elbow to the side of Karter 's head.
Akagawa tries to pass the half guard into mount. Karter knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Akagawa looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kosami Akagawa dominated that second 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Akagawa slips under a jab.
Akagawa takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Karter cracks a nice hook into Akagawa's ribs.
Sugar Ray Karter seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Karter scores with a head kick.
Karter cracks Akagawa with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Karter has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A punch lands to the side of Akagawa 's head but he takes it in his stride.
A slapping leg kick lands for Akagawa.
Karter lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Akagawa takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Karter scores with the left hand. Akagawa knows he should have avoided that one.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Akagawa feints and then cracks Karter 's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Karter down.
Akagawa dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Karter . That did some damage!
Akagawa avoids a punch combination nicely.
Karter misses with a wild combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karter moves out of range as Akagawa throws a body kick.
Akagawa with a poor takedown
and Karter counters with a nice body shot.
Karter throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Karter lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Akagawa circles away quickly and effectively.
Karter swats away the attempt to clinch by Akagawa.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Akagawa. Karter shrugs it off though.
Karter thuds his right hand into Akagawa's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Akagawa moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Akagawa takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Karter jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Akagawa avoids the head kick by Karter .
Akagawa bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akagawa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Karter ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Akagawa moves away.
Karter lands a jab-cross combination.
Karter takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A chopping leg kick lands by Akagawa.
Karter throws a head kick that misses.
Akagawa ducks under a wild hook from Karter .
Sugar Ray Karter is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Akagawa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Akagawa closes the distance and clinches.
Akagawa blocks a body shot from Karter .

Akagawa jumps guard.
Akagawa doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Akagawa wants to sweep here but Karter controlling him for the moment.
Kosami Akagawa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akagawa lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Akagawa has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Karter has passed into side control.
Akagawa sneaks back into half guard.
Akagawa is trying to get back to full guard.
Akagawa is pressing down on Karter 's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Akagawa is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Karter is looking to improve his position.
Akagawa tries to pass to full mount but Karter defends it.
Akagawa lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Akagawa thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Karter trying to control but Akagawa postures up.
Akagawa not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Akagawa thows a huge punch but Karter dodges it nicely.
Karter is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Akagawa scores with a couple of nice shots.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sugar Ray Karter comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Karter has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:28

The fight is ruled a draw!