PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Akira Ishikawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Cristophe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ishikawa's entrance music is mindshift genki sudo. A fine choice. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Ishikawa
vs
Cristophe

150 cm
25
147 lbs
17 - 7 - 0

168 cm
23
143 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Akira Ishikawa!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Leo Cristophe!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Skip Squint and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cristophe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ishikawa swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Cristophe gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ishikawa has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Cristophe after a bit of a struggle.
Cristophe is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Ishikawa is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Cristophe is defending well.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cristophe.
Ishikawa wants to stall.
Cristophe lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Akira Ishikawa has been cut.
Ishikawa wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akira Ishikawa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cristophe is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ishikawa is defending well for now.
Nice elbow from Cristophe.
Ishikawa tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ishikawa drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ishikawa takes an elbow to the forehead.
Cristophe trying to land knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Cristophe.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ishikawa dodges an elbow strike from Cristophe.
Ishikawa being controlled against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishikawa is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Cristophe is defending well.
Ishikawa misses with a knee to the head.
Cristophe lands an elbow inside.
Cristophe lands a damaging elbow.

Ishikawa lands a takedown into guard.
Cristophe keeping full guard, as Ishikawa tries to pass.
Cristophe is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Cristophe pushes Ishikawa off and gets back to his feet.
Ishikawa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cristophe scores with a jab to the jaw.
Cristophe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cristophe tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ishikawa manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ishikawa shoots for a takedown but Cristophe saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cristophe thuds his right hand into Ishikawa's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Cristophe lands with a hook. Ishikawa tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Cristophe dips to his left and cracks Ishikawa with an uppercut!
Cristophe tries to clinch up.
Ishikawa fails with a takedown attempt.

Cristophe pushes Ishikawa up against the cage in a clinch.
Cristophe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ishikawa avoids it.
Ishikawa has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Cristophe is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Cristophe lands an elbow inside that Ishikawa shrugs off.

Akira Ishikawa's cut is getting worse.
Cristophe unloads a knee to the mid-section. Ishikawa lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Cristophe stalling in the clinch.
Ishikawa throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cristophe blocks it with crossed arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cristophe lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Ishikawa avoids a wild elbow strike from Cristophe.
Cristophe stalling.
Ishikawa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Cristophe pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Ishikawa blocks an elbow strike from Cristophe.
Cristophe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ishikawa avoids it.
Ishikawa has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Cristophe after a bit of a struggle.
Ishikawa blocks an elbow strike from Cristophe.
Cristophe lands with a short shot to the head.
Cristophe avoids a wild elbow strike from Ishikawa.
Cristophe slowing the pace effectively.
Ishikawa takes an elbow to the forehead.
Cristophe stops a takedown attempt from Ishikawa.
Ishikawa tries for a takedown. No joy.
Cristophe stalling.
Cristophe lands an elbow inside.
Cristophe lands an elbow just above Ishikawa 's eye.

Akira Ishikawa's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Cristophe trying to land knees to the body.
Ishikawa avoids the elbow strike from Cristophe, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cristophe will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ishikawa up against the cage.
Ishikawa takes an elbow to the temple.
Ishikawa avoids the elbow strike from Cristophe, against the cage.
Ishikawa can't get the takedown.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ishikawa is looking for a takedown.
Ishikawa is working for takedown but Cristophe is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cristophe gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ishikawa.
Ishikawa is breathing heavily.
Cristophe lands a hook that snaps the head of Ishikawa backwards.
Cristophe lands a damaging elbow.

Jeez, Akira Ishikawa's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cristophe missing with knees to the body.
Cristophe avoiding damage.
Ishikawa tries to score a body lock takedown but Cristophe shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Cristophe lands a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Cristophe dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Akira Ishikawa's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cristophe moves in looking to clinch but Ishikawa pushes him off.

Ishikawa fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cristophe, pushing him back against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ishikawa as Cristophe tries to tie him up.
Ishikawa tries to score a body lock takedown but Cristophe shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A bit of stalling here from Cristophe.
Ishikawa changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cristophe fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ishikawa throws a leg kick that is checked
and Cristophe counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ishikawa's knee momentarily.
Cristophe tries to clinch there but Ishikawa circles away.

Cristophe has Ishikawa up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice elbow from Cristophe.
Ishikawa takes an elbow to the forehead.
Ishikawa tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akira Ishikawa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cristophe throws an elbow but it misses.
Ishikawa on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cristophe misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ishikawa.
Cristophe lands an elbow just above Ishikawa 's eye.
Cristophe is pushing Ishikawa up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Cristophe throws an elbow but misses.
Ishikawa misses with a punch on the inside.

Ishikawa successfully pulls guard.

Ishikawa is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Cristophe defends well.
Cristophe stops Ishikawa from standing up.

Cristophe stands up and waves to Ishikawa to follow him.

Ishikawa moves into range and clinches up with Cristophe.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Cristophe lands an elbow inside.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Akira Ishikawa's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:11 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Leo Cristophe!
Leo Cristophe is the new bantamweight champion!
In his post fight interview, Leo Cristophe started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.