PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Asoki Sakiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Olubowale Folarin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Asoki Sakiro had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 172.3lbs, 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. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sakiro
vs
Folarin

187 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
23
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Asoki Sakiro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Olubowale Folarin!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Taro Takaoka and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Folarin takes a swing at Sakiro's ribcage but misses.
Sakiro lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Folarin circles away quickly and effectively.
Sakiro misses with a hook. Folarin ducked under it nicely.
Folarin lands with a straight right. Sakiro didn't see that one coming.
Folarin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sakiro moves away.
A punch combination from Sakiro misses.
A left and a right from Sakiro both land. Nice combination.

It looks like Olubowale Folarin has been cut.
Sakiro throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Folarin jabs at Sakiro's body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Folarin. Sakiro does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sakiro slaps away a takedown attempt from Folarin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Folarin scores with a jab. Sakiro acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Folarin scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Folarin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sakiro moves away.
Folarin scores with a jab to the body.

Folarin is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Sakiro's half guard.
Sakiro wants to sweep but Folarin has passed to side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Folarin scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Sakiro to see if he's OK.
Sakiro tries to bench press Folarin off him but Folarin keeps the position.
Folarin is working Sakiro over with some ground and pound from side control.
Folarin is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Sakiro will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Folarin throws a strike aimed at the side of Sakiro's head but Sakiro avoids it well.
Folarin grinds an elbow into Sakiro's temple.
Folarin throws a strike aimed at the side of Sakiro's head but Sakiro avoids it well.
Folarin cracks Sakiro with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Folarin lands a decent elbow from side control.
Sakiro is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Folarin taking a breather here.
Folarin throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Folarin working the ground and pound.

Folarin goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Sakiro has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Folarin but great work by Sakiro.

Sakiro thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Folarin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sakiro wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Folarin is trying to control Sakiro's posture but Sakiro avoids it.
Folarin is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Sakiro off and has taken his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Folarin punishes Sakiro with strikes from the back mount.

Sakiro defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Folarin connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Sakiro to escape the position.
Folarin lands punches and elbows.
Folarin scores with punches from the back.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Folarin controlling the positon.
Folarin is looking to control Sakiro but Sakiro is wriggling around and keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Folarin scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Folarin keeps control of the position as Sakiro tries to break free.
Folarin punishes Sakiro with strikes from the back mount.
Sakiro is keeping busy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Olubowale Folarin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Olubowale Folarin's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Folarin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sakiro circles away.
Decent striking displayed by Folarin there.
Asoki Sakiro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Folarin misses the shot to the body.
Sakiro tries to clinch up but Folarin circles away and keeps his distance.
Asoki Sakiro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sakiro takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Folarin scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Folarin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Folarin connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Folarin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Some wild striking there from Sakiro.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Folarin cracks a nice hook into Sakiro's ribs.
Sakiro misses with the combination.
Folarin with a jab.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lazy left from Folarin finds it's target.
Sakiro pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Folarin tries to clinch but Sakiro moves out of range.
Folarin lands a lovely overhand right.
Sakiro misses with a few strikes there.
Folarin swings for the body but Sakiro moves out of range.
No joy there for Sakiro, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Folarin just misses with a punch to the body.
Sakiro is looking to land body kicks.
Sakiro fails in his attempt to clinch.
Folarin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Sakiro counters with a left and a right that stings Folarin.
Sakiro misses with a body punch
and Folarin counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Folarin shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sakiro manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Folarin wants to pass the guard but Sakiro is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Folarin stands up over Sakiro, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sakiro on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sakiro tries to get out of the position.
Folarin chips away with some ground and pound.
Folarin postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sakiro wants to sweep but no luck.
Folarin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sakiro keeping full guard, as Folarin tries to pass.
Folarin preventing the sweep.
Folarin lands a couple of elbows.
Folarin sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakiro wants to control but Folarin passes easily into half guard.
Sakiro is in trouble now - Folarin has advanced to mount!
Folarin with good strikes from the mount here!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Folarin lands a big shot there that rocks Sakiro but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Sakiro knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Folarin on the ground.
Folarin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Sakiro looks a forlorn figure.
Folarin fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Sakiro is squirming around, avoiding Folarin's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Folarin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Folarin scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Folarin lands a big elbow.
Folarin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sakiro is looking to escape.
Folarin lands a heavy elbow.
Folarin trying to control but Sakiro is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Olubowale Folarin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Olubowale Folarin's cut.
That's time! Sakiro's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Sakiro throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sakiro misses with a wild body shot.
Sakiro tries a head kick but it misses.
Folarin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sakiro moves away.
Sakiro takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sakiro tries to clinch but Folarin is having none of it.
Folarin scores with a jab to the body.
Folarin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Folarin connects with a nice looking jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Folarin lands a jab to Sakiro's midsection.
Folarin moves in looking to clinch but Sakiro pushes him off.

Folarin scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Folarin is trying to control the action in half guard but Sakiro is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Folarin trying to pass the guard but Sakiro defending well.
Folarin is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Folarin seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Folarin looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Sakiro avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Folarin.
Folarin has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Folarin unloading with bombs!
Folarin trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Folarin landing strikes, looking to finish!
Folarin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Sakiro looks a forlorn figure.
Folarin pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Folarin scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Sakiro?
Sakiro takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Folarin in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Folarin with the ground and pound from mount.
Folarin controlling the pace for now.
Sakiro is bucking up trying to escape but Folarin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Folarin landing strikes from the mount.
BOOM! Folarin connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The referee warns Sakiro that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Folarin with shots to the head and body - Sakiro looks very uncomfortable down there.
Folarin lands a big shot there that rocks Sakiro but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Folarin with the ground and pound from mount.
Folarin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Folarin takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Folarin lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Sakiro hang on?
Olubowale Folarin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Folarin is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Folarin controlling from mount.
Olubowale Folarin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Folarin with the ground and pound from mount.
Folarin controlling from mount.
Folarin putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Asoki Sakiro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sakiro is wriggling around trying to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Olubowale Folarin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Folarin has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 26:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 26:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Olubowale Folarin!