PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Maman Suraman (ranked 1615 p4p, 2292 weight class) and Mario Yamasaki (ranked 209 p4p, 269 weight class). Yamasaki is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by 2Pac - The Warriors Way. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Suraman
vs
Yamasaki

172 cm
22
180
7 - 4 - 0

167 cm
30
170
13 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Sakura Style

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Maman Suraman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mario Yamasaki!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Konstantin Menshow and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Suraman pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Yamasaki now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Yamasaki throws a poor cross that misses

and Suraman counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Suraman.
Yamasaki has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Yamasaki trying to keep a closed guard but Suraman is proving a slippery customer.
Suraman stops Yamasaki from standing up.
Yamasaki keeping full guard, as Suraman tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Suraman sitting in guard here, content to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Yamasaki wriggles free and stands up.
Yamasaki throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamasaki slaps away a takedown attempt from Suraman, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Yamasaki throws a hook but Suraman avoids it easily.
Yamasaki digs a good hook to Suraman's body.
Yamasaki looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Yamasaki scores with a shot to the body.
Yamasaki throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Suraman counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Yamasaki!

Yamasaki bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Suraman has his takedown stuffed
and Yamasaki counters with a stiff right hand.

It looks like Maman Suraman has been cut.
Suraman definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Suraman slips under a jab from Yamasaki.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Suraman uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Yamasaki.
Yamasaki falls off balance throwing a combination

and Suraman decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Yamasaki's guard.
Suraman pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yamasaki is keeping the position for now.
Yamasaki is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Suraman looking to pass the guard.
Suraman engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Suraman wants to control from the top but Yamasaki keeps moving.
Yamasaki really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Suraman. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suraman tries to free his leg and advance position but Yamasaki is retaining full guard.
Suraman is pushing down on Yamasaki's leg trying to pass to half guard. Yamasaki is fighting to maintain full guard but Suraman has managed to sneak the leg through.
Suraman thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Yamasaki's head.
Yamasaki pushes Suraman off looking to stand but Suraman dives back in and keeps control.
Suraman trying to control the action but Yamasaki is working from the bottom.
Suraman missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Suraman wants to pass the guard but Yamasaki is defending well.
Suraman is working hard here to advance position.
Suraman has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Suraman controlling the position easily from mount.
Suraman lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Yamasaki hang on?
Suraman connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Suraman working for a submission but Yamasaki is keeping him at bay.
Suraman wants to control the pace but Yamasaki is squirming around nicely.
Suraman tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Maman Suraman will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Maman Suraman's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Suraman is trying hard to land a takedown here. Yamasaki sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Yamasaki misses with the combination.
A looping hook to the body misses from Suraman. Yamasaki does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yamasaki throws out a counter right but Suraman avoids it with no problem.
Maman Suraman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Suraman shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Yamasaki as he jumps to the side.
It seemed like Yamasaki was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Yamasaki lands a jab to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yamasaki misses the jab.
Suraman is looking to land body kicks.

Suraman pushes Yamasaki up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamasaki looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Yamasaki is trying to break the clinch but Suraman has him pressed against the cage.

Suraman has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Yamasaki is trying to keep an underhook but Suraman manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Yamasaki has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Suraman is working away from the top position though.

Suraman wants to work for an arm triangle but Yamasaki is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Suraman is looking to stall here but Yamasaki recovers full guard.
Yamasaki wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Suraman manages to pass to side control.
Suraman controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Suraman not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Suraman missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Suraman not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Suraman is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Yamasaki is just riding it out for now. Suraman eventually gives up the hold.
Suraman throwing shots but Yamasaki is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamasaki is not content to let Suraman control the position.

Suraman is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Yamasaki is just riding it out for now. Suraman eventually gives up the hold.
Yamasaki wants to get back to his feet.
Suraman trying to control from half guard but Yamasaki is working away.
Suraman is just content to waste time from the top position. Yamasaki takes advantage of the situation and regains full 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.

Suraman drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Yamasaki manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Suraman has Yamasaki in his guard.

Yamasaki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Suraman is looking for a triangle but Yamasaki pushes his legs off easily.
Suraman controls Yamasaki momentarily but Yamasaki frees himself.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Yamasaki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Maman Suraman will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Maman Suraman's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Yamasaki throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yamasaki misses with an uppercut.
Yamasaki ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Suraman moves away.
Yamasaki lands with a good body shot.
Suraman has his takedown stuffed
and Yamasaki counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Suraman fails in his attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A slow jab from Yamasaki misses its intended target.
Yamasaki changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Suraman throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamasaki jabs Suraman right on the nose. Suraman blinks but takes it well.
Yamasaki misses with the combination.
Yamasaki digs a good body shot into Suraman's ribs.
Yamasaki misses with a series of wild punches.
Suraman shoots for a double leg takedown but Yamasaki sprawls well. He's pushed Suraman's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Yamasaki fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Yamasaki fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Suraman manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Yamasaki finds it's target.
Yamasaki connects with a single shot there.
Suraman slips a jab from Yamasaki.
Suraman has his takedown stuffed
and Suraman takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maman Suraman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yamasaki missing with a left hand there. Suraman was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Yamasaki has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Yamasaki throws a lazy uppercut

and Suraman counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Suraman is trying to control. Yamasaki wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Suraman working the head and body with strikes.
Suraman working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suraman passes to side control.

Suraman tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Yamasaki tries to improve position but can't.
Suraman tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Yamasaki wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Suraman moves into full mount!
Yamasaki is squirming around, avoiding Suraman's attempts to control the action.
Suraman postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Yamasaki looks a forlorn figure.
Suraman wants to control the pace but Yamasaki is squirming around nicely.
Suraman looking to finish with strikes here!
Mario Yamasaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maman Suraman is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Suraman blocks Yamasaki's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mario Yamasaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Suraman 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maman Suraman!
An out of breath Maman Suraman thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.