PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ben Askren (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hitoshi Masaru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Askren
vs
Masaru

179 cm
24
153 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

170 cm
27
164 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Good knees
Very quick

Dangerous GnP
Good kicks
Determined

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 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Askren!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Hitoshi Masaru!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Paul Tew and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Askren misses with a wild body shot.
Askren thows a body shot but no joy.
Masaru lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Askren avoids the head kick by Masaru.
Askren throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Masaru counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Askren is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Masaru misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Askren checks the leg kick.
An inside leg kick from Masaru misses.
Masaru pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Masaru is looking to chop away at Askren's legs.
A head kick misses from Masaru.
Askren tries to clinch but Masaru is having none of it.
Masaru swats away the attempt to clinch by Askren.
Askren connects with the punch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Askren tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Masaru was well out of range. Poor timing from Askren.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masaru throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Askren.
Askren tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Askren moves into the clinch successfully.
Masaru fails to pull guard.
Masaru avoids a wild elbow strike from Askren.
Masaru jumps guard but Askren stands there with Masaru around his waist. Masaru gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Askren throws an elbow but it misses.
Askren with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Askren creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Askren with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Askren lands with a light punch inside.
Askren just leaning against Masaru, taking a breather.
Askren is leaning against Masaru and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Masaru jumps guard but Askren turns him against the ropes and keeps the fight standing.
Ben Askren has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hitoshi Masaru.

Askren breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Askren moves to clinch but Masaru breaks away
and Masaru counters with an outside leg kick.
Askren doesn't manage to clinch there - Masaru circles away.
Masaru looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Masaru tries to work over Askren's front leg with a kick but Askren checks it.
Askren scores with a leg kick.
Masaru tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Askren is able to avoid easily.
Askren thuds his shin into the meat of Masaru's side.
Askren tries to clinch
and Masaru counters with a leg kick.
Masaru throws a leg kick but Askren sees it coming and moves out of range.
Masaru throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Masaru wants to land a leg kick but Askren is out of range.
Ben Askren seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Masaru on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Askren fails with an attempt to clinch.
Masaru misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Askren has managed to clinch.
Masaru takes an elbow to the forehead.
Askren tries a body shot but Masaru blocks it.
Masaru tries to pull guard but Askren holds him up against the ropes and eventually Masaru drops back down to his feet.
Still in the clinch, Askren scores with a nice short uppercut.
Askren throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Masaru blocks it with crossed arms.
Askren throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Masarus head.
Askren throws a knee to the head but misses.
Masaru takes a knee to the side of the body.
Askren with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Masaru ties up his opponent against the ropes and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Masaru no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Askren working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren trying to control but Masaru is working from the bottom.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Masaru had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Askren defends it easily.
Masaru wants to sweep but no luck.
Askren has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Masaru is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Askren is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Askren dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Askren fails with an attempt to clinch.
Masaru pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Masaru throws a nice inside leg kick.
Askren throws a sloppy head kick and Masaru moves out of range easily.
Askren tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Masaru paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hitoshi Masaru seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Masaru fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Askren has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Askren tries to clinch
and Masaru makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Askren clinches up with Masaru and pushes him back against the ropes.
Askren doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Askren pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.

Askren breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Masaru throws a head kick that misses
and Askren counters with a straight right hand.
Masaru scores with a head kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Masaru misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masaru tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Masaru circles away from the clinch attempt.
Masaru circles away from the clinch attempt
and Masaru makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Masaru throws a chopping leg kick but Askren manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Askren rushes Masaru and presses him up against the ropes.
Askren lands a nice elbow.
Askren lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Askren looking to slow down the pace here.
Askren with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Askren lands a shoulder strike.

Masaru decides to pull guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masaru avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Masaru has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Askren has passed into side control.
Askren scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Masaru to see if he's OK.
Askren throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Askren throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Masaru works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Masaru blocking the ground and pound attempt from Askren.
Masaru gets back to full guard.
Askren is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Masaru working for a triangle but Askren defends it easily.

Masaru working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Askren doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Askren manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Askren trying to control the position from guard on top but Masaru is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Masaru looking for subs off his back but Askren has passed one foot through into half guard.
Askren not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren wants to lay and pray for a moment but Masaru keeps working.
Nice strikes from Askren there.
Masaru is staying active underneath Askren, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Masaru won't allow Askren to pass to mount.
Masaru has hold of Askren's hands but Askren slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Masaru regains full guard. Nicely done.
Askren keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Masaru's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Askren trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Askren dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Askren blocks a head kick by Masaru.
Askren wants to clinch up but Masaru keeps it at a distance.
Askren tries to clinch there but Masaru circles away.
Askren tries to clinch there but Masaru circles away.
Askren tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Masaru manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Askren tries to clinch but Masaru moves out of range.
Askren is looking to clinch.
Masaru cracks the inside of Askren's front leg.
Askren is looking to clinch.
Masaru takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Askren closes the distance and pushes Masaru back into the ropes.
Masaru fails to pull guard.
Masaru jumps guard but Askren turns him against the ropes and keeps the fight standing.
Still in the clinch, Askren scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masaru tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ben Askren has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hitoshi Masaru.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Askren misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Masaru.
Masaru jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Askren walks away with a smile on his face. Masaru gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Askren pushes Masaru up against the ropes in a clinch.
Masaru jumps guard but Askren stands there with Masaru around his waist. Masaru gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Askren breaks the clinch.
Masaru throws a head kick but Askren moves out of range.
Askren wants to clinch.
Askren wants to clinch.
Masaru buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren is looking to clinch.
Masaru swats away the attempt to clinch by Askren.
Masaru circles away from the clinch attempt.
Askren tries to clinch up
and Masaru counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Masaru circles away from the clinch attempt.
Masaru keeps the fight on the outside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Askren tries to clinch there but Masaru circles away.
Masaru throws a head kick but Askren moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Askren tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Masaru paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Masaru misses with a head kick.
Askren tries to clinch up but Masaru circles away and keeps his distance.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Askren.
Askren tries to close the distance and clinch up but Masaru swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Askren closes the distance looking to clinch
and Masaru counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Askren gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Askren with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Masaru tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Askren manages to break the clinch.
Askren wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren wants to clinch up but Masaru keeps it at a distance.
Askren wants to clinch
and Masaru counters with an outside leg kick.
Askren tries to clinch
and Masaru counters with a head kick. That will keep Askren thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Askren lands a nice shot that snaps Masaru's head back.
Masaru keeps the fight on the outside.
Askren wants to clinch up but Masaru keeps it at a distance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Askren moves into the clinch.
Askren pushes off an throws an elbow but Masaru leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Askren struggles to land a body shot inside as Masaru controls his hands.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Askren creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Askren showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Askren, 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 Donald Grub scores the fight for Ben Askren!
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight for Ben Askren!
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Ben Askren!

Ben Askren wins by unanimous decision!