PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Fabio Cantarini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazushi Rakusaba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cantarini's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Ellens dritter Gesang. Rakusaba has chosen David Bowie - Suffragette City as his entrance music. Kazushi Rakusaba is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Cantarini
vs
Rakusaba

170 cm
24
180 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

183 cm
32
181 lbs
17 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fabio Cantarini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazushi Rakusaba!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cantarini lands a nice looking body shot.
Rakusaba is looking to clinch.
Cantarini connects with an inside leg kick.
Cantarini thuds his right hand into Rakusaba's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Cantarini takes a swing at Rakusaba's ribcage but misses.
Cantarini connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

It looks like Kazushi Rakusaba has been cut.
Cantarini lands a jab to Rakusaba's midsection.
Cantarini misses with a wild body shot.
Fabio Cantarini seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rakusaba slips a straight right by Cantarini.
A big left from Cantarini misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cantarini. Rakusaba does a little dance to reset his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cantarini misses with a wild body shot.
Cantarini lands with a nice body punch.
Rakusaba shoots in for a double leg but Cantarini sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantarini throws the kick towards the body but Rakusaba avoids it.
Cantarini just misses with a punch to the body.
Cantarini misses the shot to the body.
Some bone on bone action there as Rakusaba checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A swing and a miss from Cantarini.
Cantarini fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Rakusaba looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Cantarini fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rakusaba manages to avoid it.
Rakusaba fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rakusaba throws a leg kick
and Cantarini counters with a stiff right hand.
Rakusaba shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cantarini but Cantarini pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Fabio Cantarini has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kazushi Rakusaba.
Rakusaba avoids the body shot from Cantarini.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rakusaba avoids the body shot from Cantarini.
Cantarini thows a body shot but no joy.
Cantarini misses with a wild body shot.
Fabio Cantarini is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cantarini just misses with a punch to the body.
Cantarini looks to land a left hand but Rakusaba moved out of range nicely.
Cantarini fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rakusaba manages to avoid it.
Rakusaba misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cantarini jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Cantarini thows a body shot but no joy.
Cantarini just misses with a punch to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cantarini takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rakusaba fails with the takedown.
Cantarini throws a jab but it's blocked by Rakusaba.
Rakusaba steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cantarini.
Cantarini lands a nice shot to the body.
Rakusaba closes the distance and clinches up with Cantarini, looking for a takedown. Rakusaba pushes Cantarini against the cage but Cantarini circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cantarini misses the shot to the body.
Cantarini lands a right hook to the body.
Cantarini throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cantarini circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cantarini leaves Rakusaba with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Cantarini is looking to wear down Rakusaba with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Cantarini fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Rakusaba on the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rakusaba gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cantarini counters with an inside leg kick.
Rakusaba tries for a takedown but Cantarini circles away easily
and Cantarini counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Rakusaba looks gassed!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cantarini defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rakusaba.
Cantarini connects with a body shot.
Cantarini takes a swing at Rakusaba's ribcage but misses.
Rakusaba takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Cantarini scores with the left hand. Rakusaba knows he should have avoided that one.
Cantarini jabs Rakusaba right on the nose. Rakusaba blinks but takes it well.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Cantarini as Rakusaba shoots in.
Cantarini lands with a shot to the body.
Cantarini jabs Rakusaba to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Cantarini swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rakusaba takes a shot right to the bread basket.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cantarini. Rakusaba does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cantarini stuns Rakusaba with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Nice body punch from Cantarini.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cantarini cracks a nice hook into Rakusaba's ribs.
Cantarini swings for the body but Rakusaba moves out of range.
Cantarini jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Cantarini throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Cantarini paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Rakusaba takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Rakusaba keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Cantarini.
Rakusaba has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cantarini.
Cantarini connects with a body shot.
Rakusaba is trying desperately to land a takedown but Cantarini is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Rakusaba.
Rakusaba has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cantarini.
Cantarini lands with a nice body punch.
Cantarini lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That has opened up Kazushi Rakusaba's cut even more.

Rakusaba shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rakusaba was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Rakusaba prevents Cantarini from getting the reversal.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Cantarini is working hard here to advance position.
Cantarini wants to control but Rakusaba is having none of it.
Cantarini really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Cantarini bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Cantarini looking to pass the guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rakusaba fails with the takedown
and Cantarini counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rakusaba thinking.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Cantarini lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Cantarini scores with a hook to the body. Rakusaba takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rakusaba doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rakusaba takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Cantarini lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rakusaba at a distance.
Rakusaba uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cantarini.
Cantarini swings for the body but Rakusaba moves out of range.
Rakusaba uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cantarini.
Cantarini connects with a jab.
Cantarini connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Cantarini jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

Rakusaba is rocked!
Cantarini fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Rakusaba to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Rakusaba looks to clinch but Cantarini throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Rakusaba taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:14 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Fabio Cantarini!
Fabio Cantarini managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, [CBK] The Smashwear Corporation, into his post fight interview.