PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Konosuke Kanayama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kfier Asher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Konosuke Kanayama had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 146.2lbs, 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. Kfier Asher has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kanayama
vs
Asher

167 cm
20
155 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

168 cm
22
152 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Knockout power

Advantage XXX nutrition
Advantage XXX nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Konosuke Kanayama!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kfier Asher!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Asher blocks a leg kick.
Kanayama will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kanayama misses with a leg kick.
Konosuke Kanayama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kanayama closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kanayama lands in his opponent's guard.
Asher is trying to keep Kanayama in close.
Kanayama wanted to stand there but Asher had control of the position.
Asher not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Asher might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Kanayama kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Asher trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Kanayama slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asher has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Kanayama has passed into side control.

Kanayama tries for a kimura but Asher is defending well.
Asher is trying to control Kanayama's posture but Kanayama avoids it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kanayama tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kanayama has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kanayama is breathing heavily.
Asher is looking to reverse the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Asher can't do much from the bottom here.
Asher throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Asher is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Asher can do anything to dispel that myth.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kanayama throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Kanayama closes this distance looking for a takedown but Asher circles away.
Kanayama fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konosuke Kanayama. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Asher drives through with a takedown into guard.
Asher content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kanayama trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanayama bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Asher's guard.
Kanayama wants to stand but Asher has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Asher wants to improve his position but instead Kanayama has moved into half guard.
Asher avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kanayama.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kanayama missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Asher is trying to get back to full guard.
Kanayama throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kanayama tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Asher.
Asher is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Kanayama jumps into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Asher tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Kanayama presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Asher wants to hold on but Kanayama pushes him away.
Asher swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Asher really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kanayama. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Kanayama is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Asher takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Kanayama scores with a takedown into Asher's guard.
Kanayama wants to control from the top but Asher keeps moving.
Kanayama wants to pass the guard but Asher is keeping the position.
Kanayama is looking to stand up but Asher won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Konosuke Kanayama dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kanayama tries to clinch there but Asher circles away.
Kanayama misses with a takedown

and Asher counters with a shoot takedown. Kanayama fights it but they end up in guard.
Asher is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Asher not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Kanayama trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Kanayama wants to sweep here but Asher controlling him for the moment.
Asher throws a strike but Kanayama rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Asher trying to keep a closed guard but Kanayama is proving a slippery customer.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kanayama pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Asher is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asher is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kanayama tries for a takedown but Asher circles away easily

and Asher counters with a takedown into side control.
Asher working away.
Kanayama is working to avoid the ground and pound but Asher connects with a decent elbow.
Asher laying and praying for a moment but Kanayama takes advantage and regains half guard.
Asher is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asher is trying to control the action in half guard but Kanayama is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kfier Asher has got the better of the ground game so far.
Asher throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kanayama tries to get to full guard but Asher has control of the leg.
Asher throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Asher seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kanayama does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Asher landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Asher wants to control but Kanayama is keeping him busy.
Asher winds up and cracks Kanayama with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Kanayama is refusing to be controlled, as Asher sits in half guard.
Kanayama is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Asher is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Kanayama is refusing to be controlled, as Asher sits in half guard.

Despite being in the dominant position, Kfier Asher just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Asher gets the takedown into side control.
Kanayama gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Asher looks to land a strike but Kanayama avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Asher trying to control but Kanayama is working from the bottom.
Asher throws a strike but Kanayama rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanayama trying to control the position from guard on top but Asher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kanayama stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Kanayama has his takedown stuffed

and Asher counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konosuke Kanayama. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Asher lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Asher landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Asher lands with a punch from half guard.
Kanayama manages to get to full guard.
Asher wants to control from the top but Kanayama keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kfier Asher showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kanayama shoots and misses

and Asher counters by moving into the clinch.
Kanayama changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Asher fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Kanayama has his takedown stuffed

and Asher counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kanayama won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konosuke Kanayama. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kanayama takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Asher creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Kanayama is rocked!
Asher in side control lands a decent elbow.
Oh Kanayama is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Asher controlling the position from side mount.
Let's hope that Asher has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Check out the look on Asher's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Asher working the ground and pound.
Asher has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Kanayama!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanayama is in a horrible position here. Asher smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Kanayama taking shots to the head.
Asher lands a big elbow - Kanayama is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Kanayama is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Kfier Asher!
Kfier Asher is the new featherweight champion!