PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Keizo Kasai (ranked 796 p4p, 1151 weight class) and Jach Bresnar (ranked 111 p4p, 157 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kasai
vs
Bresnar

175 cm
32
158
16 - 10 - 0

180 cm
27
165
8 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Keizo Kasai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Jach Bresnar!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Steve Smith and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bresnar thows a leg kick but Kasai checks it

and Kasai moves into the clinch.
Kasai scores with an uppercut up the middle.
I was talking to Kasai's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Bresnar wants to stall.
Kasai blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Bresnar escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bresnar tries to clinch but Kasai moves away
and Kasai counters with a nice body shot.
Kasai scores with a decent looking hook.
Kasai misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bresnar.
Bresnar throws a lazy uppercut
and Kasai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kasai throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bresnar looks to clinch
and Bresnar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kasai jabs Bresnar right on the nose. Bresnar blinks but takes it well.
Jach Bresnar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bresnar takes a swing at Kasai's ribcage but misses.
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!
Bresnar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kasai circles away quickly and effectively.
Kasai was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bresnar fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kasai looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Bresnar avoids the body shot from Kasai.
Bresnar tries to clinch
and Kasai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bresnar throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kasai was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Kasai connects with a body shot.
Bresnar misses with a hook. Kasai ducked under it nicely.
Kasai lands a body shot.
Kasai misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bresnar has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Bresnar throws a lazy right hand but Kasai sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kasai. Bresnar does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bresnar now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Bresnar looks to land a combination but Kasai avoids it well.
An attempted straight right counter from Kasai misses the target.
Kasai circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kasai counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kasai is looking to wear down Bresnar with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Bresnar misses with an uppercut
and Kasai counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bresnar fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kasai seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Kasai lands a glancing blow to the side of Bresnar's head.
Bresnar with a poor takedown
and Kasai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nice shot by Kasai.
Bresnar lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Bresnar tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kasai counters with a two punch combo.
Bresnar darts in trying to clinch
enabling Kasai to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kasai lands with a good body shot.

Kasai gets caught napping as Bresnar dives in and scores a takedown. Kasai manages to retain guard.
Bresnar with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kasai keeping moving, preventing Bresnar from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bresnar looking to sit in guard and control but Kasai gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Bresnar manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kasai manages to get himself to full guard.

A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bresnar accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bresnar trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kasai working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bresnar.
Bresnar controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Bresnar throws a big right hand that misses.
Bresnar trying to control the position from guard on top but Kasai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kasai looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Bresnar trying to control the position from guard on top but Kasai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Keizo Kasai dominated that round.
That's time! Kasai's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bresnar closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kasai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bresnar throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Kasai counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bresnar darts in trying to clinch
and Kasai counters with a nice uppercut.
Kasai throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
It seemed like Bresnar was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Kasai uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bresnar.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bresnar throws out a powerful jab.
Kasai scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Bresnar takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Kasai lands a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch but Kasai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kasai stuns Bresnar with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Keizo Kasai is winning the standup battle so far.
Bresnar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bresnar wants to clinch
and Kasai counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Bresnar fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bresnar misses with a double jab
and Bresnar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bresnar gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kasai counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Kasai misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bresnar.
Bresnar closes the distance but Kasai moves to the side
and Kasai counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kasai misses the shot to the body.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch but Kasai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bresnar tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kasai counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Bresnar tries to keep at a distance but Kasai has taken the fight into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bresnar tries to stall but Kasai uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kasai lands a right hand.
Kasai blocks a body shot from Bresnar.
Kasai throws a punch but it's blocked by Bresnar.
Kasai lands with a left to the head.
Kasai lands a right hand.
Kasai lands a left hand.
Kasai lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar has had enough of the clinch but Kasai keeps him there for the moment.
Kasai is trying to force a seperation but Bresnar has the dominant position.
Kasai lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kasai.
Bresnar doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Bresnar manages to break the clinch.
Bresnar walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Jab, jab by Bresnar - just one landing.
Bresnar takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Kasai misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Kasai clinches up with Bresnar and pushes him back against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kasai.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kasai.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kasai creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head punch on the inside from Kasai fails to land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kasai's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bresnar looks to clinch
and Kasai counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bresnar misses with a body shot
and Kasai makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Kasai scores with a body shot.
Bresnar is looking to clinch.
Bresnar doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kasai counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Kasai cracks Bresnar with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Bresnar misses with a takedown attempt
and Kasai counters with a straight right hand.
Keizo Kasai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jach Bresnar.
Kasai looks to score with a jab to the body but Bresnar is just out of range.
Kasai wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Bresnar tries to move into range but Kasai moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Keizo Kasai dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bresnar shoots and misses
and Kasai counters with a left and a right that stings Bresnar.
Kasai throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Bresnar instigates a clinch.
Kasai lands with a light punch inside.
Bresnar has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Kasai displaying some good clinch control by pressing Bresnar up against the cage.
Kasai throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bresnars head.
Still in the clinch, Kasai scores with a nice short uppercut.
Kasai is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bresnar can do to turn this around?
Kasai is trying to break the clinch but Bresnar is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice body punch from Kasai - that landed with a thud.
A short uppercut from Kasai.
Kasai working aggressively here.
Bresnar lands a body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kasai lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bresnar trying to control the position but instead, Kasai has worked for underhooks and has pushed Bresnar into the cage.
Bresnar fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kasai tries to land knees in the clinch but Bresnar avoids the damage to the body.
Bresnar is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Kasai is keeping busy.
Kasai scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kasai lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Bresnar or not.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kasai.

Bresnar jumps guard and drags Kasai to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Kasai wanted to stand there but Bresnar had control of the position.
Bresnar wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar trying to keep a closed guard but Kasai is proving a slippery customer.
Bresnar bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kasai's guard.

Kasai wants to stand and escape but Bresnar is having none of it.
Bresnar is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Kasai is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bresnar is controlling him.
Kasai wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar trying to control the position from guard on top but Kasai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kasai looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bresnar is one step ahead there.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Kasai has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Bresnar has passed into side control.
Jach Bresnar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bresnar trying to control the action but Kasai is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Bresnar tries to score with some ground and pound. Kasai controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Kasai manages to get back to half guard.
Kasai controlling the position well.
Kasai is trying to stand back up but Bresnar is controlling him

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bresnar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keizo Kasai showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kasai, 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:26
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keizo Kasai!
After winning the bout, Keizo Kasai thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.