PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Edgy Brah (ranked 1272 p4p, 1023 weight class) and Masa Funaki (ranked 137 p4p, 118 weight class). Brah kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Dropped by Smoke Serpent. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Brah
vs
Funaki

173 cm
38
155
22 - 19 - 1

180 cm
31
154
14 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

SMESH Nutrition 160Q

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 22 - 19 - 1, fighting out of London, Edgy Brah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 14 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Masa Funaki!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Funaki loads up on a big right hand but Brah slips the punch.
Brah lands with a straight right. Funaki didn't see that one coming.
Good work by Brah as he checks the leg kick.
Brah tries to counter with a takedown but Funaki is quick to defend against it.
Brah lands with a hook. Funaki tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Brah stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Funaki.
Good shot there by Brah.
Funaki throws a leg kick but Brah checks it.
Funaki keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Funaki thuds his right hand into Brah's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brah jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Brah sets himself, and Funaki steps forward looking for the clinch! Brah avoids it this time.
Brah misses with a takedown attempt - Funaki sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Funaki is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Funaki throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brah takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Brah takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Funaki throws a leg kick which misses Brah's front leg but catches the back leg as Brah tries to avoid it.
Funaki waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Brah.
Masa Funaki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Funaki takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Funaki throws a low kick, looking for Brah's leg but Brah calmly moves out of range.
Brah feinted with a counter takedown.
Funaki scores with a nice body kick.
Masa Funaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Funaki tries to work over Brah's front leg with a kick but Brah checks it.
Brah will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edgy Brah. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Funaki takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Brah has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Brah moves out of range as Funaki throws a body kick.
A low kick from Funaki is predictable there

and Brah counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
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!
Brah wants to take a breather but Funaki is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Funaki has his hands clasped together around Brah's back. He's all about the action.
Brah working Funaki over with strikes.
Funaki is looking to improve his position.
Brah performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Brah looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Brah content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brah trying to control the action but Funaki is working from the bottom.
Funaki is trying to get back to full guard.
Funaki keeps trying to improve his position.
Brah seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Funaki does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Funaki makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Funaki.
Brah trying to control but Funaki is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Brah not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Funaki has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Funaki throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Funaki just misses with a punch to the body.
Brah misses the jab.
Funaki misses with a low kick.
Brah blocks the body kick.
Funaki looks to throw a body kick

and Brah decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Funaki's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Brah throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Funaki works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Funaki keeping moving, preventing Brah from controlling successfully.
Brah is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Funaki is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Masa Funaki will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Funaki wants to slow Brah down by chopping away at his legs.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Funaki thows a leg kick but Brah checks it

and Brah counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Funaki manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Funaki misses with a hook to the ribs.
Brah has Funaki pushed against the cage.
Funaki taking a breather.
Funaki is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Brah is keeping busy.
Funaki lands an elbow inside.
Funaki misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Brah misses with a short punch on the inside.
Brah misses with a hook from the clinch.
Funaki digs a right hand underneath Brah's ribcage. Brah let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Funaki lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Brah backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Brah tries to throw a body punch but Funaki avoids it by throwing Brah back against the cage.
Brah scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funaki stops a takedown attempt from Brah.
Funaki blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Brah is trying to trip Funaki. He has hold of a leg but Funaki is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Brah persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Brah works over Funaki with some ground and pound from guard.
Funaki trying to keep a closed guard but Brah is proving a slippery customer.
Brah's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Edgy Brah overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Funaki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Brah is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Brah sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Funaki's guard.

Brah is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Funaki is just riding it out for now. Brah eventually gives up the hold.
Funaki is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brah is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Brah wants to control from the top but Funaki keeps moving.
Funaki has Brah pulled in close to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brah trying to control the position from guard on top but Funaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Funaki throws out a leg kick but Brah moves out of range and Funaki only half commits.
Brah fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Brah misses with a jab, cross combination.
Brah throws a sloppy head kick and Funaki moves out of range easily.
Funaki throws an off balance right hand

and Brah counters with a nice double leg into side control. Funaki won't be happy with that.
Brah is looking to take a break and control but Funaki is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Brah content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Brah wants to lay and pray for a moment but Funaki keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Brah tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Brah trying to control the position but Funaki is working away.
The referee asks Brah politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Brah prefers to stall for the moment though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Edgy Brah 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. This is the final round!

Brah closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Brah lands in his opponent's guard.
Brah looking to pass the guard.
Funaki working a defensive guard here.
Brah controls from within his opponent's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brah looking to sit in guard and control but Funaki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Brah had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Funaki defends it easily.
Brah can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Funaki controls the pace.
Funaki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Brah swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Brah keeping moving, preventing Funaki from controlling successfully.
Brah has his hands on Funaki's head, controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Brah working a defensive guard but Funaki manages to pass into side control anyway.
Brah is trying to improve his position.
Brah is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Funaki's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Funaki with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Brah is looking for a sweep. Funaki is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funaki trying to advance position but Brah counters by regaining guard.
Funaki looking to sit in guard and control but Brah gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Funaki controlling the position.
Brah trying to control but Funaki is working from the bottom.
Brah missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Brah trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funaki trying to keep a closed guard but Brah is proving a slippery customer.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Funaki 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.
Brah pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Funaki is keeping the position for now.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Funaki throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Brah appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Funaki throws a leg kick that misses.
Funaki misses the jab.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Funaki throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Brah counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Brah ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Funaki moves away.
Funaki wants to counter with a clinch but Brah pushes him away.
Brah shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Funaki defends it nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edgy Brah showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Brah 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edgy Brah!
Our winner, Edgy Brah, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.