PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Samoa Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshihiro Akiyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Joe
vs
Akiyama

179 cm
25
195 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

178 cm
21
190 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Samoa Joe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Yoshihiro Akiyama!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Elvis Blanc and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Akiyama does no damage.

Joe closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Akiyama to the mat! Akiyama manages to get full guard.
Akiyama wants to get back to his feet but Joe is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Joe is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Joe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Joe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Akiyama really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Joe. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Joe working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Joe stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Akiyama swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Joe throws a big right hand that misses.
Joe wants to control from the top but Akiyama keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Joe stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Akiyama throws a series of punches but Joe moves out of range.
Akiyama stuffs the takedown.
Akiyama tries to clinch up but Joe circles away and keeps his distance.
Akiyama defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Joe.
Akiyama looks to land a combination but Joe avoids it well.
Joe takes one on the button.

Akiyama fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Joe, pushing him back against the cage.
Akiyama scores with a hook to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Akiyama.
Akiyama misses with a punch on the inside.
Joe is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Samoa Joe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Joe drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Akiyama gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Joe is breathing heavily.
Joe goes for a takedown in the clinch but Akiyama prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akiyama swings wildly with an uppercut but Joe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Akiyama misses with the head strike.
Joe can't get the takedown.
Akiyama swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Akiyama doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Akiyama throws a punch but it's blocked by Joe.
Joe is trying to drag Akiyama to the mat but Akiyama just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Akiyama doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Akiyama lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Joe changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Akiyama fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Akiyama lands a jab to the nose.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Akiyama swinging wildly here.
Akiyama wants to clinch up but Joe keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akiyama lands a jab-cross combination.
Akiyama bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Joe's head.
Joe closes the distance and clinches up with Akiyama, looking for a takedown. Joe pushes Akiyama against the cage but Akiyama circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Akiyama scores with a body shot.
Yoshihiro Akiyama is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Akiyama gets a clinch.
A shot in the inside from Akiyama.
Akiyama misses with a punch on the inside.
Akiyama makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Akiyama throws a punch but it's blocked by Joe.
A short left from Akiyama.
Joe takes a shot to the head.
Joe's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Akiyama working aggressively here.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Akiyama creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short right from Akiyama on the inside.
Akiyama lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Joe is rocked!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Akiyama.
Akiyama pushes Joe back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Oh Joe is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A shot in the inside from Akiyama.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Akiyama lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Akiyama lands a right hand that snaps the head of Joe backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Akiyama creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Akiyama lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Akiyama fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Akiyama has a couple of punches blocked by Joe.
Joe seems to have got his legs back now.
Akiyama misses with a hook from the clinch.
Akiyama tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Akiyama lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Joe backwards.
Akiyama throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Joes head.
Akiyama throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Joe blocking some punches.
Joe takes a shot to the head.
Akiyama lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Joe blocking some punches.
Akiyama lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Akiyama working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Akiyama lands a right hand.
A nice right hand lands inside from Akiyama.
Akiyama fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Akiyama.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshihiro Akiyama dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Joe is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Akiyama.
Joe shoots in but no luck this time.
Akiyama jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Akiyama misses with a few strikes there.
Akiyama doesn't manage to clinch there - Joe circles away.
Joe shoots in but Akiyama avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Joe takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Akiyama fails to land with a series of punches.
Samoa Joe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Akiyama will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Akiyama lands with an uppercut that bounces Joe off the cage and back into rage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Akiyama works Joe's body with a nice hook.
A right-left combo lands from Akiyama.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Akiyama misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Akiyama rushes Joe and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akiyama lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Akiyama.
Akiyama lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Akiyama lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Akiyama pushes Joe back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Akiyama lands with a right to the head.

Akiyama drops Joe onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! Joe is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!
Akiyama swings wildly with an uppercut but Joe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Akiyama makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Akiyama creates a bit of distance and unloads a huge uppercut that knocks Joe out cold! The ref dives in to break up the two fighters!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:36 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Yoshihiro Akiyama!