PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kumshot Sakiki (ranked 5221 p4p, 4136 weight class) and Arvel Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kumshot Sakiki has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Sakiki
vs
Richards

184 cm
23
212
1 - 2 - 0

200 cm
18
210
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kumshot Sakiki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Arvel Richards!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Chris Saunders and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakiki showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Richards.
Sakiki feinted with a counter takedown.
Sakiki has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Cozad MMA Hilo in the buildup to the fight.

Sakiki shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Richards is trying to defend but Sakiki finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Richards makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Richards shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sakiki pinned against the cage. Sakiki gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Richards stuffs the takedown.
Sakiki tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Richards swivels and escapes.
Richards fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Sakiki defends well and Richards ends up having to push Sakiki into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Kumshot Sakiki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arvel Richards.
A right-left combo lands from Richards.
Richards misses with a combination

and Sakiki counters with a single leg into guard. Richards didn't expect that.
Richards controls Sakiki momentarily but Sakiki frees himself.
Richards tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sakiki slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Richards escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sakiki gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakiki is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sakiki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Richards swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sakiki has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sakiki wants to get up but he can't break Richards's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Sakiki throws a head kick but Richards moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakiki stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sakiki wants it to stay on the feet.
Richards is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sakiki sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Richards looks winded!
Sakiki works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Sakiki stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sakiki wants it to stay on the feet.
Sakiki lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Sakiki changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Richards looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Sakiki is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Richards is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sakiki is looking to take a break and control but Richards is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Richards's face as Sakiki controls the position.
Richards struggling a bit here.
Sakiki wants to lay and pray for a moment but Richards keeps working.
Richards is looking to reverse the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kumshot Sakiki dominated that 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.

Sakiki shoots in and drives through. Richards sprawls well.
Richards is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Sakiki gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Sakiki manages to pull guard.

Sakiki is working an open guard so Richards takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Richards shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sakiki as he jumps to the side.

Sakiki has Richards up against the cage in a clinch.
Richards jumps guard but Sakiki stands there with Richards around his waist. Richards gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Richards manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sakiki wants to control from the top but Richards keeps moving.
Sakiki engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Sakiki has gone for a leg lock! Richards slips out almost immediately though and dives into Sakiki's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sakiki is adopting a defensive guard.
Richards in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sakiki is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Richards wants to control from the top but Sakiki keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards preventing the sweep.
Sakiki on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sakiki tries to get out of the position.
Richards looking to pass the guard.
Richards stands and throws Sakiki's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Richards trying to control the action but Sakiki is working from the bottom.
Sakiki knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Richards on the ground.
Richards prevents Sakiki from escaping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Richards tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Richards tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Richards has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Richards is breathing heavily.
Sakiki tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Richards is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sakiki is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Richards gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Arvel Richards will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sakiki is defended easily by Richards.
Richards gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sakiki counters with a takedown into side control.

Richards explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Sakiki's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Richards connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sakiki scrambles back to his feet.
Richards showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sakiki.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sakiki clinches with his opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Richards tries to land a knee to the head but Sakiki blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakiki lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Richards is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Sakiki to keep the fight standing.

Sakiki pulls Richards into guard.

Sakiki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Richards defends it easily.

Richards is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Richards slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakiki gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sakiki defending well though.

Richards is looking for a kimura but Sakiki is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Richards to get the leverage.

Richards is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sakiki has managed to free his arm - good work.
Sakiki is refusing to be controlled, as Richards sits in half guard.
Sakiki has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Richards is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakiki is trying to get back to full guard.
Sakiki is refusing to be controlled, as Richards sits in half guard.
Sakiki makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sakiki.
Sakiki is pulling down on Richards's head to control his posture.
Sakiki 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.

Sakiki has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Richards has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakiki looking to throw knees to the head but Richards is blocking nicely.

Sakiki turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Richards sneaks back into half guard.
Arvel Richards has got the better of the ground game so far.
Richards is trying to control but can't.
Richards wants to get back to full guard but Sakiki has passed into side control.
Sakiki cracks Richards with an elbow. That is naaassty.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kumshot Sakiki.
Well Sakiki has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kumshot Sakiki!