PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Iso Paa (ranked 289 p4p, 802 weight class) and Ichioka Kaori (ranked 45 p4p, 125 weight class). Kaori comes into a darkened arena with his song building. GOZEN kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Paa
vs
Kaori

187 cm
26
217
17 - 4 - 0

194 cm
27
210
13 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Bondi MMA ðŸï¸
Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

Phoenix
PWNAGE Elite

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Iso Paa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ichioka Kaori!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Anthony Taglia and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paa closes the distance and clinches up with Kaori, looking for a takedown. Paa pushes Kaori against the cage but Kaori circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A countering left hand to the body from Kaori misses.
Paa works Kaori's body with a nice hook.
Paa throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Paa closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch on the inside from Paa fails to land.
Paa keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kaori's efforts to push away.
Paa tries to pull guard but Kaori won't allow it.

Kaori breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kaori looks for the body kick but Paa saw that one coming.
Kaori waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Paa.
Paa is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
We've been hearing reports that Paa has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Kaori stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Paa.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kaori slips a jab from Paa.
Kaori on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Kaori keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kaori fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Paa on the side of the head.
Kaori misses the shot to the body.
It looked like Paa wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Paa.
Kaori with a nice cross.
Paa throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kaori swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Kaori moves into the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Paa fails to land.
A short uppercut from Paa.
Paa keeps control of Kaori as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Paa tries to stall but Kaori uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
A short left from Kaori.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Paa.
Kaori fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Paa jumps guard but Kaori turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Iso Paa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kaori scores with a shot to the side of Paa's head.
Kaori swings wildly with an uppercut but Paa uses good head movement to avoid it.

Kaori breaks the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd cheers as Paa lands an impressive looking overhand right. Kaori doesn't seem phased though.
Paa throws a poor cross that misses
and Kaori counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Paa with a nice calf kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paa looks to land a combination but Kaori avoids it well.
Paa throws a combination. Kaori tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Kaori throws an overhand right that lands on Paa's shoulder, as Paa tries to avoid the shot.
Paa listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Kaori is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Kaori misses the jab.
Kaori misses with a body shot.
Paa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kaori appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Paa is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Paa swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kaori displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Paa throws out the jab.

Paa gets a double leg takedown into Kaori's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paa trying to control but Kaori is working from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kaori is on top in guard.

Paa is looking for a triangle but Kaori pushes his legs off easily.
Paa is trying to control the position but Kaori postures up.

Paa working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kaori doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kaori manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Kaori preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kaori stands up and waves to Paa to follow him.
Kaori misses the shot to the body.

Kaori moves into the clinch successfully.
Paa tries to score a body lock takedown but Kaori shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A right handed body shot lands from Kaori.
Kaori misses with a hook from the clinch.
Paa stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Paa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kaori walks away with a smile on his face. Paa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Iso Paa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kaori displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Paa.
Kaori moves out of range of the body kick.
Paa fails with the takedown.
Kaori moves away from the strike by Paa.
Kaori only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Kaori digs a good hook to Paa's body.
Paa is breathing heavily.
Kaori missing with a left hand there. Paa was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Iso Paa will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A chopping leg kick lands by Paa.
Paa swats away the attempt to clinch by Kaori.
Paa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kaori tries to close the distance and clinch up but Paa swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Paa takes the fight into the clinch.
Paa wants to stall.
Kaori is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Kaori breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kaori walks into a stiff left hand from Paa.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kaori has managed to clinch.
Kaori misses with a short punch on the inside.
Paa blocking some punches.
Paa lands with a left to the head.
Ichioka Kaori seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Paa swings wildly with an uppercut but Kaori uses good head movement to avoid it.
Paa lands a left hand that snaps the head of Kaori backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Kaori.
Kaori misses with the head strike.
Paa blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kaori looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Paa blocks an uppercut.
Paa swings wildly with an uppercut but Kaori uses good head movement to avoid it.
Paa stalling in the clinch but Kaori improves position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Paa.
Paa blocks an uppercut.
Paa prevents a body shot from Kaori.
Kaori misses with a body punch.

Kaori breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nice defenses there by Paa.
Iso Paa is winning the standup battle so far.
Kaori walks into a left hand.

Paa fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Kaori to the ground. Paa is now in Kaori's guard.

Kaori uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Paa throws a shot to the body.
Kaori fails in his attempt to clinch.
Paa digs a good body shot into Kaori's ribs.
Paa with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Paa connects with a crisp jab.
Paa fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kaori! But no joy.
Kaori misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Paa.
Paa turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Paa thuds his right hand into Kaori's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Paa scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Kaori is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Paa dives in and grabs Kaori's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kaori pushes down on Paa's head and hops out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paa scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Paa lands an overhand right.
A big left from Paa misses.
A slow jab from Kaori misses its intended target.
Paa connects with a right hand. Kaori shakes it off.
Kaori throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Paa with a nice calf kick.
Paa throws a body shot but no joy.
Paa slips under a jab from Kaori.
Kaori misses with a hook.
Paa scores with a jab to the body.
Paa is looking to slow Kaori down with leg kicks.
Paa is looking to chop away at Kaori's legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paa checks a low kick from Kaori.
Paa stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Kaori.
Paa fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Iso Paa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Paa closes the distance but Kaori moves to the side
and Kaori counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kaori swats away the attempt to clinch by Paa.

Kaori gets tackled into the cage by Paa. Paa maintains the clinch.
Paa stalls.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kaori.
Paa is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kaori is defending well.
Kaori lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Paa scores with a hook to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Iso Paa dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Paa swats away the attempt to clinch by Kaori.
Paa scores with a kick to the midsection.
Paa is looking to clinch.
A jab from Paa finds it's way through Kaori's defenses.
Nice straight punches there by Paa. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Paa.
Paa swings for the body but Kaori moves out of range.
Kaori throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kaori buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Kaori uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Paa.
Paa avoids the body shot from Kaori.
A low kick lands for Paa.
Paa stuns Kaori with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paa scores with a hook.
Ichioka Kaori is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Paa changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kaori looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Kaori is pushing Paa's head away, looking to escape. Paa manages to hold on to the position though.
Paa trying to control the action but Kaori is working from the bottom.
Kaori is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Paa is controlling him well.
Paa wants to control but Kaori is keeping him busy.
Ichioka Kaori has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A shot to the body from Paa misses
and Kaori counters with a right hand to the body.
Paa lands with a cross.

Paa fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kaori sprawls well initially but Paa persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kaori is trying to stand back up but Paa is controlling him

Paa is trying to work for a kimura but Kaori is defending well.

Paa is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Kaori defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Paa seems to be looking for submissions.
Kaori is trying to stand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Paa is working for a submission of some sort.
Kaori is trying to stand.

Paa is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Kaori has managed to free his arm - good work.
Paa trying to control the action but Kaori is working from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Iso Paa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four 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.
Kaori is in trouble now - Paa has advanced to mount!

Paa has control of Kaori's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kaori regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Kaori is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kaori flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

Paa goes for an armbar but Kaori turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Kaori.

And that's the end of the fight!
Iso Paa showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Paa, 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Iso Paa!
A determined Iso Paa didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!