PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kaito Saruwatari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Santiago Alvares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saruwatari comes to the cage accompanied by Andrea Bocelli - Time To Say Goodbye. The key to victory for Kaito Saruwatari has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Saruwatari
vs
Alvares

186 cm
26
214 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

186 cm
27
219 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Powerful

Torment Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kaito Saruwatari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Santiago Alvares!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvares gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
enabling Saruwatari to counter with a crisp jab.
Saruwatari throws a sloppy head kick and Alvares moves out of range easily.

Alvares shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Saruwatari has his hands clasped together around Alvares's back. He's all about the action.
Alvares not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Saruwatari tries to roll over but Alvares keeps him under control.
Alvares wants to free his trapped foot but Saruwatari is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Alvares thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Saruwatari is looking to control Alvares's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Saruwatari avoid being mounted?
Saruwatari controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Saruwatari is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saruwatari looks like he's trying to stand up.
Alvares seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Saruwatari works his way to full guard. Good work.
Saruwatari is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Saruwatari has his hands on Alvares's head, controlling the position.
Saruwatari manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Alvares manages to get himself to full guard.
Saruwatari slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Alvares throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Saruwatari looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Alvares can't keep his opponent in guard - Saruwatari advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saruwatari blocks the strikes from Alvares.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Saruwatari sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Alvares wants to get back to full guard.
Saruwatari content to control rather than advance.
Saruwatari uses his free foot to push down on Alvares's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Alvares.
Alvares is wriggling around trying to escape.
Saruwatari throws some wild stikes that Alvares manages to avoid easily.
Saruwatari takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Alvares can do anything to dispel that myth.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alvares throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saruwatari content just to control the position here.
Saruwatari looking to control but Alvares is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Alvares throwing hammer fists to the chest of Saruwatari. What's that going to do exactly?
Alvares is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Alvares is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Alvares is trying to escape the mount.
Saruwatari lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Alvares flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Saruwatari can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Alvares is looking to escape.
Saruwatari sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Saruwatari tries to control but Alvares wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saruwatari controlling his opponent.
Saruwatari has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Alvares is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Saruwatari sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alvares is wriggling around trying to escape.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Saruwatari content just to control the position here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Alvares swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Alvares.
Saruwatari stuffs the takedown.
Kaito Saruwatari seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saruwatari connects with a solid leg kick.
Saruwatari moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Saruwatari paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Saruwatari tries to clinch up but Alvares circles away and keeps his distance.
Saruwatari connects with a crisp jab.
Saruwatari lands a head kick. Alvares smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Saruwatari closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Alvares is trying to drag Saruwatari to the mat but Saruwatari just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Kaito Saruwatari has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Santiago Alvares.
Saruwatari tries to break the clinch but Alvares is controlling the position.
Alvares can't get the takedown.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Saruwatari breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Saruwatari scores with a spinning back kick!
Saruwatari misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvares shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Saruwatari pinned against the cage. Saruwatari gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Alvares on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Saruwatari is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Saruwatari looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A thudding body kick lands there by Saruwatari!
Alvares is breathing heavily.
Saruwatari's corner calls for a 1-2. Saruwatari obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Saruwatari lands with a kick to the temple. Alvares shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

It looks like Santiago Alvares has been cut.
Saruwatari lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
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!
Saruwatari fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Alvares has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Saruwatari has taken the fight to the clinch.

Saruwatari escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Saruwatari closes the distance and pushes Alvares back into the cage.
Alvares wants to take the fight to the mat but Saruwatari manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Saruwatari breaks the clinch.
Alvares shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Saruwatari counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saruwatari scores with a nice head shot.
Kaito Saruwatari is winning the standup battle so far.

Saruwatari clinches up against the cage.
Saruwatari lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Alvares or not.
Saruwatari lands a left hand that snaps the head of Alvares backwards.
Saruwatari lands a right hand.

Alvares is rocked!

Saruwatari breaks the clinch.
Alvares is still on wobbly legs! Can Saruwatari finish him?
Saruwatari drops a shoulder and throws an uppercut that cracks Alvares right on the button. Alvares goes down! Saruwatari follows him to the mat and finishes the job with more strikes! Saruwatari gets the win via TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:30 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kaito Saruwatari!
Kaito Saruwatari managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Torment Fightwear, into his post fight interview.