PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mabishiro Sakamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rei Herrera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Herrera comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Pigface kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Mabishiro Sakamoto could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Rei Herrera's chin.

Sakamoto
vs
Herrera

175 cm
20
160 lbs
4 - 27 - 0

173 cm
23
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Empire Threads - Featuring Deadly Clothing

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 4 - 27 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mabishiro Sakamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rei Herrera!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Bruno Lombardi and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Herrera scores with a takedown into Sakamoto's guard.
Sakamoto can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Herrera controls the pace.
Sakamoto is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Herrera scoring with some ground and pound.
Sakamoto working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Herrera.
Herrera sitting in guard, not really doing much.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Sakamoto is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Rei Herrera wasn't active enough on the ground.

Herrera drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Herrera stands and steps away. Sakamoto gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Herrera tries to clinch but Sakamoto moves out of range.
Sakamoto tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Herrera counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Herrera is pressing down on Sakamoto's thigh, looking to free his foot. Sakamoto is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herrera thows a huge punch but Sakamoto dodges it nicely.
Herrera works his way into side control.
Herrera is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
I looks like Herrera might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

Herrera stands up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakamoto takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Herrera looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Herrera is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Herrera pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sakamoto is keeping the position for now.
Herrera is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sakamoto keeping moving, preventing Herrera from controlling successfully.
Herrera showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herrera pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sakamoto is keeping the position for now.

Rei Herrera has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Herrera shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Herrera trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Herrera wants to control from the top but Sakamoto keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Herrera not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rei Herrera dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Herrera bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Herrera trying to control the position but Sakamoto is working away.
Herrera is working Sakamoto over with some ground and pound from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Herrera is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Herrera decides to stand back up.

Sakamoto gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Herrera trying to control but Sakamoto is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herrera showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Herrera trying to control but Sakamoto is working from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Rei Herrera wasn't active enough on the ground.
Herrera wants to clinch

and Sakamoto counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakamoto won't allow Herrera to sweep him here.
Herrera doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Herrera is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Let's hope that Herrera 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Herrera escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sakamoto gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sakamoto trying to control but Herrera is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Herrera fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sakamoto has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Herrera misses with a few strikes there.

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.

Herrera shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Herrera showed some decent athleticism there.
Sakamoto avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Herrera.
Herrera seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sakamoto does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Herrera with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Herrera wants to control but Sakamoto is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rei Herrera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Sakamoto wants to clinch but Herrera slips to the side
and Herrera counters with a nice kick to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Herrera.

Herrera shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Herrera was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Herrera raining down shots from the mount!
Herrera looking to control and managing it successfully.
Herrera with a couple of short strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Herrera takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Herrera has hold of Sakamoto's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Sakamoto manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Sakamoto tries to hold on but Herrera postures up.
Herrera tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sakamoto keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

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.
Herrera sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Herrera lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Herrera in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Herrera sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Herrera is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Sakamoto is surviving well by controlling Herrera's body position as best he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herrera controlling the position easily from mount.
Sakamoto tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rei Herrera has got the better of the ground game so far.
Herrera lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

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.
Herrera landing shots from mount.
Sakamoto is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Herrera looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sakamoto tries to hold on but Herrera postures up.
Mabishiro Sakamoto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rei Herrera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Herrera controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rei Herrera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Herrera has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 26:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 26:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rei Herrera!