PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael Do (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilya Sapursky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sapursky has chosen Imperial March as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Ilya Sapursky was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Do
vs
Sapursky

190 cm
21
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
23
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Michael Do!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ilya Sapursky!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sapursky misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Do looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sapursky misses with a takedown attempt - Do sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Do swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Do misses with a takedown

and Sapursky counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sapursky.
Sapursky throws a strike but Do rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sapursky working a defensive guard here.
Sapursky is pulling down on Do's head. It's preventing any offense from Do, at least for the moment.
Do advances position into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Do trying to control the action but Sapursky is working from the bottom.

Sapursky sneaks out the side door and pushes Do away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Do misses with a takedown attempt

and Sapursky decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Do's guard.
Sapursky trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Do has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sapursky can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sapursky throws and elbow that misses. Do uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sapursky's guard. Nice move by Do!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sapursky is controlling Do's posture.
Do stands and throws Sapursky's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Sapursky struggling a bit here.
Do is looking to take a break and control but Sapursky is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Do working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Do in side control, throwing shots but Sapursky defends.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sapursky is trying to improve his position.
Sapursky regains half guard, as Do was trying to land strikes.
Do controlling the action here.

Do is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Sapursky sees it coming and defends easily.

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.
Sapursky is doing well to control the position and prevent Do from advancing to side control.
Do sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sapursky defending well though.

Sapursky looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sapursky tries to kick Do off but Do keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Do sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sapursky defending well though.

Do is trying to work for a kimura but Sapursky is defending well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Do throws a head kick that misses.
Do misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Sapursky dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Do looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Do keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Do throws a nice looking combination but Sapursky bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sapursky dodges the punch combination from Do.
Horrible takedown by Sapursky or perhaps it was just good defense by Do which made him look bad.
Do tries for a takedown but Sapursky circles away easily

and Sapursky counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sapursky throwing strikes but missing.
Do utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sapursky looking to sit in guard and control but Do gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Do throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Do looking to sit in guard and control but Sapursky gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sapursky loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Do looking for a sweep. Not yet Do, not yet.
Sapursky trying to control but Do is working from the bottom.
Sapursky throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Do works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sapursky throws a strike but Do rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sapursky controls Do momentarily but Do frees himself.
Do wants to pass the guard but Sapursky is keeping the position.
Sapursky trying to control the position here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Do slaps away a takedown attempt from Sapursky, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Do misses with a double jab.
Do stuffs the takedown attempt from Sapursky. Sapursky gets slowly back to his feet.
Michael Do has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ilya Sapursky.

Sapursky feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sapursky is breathing heavily.

Sapursky gets to his feet. Do looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Do connects with a jab.
Do misses with a jab, cross combination.

Do looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Do is pressing down on Sapursky's thigh, looking to free his foot. Sapursky is holding on for now.
Do is looking to take a break and control but Sapursky is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sapursky has hold of Do's hands but Do slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Sapursky looks like he's trying to stand up.
Do looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Do is working for a submission of some sort.
Sapursky gets full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Sapursky showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Do tries to clinch but Sapursky moves out of range.
Do lands with a thumping leg kick.
Do swinging wildly here.
Do closes the distance looking to clinch

and Sapursky counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sapursky accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Do is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a tringle but Sapursky frees his head nicely. Oh but Do has switched to an armbar! Sapursky is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Michael Do!