PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Akiyama Shinichi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Stevens's choice of entrance music: Can't Hold Us. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Shinichi
vs
Stevens

155 cm
36
145 lbs
23 - 13 - 1

175 cm
33
135 lbs
16 - 15 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Akiyama Shinichi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Victor Stevens!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shinichi rushes Stevens and presses him up against the cage.
Shinichi goes for a takedown attempt but Stevens pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Shinichi seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Victor Stevens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Shinichi drives through and clinches with Stevens against the cage.
Shinichi has Stevens pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Stevens manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Shinichi jumps guard and drags Stevens to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Shinichi wants to sweep but no luck.
Stevens tries to stand but Shinichi is controlling from the bottom.

Shinichi is working an open guard so Stevens takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Stevens rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Shinichi counters with a takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stevens is looking to reverse the position.
Shinichi content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

Shinichi tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Shinichi has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Shinichi wants to control but Stevens is keeping him busy.
Stevens regains half guard.
Shinichi controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Shinichi has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Shinichi is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Stevens has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Stevens!
Shinichi tries to strike from the bottom.
Shinichi is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Shinichi has an active guard here but Stevens has managed to pass into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Shinichi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Stevens is keen to just control but Shinichi is a slippery customer.
Shinichi tries to roll over but Stevens keeps him under control.

Stevens stands up out of the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Shinichi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akiyama Shinichi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Shinichi closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Stevens quickly recovers to half guard.
Stevens is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Stevens is trying to control but Shinichi passes into side control!
Stevens is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Shinichi asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shinichi working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akiyama Shinichi dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Shinichi bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Shinichi is staying tight to Stevens's torso, preventing him from escaping.

Shinichi is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Stevens is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Shinichi staying calm.
Shinichi tries to advance to mount but Stevens denies him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stevens wants to control but Shinichi postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens stops Shinichi from passing to mount.
Shinichi has control of an arm but Stevens manages to advance to Shinichi's back!
Shinichi tries to escape but Stevens has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Shinichi breaks Stevens's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Stevens is trying to hold Shinichi in close to prevent damage but Shinichi has managed to pass into half guard.
Shinichi stalling away here and it's allowed Stevens to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Shinichi passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens stops Shinichi from passing to mount.
Shinichi is looking to take a break and control but Stevens is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Shinichi passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Stevens!
Shinichi won't let Stevens get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Stevens working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shinichi looking to secure an arm triangle but Stevens defends it well.

Shinichi with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Shinichi controlling from mount.

Shinichi jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Stevens manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Stevens is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Shinichi tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

Shinichi tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Shinichi has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Shinichi thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akiyama Shinichi dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Stevens connects with a high kick.
Stevens thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Shinichi if he has to take too many more of those.
Stevens connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Shinichi's hands.
Shinichi shoots in and drives through. Stevens sprawls well.
Stevens connects with a high kick.
Stevens connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Shinichi momentarily.
Shinichi throws a nice outside leg kick.
Shinichi moves out of range of the strikes.
Stevens looks to land a right hand but Shinichi moved out of range.
Stevens keeps Shinichi at a distance using the push kick.

Shinichi gets tackled into the cage by Stevens. Stevens maintains the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stevens stalling against the cage.
Stevens missing with knees to the body.

Shinichi has Stevens pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Shinichi pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Stevens tumbling to the mat - Shinichi dives into Stevens's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shinichi advances to half guard.
Shinichi is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Stevens reverses the position - he's now on top in Shinichi's guard.
Stevens stopping the sweep attempt from Shinichi.
Stevens sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Shinichi's guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Stevens working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Shinichi wants to improve his position but Stevens is controlling well.

Stevens decides to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shinichi closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Shinichi lands in his opponent's guard.
Stevens controls Shinichi momentarily but Shinichi frees himself.
Stevens is looking to stand up but Shinichi isn't so interested in that idea.
Shinichi trying to control the position from guard on top but Stevens is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Victor Stevens has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shinichi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Stevens swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens is adopting a defensive guard.
Stevens can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Shinichi controls the pace.
Shinichi looking to pass the guard.
Shinichi forces his way into half guard.

Shinichi is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Stevens is just riding it out for now. Shinichi eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Shinichi seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Shinichi is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Stevens has managed to free his arm - good work.
Akiyama Shinichi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stevens punching from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Victor Stevens comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shinichi 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight for Akiyama Shinichi!
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight for Akiyama Shinichi!
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight for Akiyama Shinichi!

Akiyama Shinichi wins by unanimous decision!
Akiyama Shinichi tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.