PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sonny Barella (ranked 3911 p4p, 1979 weight class) and Kotaro Asakura (ranked 213 p4p, 118 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Barella
vs
Asakura

167 cm
22
135
3 - 5 - 0

173 cm
20
137
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

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 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sonny Barella!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kotaro Asakura!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Dean Styles and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barella dives in and grabs Asakura's left leg, looking for a takedown. Asakura pushes down on Barella's head and hops out.
A solid leg kick lands there for Asakura.

Asakura has Barella up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice elbow from Asakura.
Barella tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Asakura smiles and moves away.
Barella sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Asakura lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Asakura, as that shot connected.
That kick from Asakura tenderised Barella's leg. Barella is trying to keep his angry face on.

Asakura clinches up with Barella and pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barella jumps guard but Asakura stands there with Barella around his waist. Barella gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sonny Barella. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barella is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Asakura lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Barella takes an elbow to the forehead.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Asakura.
Asakura creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barella's defenses.
Asakura lands an elbow just above Barella 's eye.
Asakura throws an elbow but it misses.
Asakura lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A body shot lands from Asakura.
Asakura creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Good body shot from Asakura.
Asakura throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Barellas head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barella tries to pull guard but Asakura forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Asakura.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Asakura comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Asakura looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Asakura scores with a shot to the side of Barella's head.
Asakura lands a damaging elbow.
Barella tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Asakura manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Barella avoids a wild elbow strike from Asakura.
Asakura lands an elbow that stopped Barella in his tracks for a moment.
Nice elbow from Asakura.
Asakura lands an elbow just above Barella 's eye.
Barella fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Asakura.
A nice right hand lands inside from Asakura.
Nice elbow from Asakura.
Barella blocks an elbow strike from Asakura.
Asakura lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Asakura lands a body punch.
Barella jumps guard but Asakura stands there with Barella around his waist. Barella gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Asakura as the two fighters clinch.
Asakura tries a body shot but Barella blocks it.
Asakura lands a nice elbow.
Barella tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Asakura just stands there and leans against the cage.
Barella tries to pull guard but Asakura forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Asakura lands a damaging elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Asakura lands an elbow that stopped Barella in his tracks for a moment.
Asakura throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Barella jumps guard but Asakura stands there with Barella around his waist. Barella gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Asakura lands with a left to the head.
Asakura goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Asakura taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Asakura lands a right hand that snaps the head of Barella backwards.
Asakura is working Barella over against the cage.
Asakura lands an elbow inside that Barella shrugs off.
Asakura creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barella's defenses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kotaro Asakura dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Barella closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Asakura throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Barella is rocked!
Barella fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Oh Barella is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Barella shoots and misses
and Asakura counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Asakura gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Asakura leaning his opponent against the cage.
Asakura has Barella pressed against the cage. He pushes Barella back and as he springs towards him off the cage, Asakura throws a beautiful elbow that sends Barella crashing to the floor! Asakura piles on the pressure with more strikes! Barella is flailing away but he's not defending himself and the referee steps in to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kotaro Asakura!
After winning the bout, Kotaro Asakura thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.