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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kai Asakura (ranked 2566 p4p, 3599 weight class) and Ftank Rank (ranked 174 p4p, 225 weight class). The key to victory for Kai Asakura has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.
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| 173 cm
28
139
7 - 6 - 0 |
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150 cm
29
143
5 - 7 - 0 |
BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin |
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Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Heavy handed |
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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 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kai Asakura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ftank Rank!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Igor Prikhodko and Viktor Lagutenko.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Asakura lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
It looks like Ftank Rank has been cut.
Nice uppercut lands for Asakura. That snapped Rank's head back.
Asakura throws a sloppy head kick and Rank moves out of range easily.
Rank is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Nice sprawl there from Asakura as Rank shoots in.
A lazy left from Rank finds it's target.
Rank on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Asakura lands a nice looking body shot.
Rank looks to throw the jab but Asakura is out of range.
Rank takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rank takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Asakura throws a good cross that connects.
Rank takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Asakura lands with a hook. Rank tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Asakura lands the left hand.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura works the jab nicely.
We've been told by Asakura's head coaches at BANZAI COMBAT ACADEMY TOKYO that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Rank takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Rank throws a hook but Asakura blocks it.
Asakura lands a nice shot to the body.
Nice shot by Asakura.
Sloppy strikes from Asakura. Those never looked like landing.
Rank takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Asakura is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Rank moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Asakura pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Asakura lands an overhand right.
Rank waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Asakura.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Asakura misses with a straight left.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asakura throws a shot to the body.
Rank missing with a left hand there. Asakura was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rank dives in for a single leg takedown but Asakura sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Rank lands with a hook. Asakura tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rank shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Asakura but Asakura pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Asakura looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Kai Asakura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ftank Rank.
Asakura throws a right and a left that Rank avoids nicely.
Rank misses with a straight left.
Asakura takes a jab right on the kisser.
Asakura shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Rank eats them both and turns towards Asakura to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Rank is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Asakura getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Rank with a lazy takedown attempt
enabling Asakura to counter with a crisp jab.
Asakura punishes Rank's body with a nice straight punch.
Rank throws a shot from downtown. Asakura moves away and avoids it.
Asakura connects with a jab.
Asakura moves out of range as Rank strikes.
Asakura moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Rank throws a jab but it's blocked by Asakura.
Asakura is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Asakura lands a nice shot that snaps Rank's head back.
Asakura tried to score with a low kick but Rank checks it.
A slow jab from Rank misses its intended target.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Asakura just misses with a punch to the body.
Asakura is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Rank on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Decent striking displayed by Asakura there.
Rank misses with a left hand
and Asakura makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Rank slips a jab and a cross from Asakura.
A little jabbing left from Rank on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Asakura stuffs the takedown.
Asakura avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kai Asakura seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Asakura throws a series of punches but Rank moves out of range.
Asakura looks to throw the jab but Rank is out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A nice combination there by Asakura.
Asakura is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rank.
Rank feints the counter takedown.
Rank rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Asakura connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Kai Asakura dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ftank Rank's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.
Rank gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Asakura counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rank might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Rank gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Asakura displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rank throws out the jab.
Rank swings widly with a right hand
and Asakura counters with a stiff right hand.
Kai Asakura is winning the standup battle so far.
Asakura plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Rank might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Asakura has got the better of the exchanges.
Asakura misses with a wild combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Asakura throws a left and a right that both miss
so Rank counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Asakura is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Rank dives into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rank just content to control the position.
That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Asakura is not content to let Rank control the position.
Asakura tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Asakura is not content to let Rank control the position.
That's two 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.
Rank swings around for an armbar but Asakura sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rank's guard.
Asakura would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rank wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Asakura gets to his feet. Rank looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Asakura cracks Rank with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Nice shot by Asakura.
Asakura is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rank can do to turn this around?
Rank walks into a stiff left hand from Asakura.
Rank on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Rank takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Asakura looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Asakura scores with a hook.
Asakura swinging wildly here.
Rank blocks a jab.
Rank bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Asakura scores with a jab. Rank acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Asakura moves out of range of the strikes.
Rank throws a lazy right hand but Asakura sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rank misses with a left hand
and Asakura counters with a three punch combo that has Rank backing up. Rank nods at Asakura to acknowledge the strikes.
Asakura tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rank blocks a jab.
Rank with the counter takedown but Asakura avoids it easily.
Rank waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Asakura.
Asakura displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rank throws out the jab.
Asakura uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rank.
Asakura cracks Rank with a good jab.
Rank is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Asakura lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Rank tries for a takedown but Asakura sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Asakura uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Rank has time to react.
Asakura slips under a jab from Rank.
Asakura throws out a powerful jab.
Danga de danga de dang - Asakura scores with a four punch combination!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Kai Asakura dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ftank Rank's cut.
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. And we move into the final round!
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Asakura, as that shot connected.
Rank throws out a loose jab but Asakura uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rank keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Asakura misses with a wild combination.
Asakura swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rank tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Rank dives in for a single leg takedown but Asakura sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Rank throws a hook to the side of Asakura's head but Asakura sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Asakura lands with a nice body punch.
Rank throws a jab when Asakura was well out of range.
Asakura takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Asakura throws a head kick that misses.
Rank is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Asakura throws a head kick but Rank moves out of range.
Rank changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Asakura thuds a left hand into Rank's body.
Asakura slips under a jab.
Asakura digs a good hook to Rank's body.
Rank throws a right hand that misses
and Asakura counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Rank takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rank misses with an uppercut. Asakura saw that one coming.
Asakura throwing a counter right hand but Rank manages to avoid it.
Rank throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Asakura sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rank has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Rank there as he acknowledges the shot.
Asakura uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asakura lands with an uppercut that bounces Rank off the cage and back into range.
Asakura throws a right hand that misses
and Rank counters with a straight right hand.
Rank has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
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!
Rank scores with a takedown into Asakura's guard.
Asakura wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Rank manages to pass to side control.
Asakura actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rank stalling.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rank seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Asakura does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rank passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Asakura!
Rank controlling his opponent.
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.
Rank trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Asakura is trying to stand up.
And that's the end of the fight!
Kai Asakura showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Asakura, 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kai Asakura!
During a confident post fight interview, Kai Asakura thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
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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
60% |
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