PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hioshido Tamada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryusuke Sasaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Tamada
vs
Sasaki

170 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
18
144 lbs
0 - 3 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hioshido Tamada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryusuke Sasaki!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Taro Takaoka and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tamada pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sasaki defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Tamada.

Sasaki drives through with a takedown into guard.

Sasaki gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Tamada gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Tamada successfully pulls guard.
Tamada wants to stand up but Sasaki is controlling him.
Sasaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Tamada is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tamada manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sasaki holds on for dear life, controlling Tamada's posture momentarily.
Tamada controlling from the full mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tamada trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sasaki tries to hold on but Tamada pushes him away.
Tamada wants to control the pace but Sasaki is squirming around nicely.
BOOM! Tamada connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sasaki keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sasaki holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Tamada tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Sasaki sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Sasaki has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tamada is working away from the top position though.
Sasaki is looking to improve his position.
Tamada wants to take a breather but Sasaki is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tamada is thwarting Sasaki's attempts to control the position.
Tamada perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Sasaki is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tamada's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tamada's back!
Sasaki gets his hands free as Tamada looks to control.
Sasaki gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Sasaki not allowing Tamada to control his hands.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sasaki controlling the position well here. Tamada rolled but Sasaki kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tamada tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Tamada is looking to improve his position but Sasaki isn't that keen on the idea.
A nice elbow there by Sasaki.
Tamada tries to improve his position but instead Sasaki has taken his back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tamada staying busy and making it hard for Sasaki to control.

Sasaki looking for the choke but no joy.
Sasaki looks gassed!
Tamada wants to control his opponent's hands but Sasaki gets his hands free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sasaki fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Sasaki shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Tamada wants to improve his position but Sasaki is controlling well.
Tamada is working hard here to advance position.
Tamada regains full guard. Nicely done.
Tamada pulls Sasaki in to control the position.
Tamada is trying to keep Sasaki in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sasaki is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Sasaki is breathing heavily.
Let's hope that Sasaki has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Tamada is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Tamada had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sasaki defends it easily.

Tamada is working an open guard so Sasaki takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's two 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.
Sasaki fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Tamada wants to clinch up but Sasaki keeps it at a distance.
Tamada shoots and misses

and Sasaki counters with a single leg into guard. Tamada didn't expect that.
Sasaki wants to pass the guard but Tamada is keeping the position.
Tamada controlling the position.
Sasaki won't allow Tamada to sweep him here.
Sasaki trying to control but Tamada is working from the bottom.

Tamada working for a triangle but Sasaki defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sasaki wants to control from the top but Tamada keeps moving.
Tamada utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tamada has his hands on Sasaki's head, controlling the position.

Tamada pushes Sasaki off and gets back to his feet.

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.
Sasaki throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Tamada scores with a head kick.
Sasaki moves out of range of the body kick.
Tamada misses with an uppercut. Sasaki saw that one coming.
Tamada with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sasaki counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Tamada cracks Sasaki with a nice body shot.
Tamada is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hioshido Tamada. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tamada escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A head kick misses from Sasaki.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryusuke Sasaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Tamada tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Sasaki decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Tamada's guard.
Sasaki trying to control but Tamada is working from the bottom.
Tamada is trying to control the position but Sasaki postures up.
Sasaki wants to control from the top but Tamada keeps moving.
Tamada not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tamada throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Sasaki sitting in guard here, content to control.
Tamada looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sasaki is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Sasaki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tamada with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sasaki counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Tamada controls Sasaki momentarily but Sasaki frees himself.

Sasaki drops back, looking for a kneebar! Tamada looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Tamada looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Tamada!
Sasaki is letting Tamada control him for a moment.
Sasaki tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tamada landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Tamada wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sasaki keeps working.
Ryusuke Sasaki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tamada wants to control for a moment but Sasaki uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Sasaki is looking for a sweep. Tamada is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tamada controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sasaki wants to control but Tamada is keeping busy.
Sasaki is holding on to half guard well.

Tamada decides to return to a standing position.

Sasaki moves into the clinch successfully.
Tamada trying to stall but Sasaki improves his position.

Tamada jumps guard and drags Sasaki to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Sasaki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tamada is trying to control the position but Sasaki postures up.
Sasaki wants to control from the top but Tamada keeps moving.
Tamada lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sasaki!
Tamada takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Tamada looking to control but Sasaki is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hioshido Tamada has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ryusuke Sasaki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tamada looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryusuke Sasaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sasaki winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryusuke Sasaki!