PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Yuu Saga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Manuel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Saga
vs
Manuel

174 cm
22
158 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

183 cm
22
153 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Malicious Intent Fight Gear

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuu Saga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jose Manuel!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manuel closes this distance looking for a takedown but Saga circles away.

Saga bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Saga wants to control but Manuel is keeping him busy.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Saga trying to control the action but Manuel is working from the bottom.
Saga takes a little break here. Manuel wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Saga has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Manuel!
Manuel can't escape the position.
Saga trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Saga looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saga can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Manuel is looking to escape.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Yuu Saga just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Saga with a poor takedown
and Manuel counters with a nice leg kick.
Manuel is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Manuel tries to clinch there but Saga circles away.
Saga shoots for a double leg takedown but Manuel sprawls well. He's pushed Saga's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Good leg kick by Manuel there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Saga is breathing heavily.
No luck for Saga with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yuu Saga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Manuel feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Saga's calf.
Saga ducks straight into an uppercut from Manuel and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Saga maanges to regain guard straight away.

Saga is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Manuel is looking to stand up but Saga won't let him.
Oh Saga is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saga not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Manuel wants to stand but Saga is controlling his posture from full guard.
Saga is trying to control the position but Manuel postures up.
Saga manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Manuel manages to get himself to full guard.
Saga seems to have got his legs back now.
Manuel wants to get back to his feet but Saga is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Manuel really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Saga. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Manuel keeping full guard, as Saga tries to pass.
Manuel is striking but Saga is not phased and passes to half guard.
Saga is pressing down on Manuel's thigh, looking to free his foot. Manuel is holding on for now.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Saga performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manuel wants to control but Saga is keeping busy.
Saga looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Saga is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Saga sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Saga wants to control the pace but Manuel is squirming around nicely.
Manuel prevents Saga from taking his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Saga moves to back control.
Saga slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Manuel trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Manuel is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Saga controls the position.

Manuel is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Saga gets his way!
Manuel trying to control the position but Saga manages to sink in the hooks.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Saga looking for the rear naked choke. And he's got it! Manuel taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Yuu Saga!