PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Xylon Kofel (ranked 409 p4p, 887 weight class) and Shigeru Otori (ranked 47 p4p, 93 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kofel
vs
Otori

173 cm
27
150
13 - 7 - 1

178 cm
26
145
12 - 9 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Akuma Wear
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Conviction

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 13 - 7 - 1, fighting out of New York, Xylon Kofel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 1, fighting out of London, Shigeru Otori!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, James Ackerman and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Otori works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Otori uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Kofel has time to react.
Otori ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kofel moves away.
Kofel throws a front kick aimed at Otori's knee but Otori avoids it well.
Kofel blocks a leg kick.
Otori ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kofel moves away.
Kofel tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Otori throws a looping overhand right but Kofel ducks down to avoid it.
Kofel lands a jab to the nose.
Kofel tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Kofel scores with a leg kick.
Kofel throws out a leg kick but Otori moves out of range and Kofel only half commits.
Otori lands with a thumping leg kick.
Otori blocks a low kick nicely.
Otori is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Kofel with a body shot.
Otori throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kofel sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kofel fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Otori on the side of the head.
Otori throws a shot from downtown. Kofel moves away and avoids it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Otori swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kofel cracks Otori with a right hand to the side of the head.
Kofel connects with a solid leg kick.
Kofel uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Otori.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kofel checks a low kick from Otori.
Otori ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kofel moves away.
Kofel moves away from the strike by Otori.
Otori waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kofel.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kofel.
Otori cracks Kofel with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Shigeru Otori seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kofel closes the distance and clinches.
Otori stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Kofel working aggressively here.
Kofel has a couple of punches blocked by Otori.
Otori has a couple of punches blocked by Kofel.
Kofel works on Otori's body with a couple of short punches.
Otori missing with knees to the body.
Otori with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kofel takes a knee to the side of the body.
A short left from Kofel.
Otori lands a right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kofel misses with the head strike.
Kofel managing to block the knees to the body from Otori.
Kofel blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Otori.
Otori pushes Kofel back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Otori tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kofel avoids it.
Otori tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A knee to the head by Otori.
Otori with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kofel.
Kofel is trying to pull guard but Otori turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Kofel 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.
Kofel lands with a light punch inside.
Otori trying to land knees to the body.
Otori lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Kofel lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Otori throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kofel lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Otori backwards.
Kofel tries to work over Otori's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Otori tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Otori lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Kofel or not.

Kofel pulls guard effortlessly.
Otori tries to stand but Kofel is controlling from the bottom.
Kofel has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Otori has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kofel is proving hard to escape from.

Kofel looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Otori being controlled here momentarily.
Otori would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Kofel throws a front kick aimed at Otori's knee but Otori avoids it well.
Kofel connects with the punch.
Otori cracks a nice hook into Kofel's ribs.
Kofel takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Otori comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Otori jabs at Kofel's body.
Otori looks to land a left hand but Kofel moved out of range nicely.
Kofel tries to score with a low kick but Otori moves his leg out of the way.
Kofel throws the left hand but Otori avoids the punch easily.
Otori takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Otori throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kofel is looking to clinch but Otori is avoiding it.
Otori throws a lazy uppercut
and Kofel connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Otori throws a leg kick which misses Kofel's front leg but catches the back leg as Kofel tries to avoid it.
Otori pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kofel is out of range and Otori settles back down.
It looked like Kofel wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Otori scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kofel fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Otori.
Otori displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kofel throws out the jab.
A decent looking cross lands there for Otori.
Otori shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Otori misses with a straight right.
Otori takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Otori fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kofel manages to avoid it.
Otori swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Otori misses with a low kick.
Otori swings widly with a right hand
and Kofel counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Shigeru Otori seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kofel swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Jab by Kofel.
Kofel throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kofel connects with a looping right hand.
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!
Otori lands with a straight right. Kofel didn't see that one coming.
Otori misses with a straight right.
Otori throws a body punch but Kofel moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Otori throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kofel tries to work over Otori's front leg with a kick but Otori checks it.
Otori displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kofel throws out the jab.
An inside leg kick from Kofel misses.
Otori lands with an uppercut that bounces Kofel off the cage and back into range.
Otori avoids the body shot from Kofel.
A swing and a miss from Otori.
Otori cracks Kofel with a good jab.
Otori throws a body shot but no joy.
Kofel lands a jab to the nose.
Kofel tries a low kick but Otori avoids it.
Otori looks to throw the jab but Kofel is out of range.
Xylon Kofel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kofel connects with an inside leg kick.
Kofel scores with a jab to the head.
Otori with the inside leg kick.
Kofel lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kofel throws a front kick aimed at Otori's knee but Otori avoids it well.
Otori appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.

Kofel gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Otori lands a right hand.
Kofel throws a head punch that misses.
Otori lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Kofel lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Kofel fails to pull guard.
Otori unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kofel lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Kofel lands a shot to the body.
Kofel lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Otori with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kofel.
Otori misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kofel.
Otori throws a punch but it's blocked by Kofel.
Otori tries a knee to the head but Kofel blocks it.
Kofel misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Otori tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Otori misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kofel.
Otori misses with a knee strike.
Otori tries a body shot but Kofel blocks it.
Kofel lands a left hand.
Kofel pushes Otori back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kofel blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Otori connects with a knee to the head.
Shigeru Otori seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Otori has a couple of punches blocked by Kofel.
Kofel is trying to pull guard but Otori turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Kofel lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Otori tries to land a knee to the head but Kofel blocks with his arms.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kofel creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Kofel jumps guard and drags Otori to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Kofel has control of Otori's left arm, preventing Otori from doing any damage.

Kofel is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kofel looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kofel working a defensive guard here.
Kofel tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Otori must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Kofel is working an open guard so Otori takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Otori throws a hook but Kofel blocks it.
Otori keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Otori checks a low kick from Kofel.
Kofel scores with the left hand. Otori knows he should have avoided that one.
Kofel misses with a low kick.
A leg kick checked by Kofel.
Otori lands a jab to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kofel shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Otori scores with a sloppy right hand. Kofel should have avoided that one.
Otori misses with an uppercut. Kofel saw that one coming.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Xylon Kofel will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kofel tries to clinch but Otori moves away
and Otori counters with a stiff right hand.
Otori scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Otori swings widly with a right hand
and Kofel counters with a slapping leg kick.
Otori misses with a body shot.
Otori throws a hook but Kofel blocks it.
Otori connects with a good right hand that stumbles Kofel. Kofel circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Kofel swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kofel lands with an overhand left.
Otori cracks Kofel with a good jab.
Kofel throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A nice side step and Otori releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Kofel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Otori swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kofel lands a glancing blow to the side of Otori's head.
An inside leg kick lands from Otori.
Kofel wants to clinch.
Kofel wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kofel looks to land a right hand but Otori moved out of range.
Donk. Otori catches Kofel right on the button with a cross.
Otori misses with a looping left.
Otori misses the shot to the body.
Kofel lands a jab to Otori's midsection.
Kofel slips a straight right by Otori.
Otori staying out of range there.
Otori looks to score with a jab to the body but Kofel is just out of range.
Kofel's jab looks to have found its range, popping Otori under the eye.
Kofel lands a nice shot that snaps Otori's head back.
Otori blocks a low kick nicely.
Kofel throws out a leg kick but Otori moves out of range and Kofel only half commits.
Otori misses with a hook. Kofel ducked under it nicely.
Kofel throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kofel tries to land a leg kick but Otori saw it coming and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Otori throws out a loose jab but Kofel uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kofel is looking to counter punch.
Otori chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kofel can pounce on him.
Otori attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Kofel throws a leg kick that misses.

Kofel gets in close and instigates a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A body shot lands from Otori.
Otori tries to land a knee to the head but Kofel blocks with his arms.

Otori escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kofel throws a body shot but no joy.
Kofel lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Otori throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kofel feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Otori swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Kofel.
Otori uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kofel.
Kofel blocks a jab.
A counter left hand to the body from Kofel misses its target.
Otori just misses with a punch to the body.
Otori looks to score with a jab to the body but Kofel is just out of range.
Otori takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Otori misses with a right hand
and Kofel counters with an outside leg kick.
Otori checks a leg kick nicely.
Otori connects with a jab.
Otori scoring well with a low kick there.
Otori avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kofel getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Otori turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kofel misses with a right hand
and Otori connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A lazy left from Kofel finds it's target.
Kofel connects with a looping right hand.
Kofel finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A jab from Otori misses.
Otori ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kofel moves away.
Kofel is looking to clinch.
Kofel drops his hands momentarily and Otori takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kofel throws a hook to the side of Otori's head but Otori sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kofel attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kofel lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Otori bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Otori lands a body shot.
Otori is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kofel.
A clash of legs there as Otori blocks the low kick.
Kofel avoids the body shot from Otori.
Kofel lands a glancing blow to the side of Otori's head.
Otori scores with a nice head shot.
Otori scores with a hook to the body. Kofel takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Otori swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Kofel.
Kofel with the inside leg kick.
Otori lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Otori throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Otori throws a leg kick which misses Kofel's front leg but catches the back leg as Kofel tries to avoid it.

Kofel rushes Otori and presses him up against the cage.
Otori misses with the head strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Shigeru Otori.
I think Otori 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 28:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Shigeru Otori!
An out of breath Shigeru Otori thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.