PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hiroshi Karasawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandon Martin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Karasawa
vs
Martin

185 cm
21
184 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

182 cm
19
198 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite 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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiroshi Karasawa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Brandon Martin!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yuuki Gou and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Karasawa gets caught flat footed, as Martin shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Martin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Martin scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Karasawa had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Martin defends it easily.
Martin lands a couple of elbows.
Martin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Karasawa bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Martin's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Karasawa wants to control from the top but Martin keeps moving.
Martin pulls Karasawa in close to his closed guard and prevents Karasawa from doing any damage or advancing position.
Karasawa looking to sit in guard and control but Martin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karasawa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Karasawa is looking for a triangle but Martin pushes his legs off easily.
Martin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Karasawa is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Martin wants to control but Karasawa is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Karasawa is looking for a kimura but Martin is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Karasawa to get the leverage.
Karasawa is thwarting Martin's attempts to control the position.
Karasawa is trying to control. Martin wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Karasawa prevents Martin from improving his position.
Martin trying to control but Karasawa postures up.
Martin wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karasawa wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Karasawa looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Martin is looking to stand up but Karasawa isn't so interested in that idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karasawa sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Martin's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Martin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Karasawa.
Karasawa trying to control the action but Martin is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Martin tries to roll over but Karasawa keeps him under control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Brandon Martin will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Martin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Martin checks a low kick from Karasawa.
Hiroshi Karasawa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Martin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Brandon Martin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Karasawa on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Martin working the ground and pound but Karasawa is defending the strikes.
Sloppy strikes there by Martin.
Martin cracks Karasawa with a big elbow.
Karasawa is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sloppy strikes there by Martin.
Martin is putting a hurting on Karasawa here, landing some big shots from side control.
Karasawa manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karasawa pushes Martin off looking to stand but Martin dives back in and keeps control.
Martin throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Karasawa is looking to control Martin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Karasawa avoid being mounted?
Karasawa on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Karasawa tries to get out of the position.
Karasawa gets back to full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Martin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Karasawa trying to control the position.
Martin chips away with some ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Karasawa is on top in guard.
Martin has control of Karasawa's left arm, preventing Karasawa from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karasawa is looking to stand up but Martin won't let him.

Karasawa is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Martin seems keen to control Karasawa's posture.
Karasawa stopping the sweep attempt from Martin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

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

Karasawa has managed to clinch.
Martin can't get the takedown.
Martin tries to pull guard but Karasawa won't allow it.
Hiroshi Karasawa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brandon Martin.

Karasawa has Martin pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Karasawa pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Martin tumbling to the mat - Karasawa dives into Martin's guard.
Karasawa is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karasawa throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Martin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Martin trying to control the position here.
Martin keeping moving, preventing Karasawa from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Martin manages to escape and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Martin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Martin shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Martin was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Karasawa can't escape the position.
Karasawa wants to control but Martin is having none of it.
Martin lands a big shot to the head and Karasawa winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Brandon Martin!