PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lawrence King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tatsumi Fujinami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think King might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

King
vs
Fujinami

187 cm
28
213 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

178 cm
26
210 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Very confident

Perkele!

Ultimate Fighting Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lawrence King!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tatsumi Fujinami!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Paul Gruel and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fujinami fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. King sprawls well initially but Fujinami persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
King is refusing to be controlled, as Fujinami sits in half guard.
Fujinami throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
King tries to roll over but Fujinami keeps him under control.
Fujinami looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
King tries to roll over but Fujinami keeps him under control.
Fujinami is looking to take a break and control but King is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fujinami winds up and cracks King with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Fujinami really doesn't want to stay on the ground with King. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Fujinami performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Fujinami sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. King defending well though.
Fujinami wants to control but King is keeping him busy.

King is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Fujinami pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Fujinami is keen to just control but King is a slippery customer.
King missing with punches from the bottom.
King has hold of Fujinami's hands but Fujinami slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Fujinami is pressing down on King's thigh, looking to free his foot. King is holding on for now.
Fujinami is looking to take a break and control but King is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fujinami throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
King is trying to control but can't.
King is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Fujinami is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Fujinami throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing King to regain full guard.
Fujinami missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

King is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Fujinami wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fujinami is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
King is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
King is keen to just control but Fujinami is a slippery customer.
Fujinami keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Fujinami is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Fujinami gets full guard.
Fujinami looking for a sweep. Not yet Fujinami, not yet.
Fujinami looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Fujinami is trying to control the position from the bottom.

King thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
King won't allow Fujinami to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fujinami is trying to control the position but King postures up.
King wants to pass the guard but Fujinami is keeping the position.
King is working hard here to advance position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Fujinami holds on and takes a little breather.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tatsumi Fujinami.
Fujinami shoots in for a double leg but King sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
King thows a body shot but no joy.
King misses with an uppercut.
Fujinami walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
King tests Fujinami's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Fujinami takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
King connects with a body shot.

Fujinami shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. King is trying to defend but Fujinami finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Fujinami missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
King moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Fujinami stopping the sweep attempt from King.
King is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Fujinami keeping hold of King's head, controlling as best he can.
Fujinami trying to hold on to King's head to control him but King postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Lawrence King will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

King throws a nice looking combination but Fujinami bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Fujinami drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
King sneaks back into half guard.
Fujinami is trying to control. King wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Fujinami scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
King wants to improve his position but Fujinami is controlling well.
Fujinami trying to control from half guard but King is working away.
Fujinami with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Fujinami prevents King from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King makes his way to full guard. A much better position for King.

King is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
King looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Fujinami lands a couple of elbows.
Fujinami trying to control the position from guard on top but King is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fujinami slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Fujinami trying to control but King is working from the bottom.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Tatsumi Fujinami hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Fujinami shoots in and bounces King off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King being controlled here, momentarily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fujinami won't allow King to sweep him here.
King looking to control.
Fujinami not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
King throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Fujinami slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Fujinami throws an elbow that misses. King uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Fujinami's guard. Nice move by King!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Fujinami is looking to improve his position.
King wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fujinami keeps working.

King is looking for a kimura but Fujinami is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for King to get the leverage.
Fujinami is doing well to control the position and prevent King from advancing to side control.

King looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Fujinami is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of King's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take King's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on King's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Fujinami lands a shot to the head.
Will Fujinami go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Fujinami doesn't have the hooks in and King manages to turn into his guard.
Fujinami looking for a sweep. Not yet Fujinami, not yet.
Fujinami is adopting a defensive guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fujinami's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
King trying to control but Fujinami is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
King looking to pass the guard.
Fujinami wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tatsumi Fujinami showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

King lands a jab to Fujinami's midsection.
King missing with a left hand there. Fujinami was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
King will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
King throws a shot to the body.
Fujinami throws a lazy uppercut
and King counters with a left to the body.
King tries to close the distance and clinch but Fujinami swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Fujinami is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by King.
Nice jab there from King.
King connects with a single shot there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
King slaps away a takedown attempt from Fujinami, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Fujinami takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Fujinami slips under a jab.
Lawrence King seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fujinami closes this distance looking for a takedown but King circles away.

King has managed to clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from King.
The referee is keeping an eye on King - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A hook to the body from King.
Fujinami is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
King lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Fujinami or not.
King leaning against his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King scores with a nice hook to the head.
King tries to throw a body punch but Fujinami avoids it by throwing King back against the cage.
Fujinami is trying to maintain a safe position but King gets an underhook and turns Fujinami into the cage.
King lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
King lands a left hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A short right from King.
King doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
King lands with a left to the head.
King lands a right hand.
King lands a shoulder strike.
King misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch on the inside from King fails to land.
King makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Fujinami is rocked!
King lands a body punch.
King lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Fujinami backwards.
Fujinami is still on wobbly legs! Can King finish him?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fujinami working hard to break the clinch.
Fujinami seems to have recovered his senses.
Stalling in the clinch from King.
King working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
King tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Fujinami's elbow.
King lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Fujinami backwards.
King presses Fujinami against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Good body shot from King.
A short left from King.
King lands a body punch in the clinch.
King unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Fujinami! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but King is unloading with more strikes now! Fujinami drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Lawrence King!
Lawrence King is the new light heavyweight champion!
Lawrence King seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.