PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kasper Kessler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hulohot Yokohama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Kessler might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Black Eyed Peas - I Got A Feeling. The crowd seem to be enjoying Yokohama's choice of entrance music: Metallica - All Nightmare Long. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Kessler
vs
Yokohama

185 cm
31
180 lbs
19 - 6 - 0

178 cm
27
177 lbs
22 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

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 19 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kasper Kessler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Hulohot Yokohama!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kessler shoots in for a takedown but Yokohama shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Kessler misses with a left hand
and Yokohama counters with a nice uppercut.
Kessler avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kessler swings for the body but Yokohama moves out of range.
Kessler shoots in looking for a takedown. Yokohama tries to sprawl out of it but Kessler keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Yokohama manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kessler attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Yokohama works the jab nicely.
Kasper Kessler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kessler throws a nice looking combination but Yokohama bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kessler stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Yokohama.
Yokohama looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Kessler swings widly with a right hand

and Yokohama counters with a shoot takedown. Kessler fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Yokohama wants to pass the guard but Kessler is keeping the position.
Kessler not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kessler looking for a sweep. Not yet Kessler, not yet.
Kessler keeping full guard, as Yokohama tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yokohama trying to control but Kessler is working from the bottom.
Yokohama preventing the sweep.
Kessler seems keen to control Yokohama's posture.

Yokohama avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yokohama working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Yokohama trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kessler wants to sweep here but Yokohama controlling him for the moment.
Yokohama trying to control but Kessler is working from the bottom.
Yokohama looking to sit in guard and control but Kessler gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kessler keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Yokohama's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kessler controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Kessler throws a big right hand that misses.
Kessler throws a strike but Yokohama rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Kessler keeping full guard, as Yokohama tries to pass.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kessler has Yokohama pulled in close to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kessler is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yokohama trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Yokohama wants to control from the top but Kessler keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kessler misses with a wild body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yokohama changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kessler tries to avoid it but Yokohama manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kessler to the ground. Kessler escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Yokohama fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kessler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yokohama.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hulohot Yokohama will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kessler throws a leg kick that misses.
Kessler scores with a kick to the midsection.
Kessler swings for the body but Yokohama moves out of range.
Kessler scores with a decent looking hook.
A slow jab from Yokohama misses its intended target.
Kessler throws a series of punches but Yokohama moves out of range.
Yokohama misses with a hook
and Kessler counters with a two punch combo.
Kessler keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Yokohama looks to land a right hand but Kessler moved out of range.
Kessler misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yokohama on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Kessler just misses with a punch to the body.
Kessler wants to land a leg kick but Yokohama is out of range.

Kessler darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Yokohama wants to improve his position but Kessler is controlling well.
Kessler slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yokohama is refusing to be controlled, as Kessler sits in half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Nice strikes from Kessler there.
Kessler sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Yokohama defending well though.
Kessler missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kessler seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Yokohama does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kessler is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Yokohama is trying desperately to improve position.
Kessler raining down shots from the mount!
Yokohama is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yokohama slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Kessler controlling the action here.
Kasper Kessler overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Yokohama looking for submissions off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kessler slips a nice elbow through Yokohama's hands, connecting with Yokohama's forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kasper Kessler dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kessler on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Kessler missing with a left hand there. Yokohama was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kessler throws an overhand right that lands on Yokohama's shoulder, as Yokohama tries to avoid the shot.
Kessler misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nice defenses there by Yokohama.
Kessler lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kessler lands a lovely overhand right.
Kessler doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Yokohama counters with a three punch combo that has Kessler backing up. Kessler nods at Yokohama to acknowledge the strikes.
Kessler ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Yokohama moves away.
Kessler avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Kessler misses the target.
Kessler shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Yokohama as he jumps to the side.
Kessler shoots in for a takedown but Yokohama shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kasper Kessler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yokohama thumps Kessler with a low kick.
Kessler fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Yokohama takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Yokohama shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kessler tests Yokohama's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Yokohama steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kessler.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yokohama tries to clinch up.
Yokohama throws a jab when Kessler was well out of range.
Kessler with a poor takedown
and Yokohama counters with a nice body shot.
Kessler shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Yokohama as he avoids it easily.
Kessler throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yokohama throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kasper Kessler is winning the standup battle so far.
Kessler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yokohama.
Kessler throws a sloppy body shot
and Yokohama counters with a good, hard body kick but Kessler shrugs it off.
Kessler just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yokohama slips a jab and a cross from Kessler.
Yokohama digs a good hook to Kessler's body.
Yokohama tried to score with a low kick but Kessler checks it.
Kessler looks for a takedown but Yokohama sprawls well.
Yokohama with a nice cross.
Kessler swings for the body but Yokohama moves out of range.
Kessler connects with a good right hand that stumbles Yokohama. Yokohama circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Kessler on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Kessler does no damage.
Kessler takes one on the button.
Kessler throws a leg kick which misses Yokohama's front leg but catches the back leg as Yokohama tries to avoid it.
Kessler throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Yokohama counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kessler lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Kessler throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kessler misses with a wild body shot.
Yokohama moves out of range as Kessler strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yokohama thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kessler throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kasper Kessler.
Well Kessler 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kasper Kessler!