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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jubei Akechi (ranked 1928 p4p, 2620 weight class) and Rocco Damato (ranked 162 p4p, 215 weight class). Damato has chosen Thunderstruck as his entrance music. Jubei Akechi had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 146.6lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
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| 182 cm
39
159
31 - 27 - 0 |
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170 cm
38
150
21 - 45 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
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 31 - 27 - 0, fighting out of London, Jubei Akechi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 45 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rocco Damato!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Colin Fray and Josh West.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab from Akechi.
Akechi dips to his left and cracks Damato with an uppercut!
Damato closes the distance and clinches up with Akechi, looking for a takedown. Damato pushes Akechi against the cage but Akechi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Damato shoots in but no luck this time.
Akechi connects with a crisp jab.
Damato takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Akechi misses with a straight left.
Akechi lands a body shot.
Akechi scores with a jab.
Damato gets caught flat footed, as Akechi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!
Akechi postures up.
Damato is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Damato throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Damato tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Damato looking for a guillotine here but Akechi defends easily.
Damato tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Damato looking to control.
Damato wants to sweep but no luck.
Damato is still trying to improve position.
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.
Damato looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Akechi passes into side control.
Damato tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Akechi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Damato is letting Akechi control him for a moment.
Damato is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Akechi is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Damato will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damato tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Akechi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Akechi working away.
Damato being controlled for a moment.
Damato is looking to regain half guard here but Akechi keeps moving and retains side control.
Akechi tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
A control attempt from Damato but he's now mounted!
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.
Damato tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Akechi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Damato gets back to half guard.
Damato wants to control but Akechi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Damato is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Akechi jumps into side control!
Akechi content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Damato looking for a sweep but Akechi has passed into full mount! Oh no!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Jubei Akechi dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!
Akechi misses with a body shot.
Good shot there by Akechi.
A telegraphed right hand from Akechi misses the target.
Akechi scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Damato tries to bench press Akechi off him but Akechi keeps the position.
Akechi advances nicely into full mount.
Damato tries to lock up and control but Akechi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Damato is trying desperately to improve position.
Akechi manages to capitalize on a mistake by Damato to take his back!
That's one minute gone in the round.
Damato trying to control but not successfully.
Akechi keeps control of the position easily here as Damato tries to buck him off.
Damato tries to escape the position.
Akechi is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Akechi lands shots from the back.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
That's two 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.
Damato can't escape the position.
Akechi is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damato wants to escape the position.
Damato is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Akechi controls the position.
Damato tries to escape but Akechi has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Akechi is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Damato up.
Akechi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Damato can do to turn this around?
Damato trying to control the hands but Akechi won't let him.
Akechi is riding his opponent, not letting Damato buck him off.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damato trying to control but not successfully.
Damato rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Akechi is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Damato keeping control of the position.
Damato is looking to control Akechi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Damato avoid being mounted?
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Jubei Akechi dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!
The crowd cheers as Akechi lands an impressive looking overhand right. Damato doesn't seem phased though.
Damato moves forwards but Akechi connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Akechi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Damato manages to avoid it.
As Akechi backs off Damato throws a huge counter combo but Akechi manages to avoid it all.
Jubei Akechi is winning the standup battle so far.
Akechi gets a clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Akechi.
Damato tries to pull guard but Akechi forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Damato blocks an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akechi manages to pull guard.
Damato would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Damato trying to control the position from guard on top but Akechi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Damato looking to pass the guard.
Damato trying to control but Akechi is working from the bottom.
Damato postures up in Akechi's guard and throws a big left but Akechi blocks it.
Akechi will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Akechi controlling Damato's posture.
Damato throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Akechi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Akechi pulls Damato in close to his closed guard and prevents Damato from doing any damage or advancing position.
The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Akechi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Damato steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Akechi.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Akechi scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Akechi with a nice cross.
It looks like Akechi has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Akechi lands with an uppercut that bounces Damato off the cage and back into range.
Akechi connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Akechi bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Akechi closes the distance and clinches.
Damato fails to pull guard.
Damato tries to pull guard but Akechi forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Jubei Akechi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocco Damato.
A right hook to the body lands for Akechi.
A short uppercut from Akechi.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akechi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Akechi lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Damato backwards.
Akechi digs a right hand underneath Damato's ribcage. Damato let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Akechi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Damato backwards.
Damato blocks an elbow strike from Akechi.
Akechi tries to throw a body punch but Damato avoids it by throwing Akechi back against the cage.
Damato is looking to take this one to the mat.
Akechi has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Damato is trying to keep an underhook but Akechi manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Akechi trying to control the pace.
Damato is trying to control but Akechi passes into side control!
Damato tries to get back to half guard but can't.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rocco Damato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Damato struggling a bit here.
Damato is letting Akechi control him for a moment.
And that's the end of the fight!
Jubei Akechi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Akechi 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27
Judge Josh West scores the fight 30:27
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jubei Akechi!
A very excited looking Jubei Akechi made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
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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
32% |
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