PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Jenkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akira Filipunaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jenkins comes to the cage accompanied by This Charming Man by The Stars. Akira Filipunaki struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 156.4lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Jenkins
vs
Filipunaki

170 cm
22
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

172 cm
19
165 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jimmy Jenkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akira Filipunaki!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jenkins goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Jenkins stalks Filipunaki and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Filipunaki's face. Filipunaki staggers backwards, shaken.
Filipunaki fails to land the takedown.
Jenkins scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Jenkins throws a series of punches but Filipunaki avoids them all with ease.
A punch combination from Jenkins misses.
Akira Filipunaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Filipunaki moves out of range as Jenkins throws a body kick.

Jenkins shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Filipunaki is on top in guard.
Filipunaki trying to control but Jenkins is working from the bottom.
Filipunaki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jenkins is keeping the position for now.
Jenkins trying to keep a closed guard but Filipunaki is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filipunaki is looking to stand up but Jenkins won't let him.
Filipunaki stops Jenkins from standing up.
Filipunaki trying to control but Jenkins is working from the bottom.
Jenkins looking to hit a scissor sweep but Filipunaki is one step ahead there.
Filipunaki wants to control from the top but Jenkins keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jenkins lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Jenkins.
Filipunaki looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jenkins will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Jenkins.

Jenkins shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Jenkins was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Filipunaki wants to hold on but Jenkins pushes him away.

Jenkins goes for an armbar but Filipunaki turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Filipunaki.
Jenkins controlling the position.
Jenkins's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jenkins 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.
Filipunaki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jenkins is keeping the position for now.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Jenkins has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Filipunaki off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Filipunaki misses with a takedown attempt

and Jenkins decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Filipunaki's guard.
Jenkins controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Filipunaki is looking for a triangle but Jenkins pushes his legs off easily.
Filipunaki trying to control the position.

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

Jenkins gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Jenkins drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Filipunaki wants to control but Jenkins passes easily into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Filipunaki wants to control but Jenkins is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Jenkins is working for a kimura here but Filipunaki manages to reverse the position and he's now in Jenkins's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Jenkins dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Filipunaki fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Filipunaki throws the kick towards the body but Jenkins avoids it.
Filipunaki showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Jenkins.
Jenkins throws a head kick that misses.
Jenkins changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Filipunaki tries to avoid it but Jenkins manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Filipunaki to the ground. Filipunaki escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Filipunaki closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Filipunaki missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Jenkins wants to control but Filipunaki passes into side.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Jenkins throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jenkins with a poor takedown

and Filipunaki counters by moving into the clinch.
Filipunaki is working for takedown but Jenkins is calmly controlling the position for now.

Filipunaki successfully pulls guard.
Filipunaki throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Filipunaki seems keen to control Jenkins's posture.

Filipunaki keeping busy on the bottom but Jenkins has passed one foot through into half guard.
Jenkins trying to control the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Filipunaki is pressing down on Jenkins's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Jenkins wants to control from the top but Filipunaki keeps moving.
Filipunaki 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.
Filipunaki is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Jenkins wants to pass the guard but Filipunaki is keeping the position.
Filipunaki throws a nice elbow from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Filipunaki looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Filipunaki tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Jenkins chips away with some ground and pound.
Filipunaki throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Filipunaki keeping moving, preventing Jenkins from controlling successfully.
Filipunaki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Jenkins is one step ahead there.
Filipunaki keeping moving, preventing Jenkins from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Jenkins scores a takedown into full mount!
Jenkins trying to control but Filipunaki is having none of it.
Filipunaki is desperately trying to improve his position but Jenkins has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Akira Filipunaki will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Filipunaki takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Jenkins shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Jenkins showed some decent athleticism there.
Filipunaki trying to control from the bottom.

Jenkins stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Jenkins drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Jenkins trying to control the action but Filipunaki is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jenkins gets to mount! Filipunaki was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Jenkins is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Filipunaki regains half guard.
Filipunaki trying to hold on to Jenkins's head to control him but Jenkins postures up.
Filipunaki manages to get to full guard.
Filipunaki trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Filipunaki is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Jenkins stands up from Filipunaki's guard - Jenkins perhaps looking for a knockout.
Jenkins has his takedown stuffed
and Filipunaki connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Filipunaki shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Filipunaki showed some decent athleticism there.
Jenkins is trying to stand back up but Filipunaki is controlling him
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filipunaki thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Jenkins's head.
Jenkins is doing well to control the position and prevent Filipunaki from advancing to side control.
Jenkins is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Jenkins wants to control but Filipunaki is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Jenkins pushes Filipunaki off and gets back to his feet.
Filipunaki tries to clinch up.
Jenkins fails to land with a series of punches.
Jenkins takes a kick to the side of the head.

Jenkins drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Jenkins trying to control the position from guard on top but Filipunaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jenkins decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Filipunaki, up you get!
Jenkins tries for a takedown but Filipunaki circles away easily

and Filipunaki counters with a shoot takedown. Jenkins fights it but they end up in guard.

Jenkins is working an open guard so Filipunaki takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!

Filipunaki closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Filipunaki lands in his opponent's guard.
Filipunaki looking to pass the guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Jenkins is looking for a triangle but Filipunaki pushes his legs off easily.

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 Jimmy Jenkins.
I think Jenkins has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!