PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Jinostaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marco Figueroa (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.

Jinostaka
vs
Figueroa

184 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Jinostaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marco Figueroa!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Dean Styles and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Figueroa gets a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jinostaka wants to get back to his feet.
Figueroa is thwarting Jinostaka's attempts to control the position.
Jinostaka misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Figueroa lands strikes from half guard.
Jinostaka trying to hold on to Figueroa's head to control him but Figueroa postures up.
Figueroa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jinostaka keeps working.
Jinostaka is looking to control Figueroa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jinostaka avoid being mounted?

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jinostaka will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Figueroa as Jinostaka shoots in.
Jinostaka keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Jinostaka tries to clinch up.
Figueroa looks to land a combination but Jinostaka avoids it well.
Jinostaka tries to bum rush Figueroa with a series of wild strikes but Figueroa uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Jinostaka tries to clinch up but Figueroa circles away and keeps his distance.

Figueroa gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Figueroa 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.
Figueroa throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Figueroa looking to control.
Jinostaka trying to control the position from guard on top but Figueroa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jinostaka is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa wants to sweep but no luck.
Jinostaka trying to control but Figueroa is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jinostaka is looking to stand up but Figueroa won't let him.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Jinostaka shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Figueroa but Figueroa pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Jinostaka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Figueroa bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Figueroa misses with a combination

and Jinostaka counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Jinostaka.
Figueroa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Jinostaka pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Figueroa is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Jinostaka is keeping busy.

Jinostaka's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Figueroa tries for a takedown but Jinostaka circles away easily
and Jinostaka counters with an inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa just misses with a punch to the body.
Figueroa misses with a wild body shot.

Jinostaka moves into the clinch.
Jinostaka has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Figueroa avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Figueroa has a couple of punches blocked by Jinostaka.
Jinostaka has Figueroa pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Figueroa manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Figueroa gets underhooks to prevent Jinostaka's takedown attempt.
Jinostaka is breathing heavily.
Figueroa is trying to drag Jinostaka to the mat but Jinostaka just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Figueroa turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Figueroa manages to end up in side control.
Jinostaka struggling a bit here.
Figueroa remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Jinostaka manages to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jinostaka makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Jinostaka.
Figueroa throws a big right hand that misses.
Jinostaka is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Jinostaka is looking to stand up but Figueroa isn't so interested in that idea.
Jinostaka working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Figueroa.
Jinostaka working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Figueroa.
Figueroa wants to control from the top but Jinostaka keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Figueroa fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Marco Figueroa will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Figueroa throws a leg kick that is checked

and Jinostaka counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Figueroa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jinostaka wants to control from the top but Figueroa keeps moving.
Jinostaka is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Figueroa is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Jinostaka slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Figueroa.
Figueroa punching from the bottom.
Figueroa wants to control but Jinostaka is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Figueroa throws a predictable looking body shot
and Jinostaka connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jinostaka throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Figueroa misses with a combination

and Jinostaka holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Figueroa is breathing heavily.
Jinostaka missing with knees to the body.

Figueroa lands a takedown into guard.
Jinostaka is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Figueroa is controlling him.
Figueroa is looking to work some ground and pound but Jinostaka has wrist control.
Figueroa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Jinostaka lands a good elbow from the bottom.
Figueroa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jinostaka has momentary wrist control but Figueroa slips an elbow through the middle.
Jinostaka not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Figueroa must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Jinostaka lands a jab-cross combination.
Nice sprawl there from Figueroa as Jinostaka shoots in.
Jinostaka lands with a nice combination. Figueroa backs away looking to recover.
Figueroa misses with a combination
and Jinostaka counters with a three punch combo that has Figueroa backing up. Figueroa nods at Jinostaka to acknowledge the strikes.
Figueroa on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Figueroa takes a jab right on the kisser.
Jinostaka's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Jinostaka duly obliges.
Jinostaka lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Jinostaka.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
No luck for Jinostaka with that takedown attempt.
Jinostaka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Figueroa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Figueroa scores with a jab.
Figueroa throws a predictable looking body shot
and Jinostaka counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Figueroa. No joy for Jinostaka on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Jinostaka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jinostaka tries to clinch up.
Figueroa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jinostaka will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Jinostaka keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Figueroa shoots in looking for a takedown. Jinostaka tries to sprawl out of it but Figueroa keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Jinostaka manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Jinostaka shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Figueroa as he avoids it easily.
Jinostaka fails with an attempt to clinch.
Michael Jinostaka is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A nice leg kick lands there from Jinostaka.
Marco Figueroa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jinostaka lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Figueroa backs up against the cage.
Figueroa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Jinostaka's waist but Jinostaka gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Figueroa off to one side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa misses with a body shot.
Jinostaka scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Jinostaka looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Jinostaka gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Jinostaka connects with a knee to the head.

Jinostaka ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Jinostaka no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Figueroa chips away with some ground and pound.
Figueroa wants to control from the top but Jinostaka keeps moving.
Jinostaka working a defensive guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jinostaka has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Jinostaka dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Jinostaka shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Figueroa but Figueroa pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Figueroa misses with a combination
and Jinostaka counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Jinostaka throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Figueroa throws a sloppy body shot
and Jinostaka counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Figueroa works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Figueroa shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Jinostaka wants to hold on but Figueroa pushes him away.
Jinostaka is in all sorts of trouble here.
Figueroa has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Jinostaka's face.
A nice elbow there by Figueroa.
Jinostaka tries to lock up and control but Figueroa gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Figueroa controlling the position easily from mount.
Jinostaka wants to control but Figueroa is having none of it.
Figueroa sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Figueroa landing strikes from the mount.
Figueroa sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Jinostaka can't escape the position.
Figueroa avoids the attempt from Jinostaka to control.
Jinostaka is looking to get to half guard.

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.
Figueroa lands a big shot there that rocks Jinostaka but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Figueroa working the ground and pound effectively.
Jinostaka working to try and regain half guard.
Figueroa raining down shots from the mount!
Figueroa punishing his opponent with strikes.
Figueroa scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Jinostaka?
Jinostaka takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Jinostaka working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Figueroa trying to control but Jinostaka is having none of it.
Figueroa avoids the attempt from Jinostaka to control.
Figueroa is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Jinostaka is looking to improve his position but Figueroa isn't that keen on the idea.
Figueroa dominating with strikes here.
A nice elbow there by Figueroa.
Figueroa controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Jinostaka wants to control but Figueroa is having none of it.
Figueroa with good strikes from the mount here!
Jinostaka tries to hold on but Figueroa postures up.
Figueroa wants to control but instead Jinostaka manages to regain half guard.
Jinostaka trying to hold on to Figueroa's head to control him but Figueroa postures up.
Figueroa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marco Figueroa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Figueroa has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marco Figueroa!