PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Deji Koshcheck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Millar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Koshcheck
vs
Millar

180 cm
20
171 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Deji Koshcheck!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mike Millar!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yukihiro Shimada and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good standup being displayed there by Millar as he connects with a hook.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Millar keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Koshcheck's efforts to push away.
Millar tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Koshcheck avoids it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Millar is trying to pull guard but Koshcheck turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Millar just leaning against Koshcheck, taking a breather.
Millar is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Millar pulls guard successfully.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Koshcheck is looking to stand up but Millar won't let him.

Millar pushes Koshcheck off and scrambles back to his feet.
Deji Koshcheck seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Millar is defended easily by Koshcheck.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Millar closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Millar lands in his opponent's guard.

Millar gets to his feet. Koshcheck looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Koshcheck tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Millar holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Millar controlling the action here for a moment.
Koshcheck gets underhooks to prevent Millar's takedown attempt.
Deji Koshcheck has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Millar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Millar goes for a takedown in the clinch but Koshcheck prevents it.
Koshcheck wants to stall.

Millar escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Koshcheck wants to clinch

and Millar counters by clinching up.
Koshcheck tries to circle away but Millar has him pinned against the cage.
Millar has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Koshcheck is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Millar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Koshcheck wants to clinch

and Millar counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Millar.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Millar thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koshcheck looking for a sweep. Not yet Koshcheck, not yet.
Millar wants to control from the top but Koshcheck keeps moving.
Millar works over Koshcheck with some ground and pound from guard.
Millar controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Let's hope that Millar has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mike Millar was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Koshcheck tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Millar counters with a low kick, right behind Koshcheck 's knee.
Koshcheck wants to clinch

and Millar counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Millar.

Millar manages to pull guard.
Millar is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Koshcheck wants to stand and escape but instead Millar has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Millar working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Millar controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Millar dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Koshcheck tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Millar counters with a series of strikes. Koshcheck will be more careful next time no doubt.
Millar doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Koshcheck counters by moving into the clinch.
Millar keeps control of Koshcheck as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Koshcheck is trying to stall.
Millar dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Millar can't find room to land a body shot as Koshcheck controls the action.
Koshcheck is trying to push Millar away but Millar has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koshcheck has had enough of the clinch but Millar keeps him there for the moment.

Millar manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Millar is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Millar seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Millar stands up out of the half guard.
Koshcheck moves to clinch but Millar breaks away

and Millar holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Come on Millar - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koshcheck is looking to control Millar's arms but Millar gets an underhook and turns him. Now Koshcheck has his back to the cage.
Koshcheck just leaning against Millar, taking a breather.
Millar is trying to pull guard but Koshcheck has him pressed against the cage.
Koshcheck looking to slow down the pace here.

Millar breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Koshcheck stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Koshcheck wants it to stay on the feet.
Deji Koshcheck has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Millar.
Koshcheck moves to clinch but Millar breaks away

and Millar counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Millar controlling the action here.
Koshcheck tries to roll over but Millar keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koshcheck looks like he's trying to stand up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Koshcheck is staying active underneath Millar, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Mike Millar wasn't active enough on the ground.
Koshcheck looks to clinch

and Millar decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Koshcheck's guard.
Koshcheck knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Millar on the ground.
Millar cracks Koshcheck with a solid left hand.
Millar content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Millar stopping the sweep attempt from Koshcheck.
Millar wants to control from the top but Koshcheck keeps moving.
Millar content to stall in guard here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mike Millar was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Millar shoots in and drives through. Koshcheck sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Millar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! 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.

Koshcheck tries to clinch

and Millar counters by clinching up.

Millar pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Millar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Koshcheck moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Koshcheck tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Millar counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Millar postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Koshcheck to stand up.
Millar circles away from the clinch attempt
and Millar counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Koshcheck thinking.
Koshcheck darts in trying to clinch

and Millar counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Millar.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Millar jumps guard but Koshcheck stands there with Millar around his waist. Millar gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Koshcheck is trying to maintain a safe position but Millar gets an underhook and turns Koshcheck into the cage.
Millar has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Millar.
Koshcheck is trying to break free.
Millar changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Koshcheck fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Koshcheck wants to clinch

and Millar holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Koshcheck prevents the takedown attempt.
Deji Koshcheck has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Millar.
Millar tries for a takedown. No joy.
Millar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Millar looking to throw knees to the head but Koshcheck is blocking nicely.
Mike Millar seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Millar stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Koshcheck is trying to break the clinch but Millar has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Millar misses with some punches.

Millar jumps guard and drags Koshcheck to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Millar is trying to control the position but Koshcheck postures up.
Koshcheck has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Millar is proving hard to escape from.
Koshcheck wants to stand and escape but instead Millar has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Millar sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Koshcheck's guard.
Millar moves into full mount! Koshcheck won't be happy about that!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Koshcheck tries to hold on but Millar pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koshcheck tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Millar won't let Koshcheck get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Koshcheck taking shots to the head.
Millar with shots to the head and body - Koshcheck looks very uncomfortable down there.
Koshcheck tries to control the position but Millar now has his back.
Good control from Millar.
Koshcheck tries to escape but Millar has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Millar lands strikes to the head.
Millar lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Millar lands shots from the back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Millar connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Koshcheck to escape the position.

Millar has the rear naked choke here! This is very bad for Koshcheck! Can he survive? No! He's out! Millar gets to his feet and celebrates with his cornermen. He looks absolutely delighted. In the post fight interviews he takes time to thank his parents and everyone who has believed in him from the start. How sweet.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Mike Millar!