PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Yoki Kurinoshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chong Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chong Li told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Kurinoshi
vs
Li

166 cm
25
158 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

173 cm
23
162 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoki Kurinoshi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Chong Li!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kurinoshi throws a series of punches but Li avoids them all with ease.
Li tries a head kick but it misses.
Li tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kurinoshi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Li fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kurinoshi swats away the attempt to clinch by Li.
The fight stays on the outside here - Li looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kurinoshi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Yoki Kurinoshi has been cut.

Kurinoshi clinches up with Li and pushes him back against the ropes.
Li tries to work over Kurinoshi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kurinoshi blocks an elbow strike.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Li prevents the takedown attempt.
A frustrated look appears on Li's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Li swings wildly with an uppercut but Kurinoshi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Li prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Li has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kurinoshi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Li tries to stall but Kurinoshi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kurinoshi drops down looking for an ankle pick but Li pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yoki Kurinoshi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Li wants to clinch but Kurinoshi slips to the side

and Kurinoshi counters by clinching up.
Kurinoshi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Li stalling in the clinch but Kurinoshi improves position.
Kurinoshi gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Li.
Li wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Kurinoshi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kurinoshi swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Li counters with a nice uppercut.
Li tries to clinch but Kurinoshi moves away

and Kurinoshi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kurinoshi.
Kurinoshi stops Li from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Li has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Kurinoshi off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Li closes the distance but Kurinoshi moves to the side

and Kurinoshi counters by moving into the clinch.
Li wants to get back to striking at distance but Kurinoshi won't allow it.
Li goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kurinoshi prevents it.
Li is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kurinoshi is defending well for now.
Li is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Li tries to break the clinch but Kurinoshi is controlling the position.
Li swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Li tries a knee to the head but Kurinoshi blocks it.
Li goes for a takedown attempt but Kurinoshi pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Kurinoshi scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Kurinoshi is breathing heavily.
Li is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the ropes but Kurinoshi has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kurinoshi decides to take the fight back to the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoki Kurinoshi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Yoki Kurinoshi's cut.
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.

Li tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Kurinoshi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Li fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Li works on Kurinoshi's body with a couple of short punches.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Li is working for takedown but Kurinoshi is calmly controlling the position for now.
Li throws a punch but it's blocked by Kurinoshi.
Li tries to stall but Kurinoshi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Li tries to circle away but Kurinoshi has him pinned against the ropes.
Li has Kurinoshi pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Kurinoshi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Yoki Kurinoshi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chong Li.
Kurinoshi prevents a takedown attempt there.

Li breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Li closes the distance looking to clinch

and Kurinoshi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kurinoshi.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kurinoshi jumps into guard, dragging Li to the mat.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kurinoshi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Li tries to free his leg and advance position but Kurinoshi is retaining full guard.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Kurinoshi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Li gets to his feet - Kurinoshi follows without any prompting.
Li tries to clinch up

and Kurinoshi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Li's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Li pushes Kurinoshi off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Li tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Li lands a jab-cross combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Li gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Li is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Li is trying to force a seperation but Kurinoshi has the dominant position.
Li is trying to break free.
Li tries to stall but Kurinoshi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Li throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kurinoshi blocks it with crossed arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li is trying to drag Kurinoshi to the mat but Kurinoshi just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
Li tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Kurinoshi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Li fails with an attempt to clinch.
Li is looking to clinch.
Li tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kurinoshi moves in looking to clinch but Li pushes him off.
Kurinoshi has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Chong Li is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Li tries to clinch but Kurinoshi is having none of it.
Li tries to clinch there but Kurinoshi circles away.

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.
Li thuds his right hand into Kurinoshi's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Kurinoshi keeps the fight on the outside.
Li tries to clinch there but Kurinoshi circles away.
Li tries to clinch but Kurinoshi moves away

and Kurinoshi counters by moving into the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Li fails to land.
Li wants to break free but Kurinoshi has control.
Kurinoshi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Li is looking to break free of the clinch but Kurinoshi has double underhooks.
Li looking to stall.
Li changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Kurinoshi fights it off and pushes away nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kurinoshi circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chong Li will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Yoki Kurinoshi's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

A head kick misses from Li.
Kurinoshi circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kurinoshi counters by moving into the clinch.
Li tries to stall but Kurinoshi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Li is trying to break free.
Li is looking to break free of the clinch but Kurinoshi has double underhooks.
Li is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Kurinoshi has Li pressed against the ropes, preventing Li from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kurinoshi has Li pressed against the ropes, preventing Li from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Kurinoshi blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Kurinoshi lands a takedown into guard.
Kurinoshi tries to free his leg and advance position but Li is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li wants to stand but Kurinoshi is controlling the position.
Kurinoshi trying to control the position from guard on top but Li is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Kurinoshi won't allow Li to get back to his feet.

Kurinoshi is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Li is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Li has escaped and now he's on top!
Li forces his way into half guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurinoshi trying to control from the bottom.

Li decides to stand and escape the position.
Kurinoshi circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kurinoshi counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Li's guard now.
Li keeping full guard, as Kurinoshi tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li wants to stand but Kurinoshi is controlling the position.
Kurinoshi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Li is keeping the position for now.
Kurinoshi stops Li from standing up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoki Kurinoshi showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kurinoshi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yoki Kurinoshi!