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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Liwa Kursiwa (ranked 445 p4p, 412 weight class) and Katsu Yamasaki (ranked 41 p4p, 38 weight class). Katsu Yamasaki has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?
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| 165 cm
31
145
15 - 13 - 0 |
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176 cm
32
149
22 - 12 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine |
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Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Granite chin |
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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 15 - 13 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Liwa Kursiwa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Katsu Yamasaki!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Percy O'Donnell.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yamasaki misses with a hook to the body
and Kursiwa counters with a shoot takedown. Yamasaki fights it but they end up in guard.
Yamasaki 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.
Kursiwa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kursiwa throws a big right hand that misses.
Kursiwa throws a strike but Yamasaki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Kursiwa is looking for a triangle but Yamasaki pushes his legs off easily.
Yamasaki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kursiwa keeping moving, preventing Yamasaki from controlling successfully.
Kursiwa is trying to keep Yamasaki in close.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamasaki tries to free his leg and advance position but Kursiwa is retaining full guard.
Yamasaki passes into half guard.
Kursiwa trying to hold on to Yamasaki's head to control him but Yamasaki postures up.
Kursiwa regains full guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yamasaki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
That's two 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.
Yamasaki stops Kursiwa from standing up.
Kursiwa working a defensive guard here.
The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Kursiwa gets caught flat footed, as Yamasaki shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kursiwa trying to keep a closed guard but Yamasaki is proving a slippery customer.
Kursiwa tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kursiwa working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kursiwa working for a triangle but Yamasaki defends it easily.
Kursiwa working a defensive guard here.
Yamasaki forces his way into half guard.
Yamasaki trying to pass the guard but Kursiwa defending well.
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.
Yamasaki is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Kursiwa sees it coming and defends easily.
Yamasaki is looking to advance position but Kursiwa won't allow it.
Kursiwa might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Kursiwa keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Kursiwa makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yamasaki uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kursiwa.
Kursiwa goes for a double leg but Yamasaki avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Yamasaki continues to drive forward.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Katsu Yamasaki will probably get the nod.
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.
Kursiwa throws a leg kick but Yamasaki checks it.
Yamasaki changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
A jab lands there for Kursiwa.
Yamasaki moves out of range as Kursiwa strikes.
Kursiwa takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Some wild striking there from Kursiwa.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kursiwa darts in trying to clinch
and Yamasaki counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Kursiwa seems keen to control Yamasaki's posture.
Yamasaki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kursiwa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Yamasaki passes Kursiwa's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Kursiwa trying to control here.
Yamasaki looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kursiwa makes his way to full guard, as Yamasaki worked for a kimura.
Kursiwa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Yamasaki passes into half guard.
Kursiwa manages to get to full guard.
Kursiwa has his hands on Yamasaki's head, controlling the position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kursiwa is trying to keep Yamasaki in close.
Yamasaki passes into half guard.
Kursiwa is trying to control but can't.
Kursiwa tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Yamasaki manages to move to mount!
Yamasaki fails to move to back control.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kursiwa is trying to escape the mount.
Kursiwa is squirming around, avoiding Yamasaki's attempts to control the action.
Katsu Yamasaki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kursiwa just holding on.
Kursiwa is trying desperately to improve position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kursiwa sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Katsu Yamasaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!
Kursiwa shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Yamasaki defends it nicely.
Yamasaki is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Yamasaki dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kursiwa staying out of range there.
Kursiwa lands a jab to Yamasaki's midsection.
Kursiwa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yamasaki manages to avoid it.
Yamasaki tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Kursiwa tries for a takedown but Yamasaki sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kursiwa fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Liwa Kursiwa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yamasaki drives through with a takedown into Kursiwa's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Kursiwa pushes Yamasaki off and scrambles back to his feet.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamasaki avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Some wild striking there from Kursiwa.
Kursiwa dives in and grabs Yamasaki's left leg, looking for a takedown. Yamasaki pushes down on Kursiwa's head and hops out.
Kursiwa tries for a takedown but Yamasaki sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Yamasaki feints the counter takedown.
Yamasaki misses with a takedown attempt - Kursiwa sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kursiwa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yamasaki manages to avoid it.
Yamasaki drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Kursiwa defends it well.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kursiwa fails with a takedown attempt.
Kursiwa shoots and misses
and Yamasaki counters by clinching up.
Yamasaki leaning against his opponent.
Kursiwa changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Yamasaki fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Yamasaki looks for a takedown but Kursiwa sprawls well.
Kursiwa misses with a body kick.
Yamasaki with the counter takedown but Kursiwa avoids it easily.
Liwa Kursiwa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kursiwa fails with a takedown attempt.
Kursiwa gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Yamasaki looking to pass the guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Liwa Kursiwa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kursiwa is looking for a triangle here but Yamasaki uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
And that's the end of the fight!
Katsu Yamasaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Yamasaki winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Katsu Yamasaki!
Katsu Yamasaki took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Shadow Realm Apparel for their support in the buildup to the fight.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
27% |
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