PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Shigetoshi Kaga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Judo Saiko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kaga comes into the arena with Fighting 17th - Hans Zimmer blaring out of the sound system. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Kaga
vs
Saiko

181 cm
19
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
20
161 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shigetoshi Kaga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Judo Saiko!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yukihiro Shimada and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saiko tries to work over Kaga's front leg with a kick but Kaga checks it.
Saiko misses with a wild combination.
Kaga looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Saiko is fending him off so far but Kaga persists. Nope, Saiko circles away and we're back to standing.
Saiko does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Saiko is looking to score with low kicks.

Kaga shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Saiko is holding on to half guard well.
Saiko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kaga landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Saiko is trying to stand back up but Kaga is controlling him
Kaga is looking to take a break and control but Saiko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kaga has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Saiko looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaga can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Saiko is looking to escape.
Kaga connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Kaga is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Judo Saiko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kaga has a takedown stuffed.
Judo Saiko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kaga tries to close the distance and clinch but Saiko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A punch combination from Saiko misses.

Kaga forces Saiko back against the ropes and clinches.
Saiko gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kaga.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shigetoshi Kaga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kaga is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Saiko is keeping busy.
Kaga throws a punch but it's blocked by Saiko.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saiko drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kaga gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Kaga drags the fight down to the ground.
Kaga has a closed guard, preventing Saiko from standing up.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Saiko stopping the sweep attempt from Kaga.
Kaga lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Saiko!
Saiko wants to control but Kaga is having none of it.
Kaga controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saiko is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Saiko tries to hold on but Kaga pushes him away.
Saiko is trying desperately to improve position.
Kaga trying to control but Saiko is having none of it.

Kaga with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Kaga avoids the attempt from Saiko to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kaga trying to control but Saiko is having none of it.

Kaga stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.

Kaga scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Kaga trying to control from half guard but Saiko is working away.
Kaga is controlling the pace.
Saiko avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kaga.
Saiko is not content to let Kaga control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shigetoshi Kaga dominated that round.
That's time! Kaga's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kaga clinches up against the ropes.
Kaga tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Kaga fails to pull guard.
Kaga is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Saiko pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shigetoshi Kaga. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kaga breaks the clinch.
Kaga just misses with a punch to the body.
Saiko shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Kaga fails in his attempt to clinch.
Saiko misses with a straight right.
Kaga has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Saiko is looking to clinch but Kaga is avoiding it.
Saiko throws a low kick but Kaga avoids it.
Saiko throws a body punch but Kaga moves out of range.
Saiko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kaga moves in looking to clinch but Saiko pushes him off.
Saiko is breathing heavily.

Kaga fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Saiko sprawls well initially but Kaga persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kaga wants to control but Saiko is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saiko trying to hold on to Kaga's head to control him but Kaga postures up.
Saiko scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Kaga manages to mount him!
Saiko holds of for dear life.
Saiko is looking to improve his position but Kaga isn't that keen on the idea.
Kaga avoids the attempt from Saiko to control.
Saiko keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Kaga has control of Saiko's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Saiko regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Kaga tries to control but Saiko wriggling away.
Saiko is working to get back to half guard.

Kaga is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Saiko has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Saiko regains half guard.
Kaga is keen to just control but Saiko is a slippery customer.
Kaga wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kaga is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Saiko has managed to free his arm - good work.

Kaga looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Kaga is trying to control the action in half guard but Saiko is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to 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.
Kaga scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Kaga seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Kaga is trying to work for a kimura but Saiko is defending well.
Kaga throwing shots but Saiko is blocking nicely.
Kaga trying to control from half guard but Saiko is working away.
Kaga not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kaga throws a head kick that Saiko semi-blocks.
Kaga throws a quick inside leg kick.
Saiko attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Saiko throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kaga thuds his shin into the meat of Saiko's side.

Kaga scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Saiko is trying to maintain the position but Kaga is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shigetoshi Kaga dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Kaga shoots in looking for a takedown. Saiko tries to sprawl out of it but Kaga keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Saiko manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kaga tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Saiko swivels and escapes.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Saiko.
Shigetoshi Kaga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saiko tries to clinch but Kaga moves away
and Kaga counters with a head kick.
Saiko comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
No luck for Kaga with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shigetoshi Kaga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saiko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Kaga drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kaga trying to control but Saiko is working from the bottom.
Kaga pushing down on Saiko's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Kaga wants to pass to mount but Saiko is defending the position.
Kaga stalling.
Kaga is looking to take a break and control but Saiko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saiko manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Saiko throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saiko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kaga circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kaga counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Saiko!
Kaga lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Kaga trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kaga looking to finish Saiko with some ground and pound. This is bad for Saiko!
Shigetoshi Kaga overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kaga tries to control but Saiko wriggling away.
Saiko is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kaga lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Saiko hang on?
Kaga lands a big elbow.
Kaga in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kaga has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Saiko is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Saiko tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Saiko wants to hold on but Kaga pushes him away.
Saiko wants to try and get back to his feet.
Kaga thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Kaga takes Saiko's back.

Kaga is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Saiko knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Saiko for a finish.
Saiko is trying to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaga biding his time, looking for the opening.
Kaga is looking to control Saiko but Saiko is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Kaga is working the ground and pound. Can Saiko escape?
Saiko can't escape the position.
Kaga trying to control.
Saiko is taking damage to the body and head.
Kaga is working the ground and pound. Can Saiko escape?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Saiko is in bad spot here.

Kaga is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Saiko is defending well though. Kaga let's go of the attempt for now.
Saiko prevents Kaga from getting a body triangle.
Judo Saiko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Saiko defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.
Saiko has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kaga is proving hard to escape from.
Saiko postures up.
Kaga 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.
Kaga lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Saiko!

And that's the end of the fight!
Shigetoshi Kaga showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kaga, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shigetoshi Kaga!