PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kunta Kinte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reiko Saito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kinte comes into the arena with NATIONAL ANTHEM OF GAMBIA blaring out of the sound system. On his way into the cage it seems that Kunta Kinte has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Kunta Kinte seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Kinte
vs
Saito

187 cm
27
192 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

178 cm
21
194 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kunta Kinte!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Reiko Saito!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Joseph Jones and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saito connects with a body shot that sends Kinte's belly button to the back.
Kinte tries to clinch but Saito is having none of it.
Saito throws the left hand but Kinte avoids the punch easily.
Saito misses with a right hand

and Kinte counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kinte.
Kinte lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Saito lands a right hand.
Kinte wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kinte misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kinte has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kinte lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Saito or not.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saito tries to land a knee to the head but Kinte blocks with his arms.

Kinte breaks the clinch.
Saito lands with a nice body punch.
Kinte takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Kinte uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Saito.
Saito misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Kinte moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saito is trying to maintain a safe position but Kinte gets an underhook and turns Saito into the cage.
Saito has Kinte pressed against the cage, preventing Kinte from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Kinte's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Reiko Saito seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saito lands a nice looking kick to the body. Kinte takes a step back to recover.
Saito thows a left - swing and a miss!
Saito loads up on a big right hand but Kinte slips the punch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Saito throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kinte blocks it with crossed arms.
Saito misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kinte misses with a body punch.

Kinte breaks the clinch.
Kinte takes a swing at Saito's ribcage but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saito looks to land a right hand but Kinte moved out of range.
Saito lands with a right hand.

It looks like Kunta Kinte has been cut.
Kinte is looking to clinch.
Saito takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saito lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kinte wants to clinch.
Saito throws a hook but Kinte avoids it easily.
Kinte tries to clinch up but Saito circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kinte bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kinte blocks a head kick by Saito.
Kinte is looking to clinch.

Kinte closes the distance and pushes Saito back into the cage.

Kinte pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Saito avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Saito throws a low kick but Kinte moves out of range easily.
Kinte is looking to clinch.
Saito throws a jab but it's blocked by Kinte.
Kinte moves out of range as Saito strikes.
A looping hook to the body misses from Saito. Kinte does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Saito.
Kinte fails in his attempt to clinch.
Saito connects with a single shot there.
Kinte fails in his attempt to clinch.
Saito misses with a left hand
and Kinte counters with a left to the body.
Kinte scores with a nice strike.
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!
The fighters circling - Saito throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kinte smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Saito throws a good cross that connects.
Kinte moves in looking to clinch but Saito pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Reiko Saito will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kunta Kinte's cut.
That's time! Kinte's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kinte blocks a jab.
Saito lands a jab to the nose.
Kinte takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Kinte bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kinte on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Kinte tries to clinch there but Saito circles away.
Saito takes one on the button.
Saito connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Kinte momentarily.
Kinte fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Saito circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kinte has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Kinte tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Saito manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saito lands a two punch combo.
Saito slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Kinte moves out of range of the leg kick from Saito.
Kinte keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Kinte moves into range and clinches up with Saito.
Saito unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kinte lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Saito as Kinte tries to tie him up.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kinte.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Saito tries to land knees in the clinch but Kinte avoids the damage to the body.
Kinte jumps guard but Saito stands there with Kinte around his waist. Kinte gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Saito misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kinte struggles to land a body shot inside as Saito controls his hands.
Kinte lands a left hand that snaps the head of Saito backwards.
Saito tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kinte avoids it.
Saito missing with knees to the body.
Saito throws a knee to the head but misses.

Kinte's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Saito swings widly with a right hand
and Kinte counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like Reiko Saito has been cut.
Kinte tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Saito was well out of range. Poor timing from Kinte.
Kinte defending well as Saito loads up on a big left hand.
Kinte uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Saito.
Saito throws a low kick but Kinte avoids it.
Kinte avoids a kick to the body.
Kinte tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kinte moves out of range as Saito strikes.
Saito walks into a straight right hand from Kinte.
Kinte walks into a stiff left hand from Saito.
Saito throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Saito misses with a hook.
Saito circles away from the clinch attempt
and Saito counters with a nice body shot.
Kinte tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Saito manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kinte defending well as Saito loads up on a big left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saito lands a jab to the head.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kinte.
A head kick misses from Saito.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Saito lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kinte's sensitive parts.
Reiko Saito seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kinte delivers a nice body kick.
Kinte fails in his attempt to clinch.

Kinte rushes Saito and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kinte struggles to land a body shot inside as Saito controls his hands.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kinte.
A short right from Kinte on the inside.
Kinte scores with a shot to the side of Saito's head.
Kinte tries to pull guard but Saito holds him up against the cage and eventually Kinte drops back down to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kunta Kinte will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Saito with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Kinte bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kinte bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Kinte fails with an attempt to clinch.

Kinte fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Saito, pushing him back against the cage.

Kinte breaks from the clinch.
Saito lands a right hook to the body.
Kinte blocks a jab.
Saito throws a jab when Kinte was well out of range.
Kinte wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saito throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kinte counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Saito throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kinte sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Saito throws out a loose jab but Kinte uses good head movement to avoid it.
Saito throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saito lands with an uppercut that bounces Kinte off the cage and back into range.
Saito misses with a hook.
Kinte doesn't manage to clinch there - Saito circles away.
Saito circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kinte takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kinte looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kinte uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saito.
Kinte tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Saito makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
A punch combination from Saito misses.
Kinte tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Saito paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Saito keeps the fight on the outside.
Kinte wants to clinch up but Saito keeps it at a distance.

Kinte closes the distance and pushes Saito back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kinte tries to circle away but Saito has him pinned against the cage.
Kinte just leaning against Saito, taking a breather.
Kinte jumps guard but Saito stands there with Kinte around his waist. Kinte gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kunta Kinte has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Saito blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kinte lands with a right to the head.
Saito tries to land a knee to the head but Kinte blocks with his arms.

Kinte escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kinte ducks under a wild hook from Saito.
Saito scores with a body shot.
Kinte tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Saito throws a lazy right hand but Kinte sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kinte wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kinte tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Saito counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Saito stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Saito fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Kinte swings for the body but Saito moves out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kinte avoids the head kick by Saito.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Saito misses with a hook
letting Kinte counter with a right hand.
Kinte moves in looking to clinch but Saito pushes him off.
Saito misses the shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Kunta Kinte did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kinte fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Saito, pushing him back against the cage.
Saito tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kinte tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Saito's elbow.
Kinte lands a body shot.
Kinte tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kinte jumps guard but Saito stands there with Kinte around his waist. Kinte gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A short left from Kinte.
Kinte is looking to control Saito's arms but Saito gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kinte has his back to the cage.
Kinte is trying to pull guard but Saito has him pressed against the cage.
Saito is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Kinte is trying to maintain a safe position but Saito gets an underhook and turns Kinte into the cage.
Kinte jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Saito walks away with a smile on his face. Kinte gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kunta Kinte. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saito lands with a cross.
Kinte tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kinte throws a front kick aimed at Saito's knee but Saito avoids it well.
Saito throws a right and a left that Kinte avoids nicely.
Kinte tries to close the distance and clinch up but Saito swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kinte misses with a wild body shot.
Kinte tries to clinch up.
Saito lands a slapping body shot.
Saito swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Saito thows a left - swing and a miss!
Saito throws out a loose jab but Kinte uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kinte checks a low kick from Saito.
Kinte tries to work over Saito's front leg with a kick but Saito checks it.
Saito throws a leg kick but Kinte sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Kinte rushes Saito and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Kinte breaks the clinch.
Saito throws a body punch but Kinte moves out of range.
Kinte tries to clinch up.
Kinte throws a jab but it's blocked by Saito.
Kinte uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saito.
Kinte lands a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kinte ducks under a wild hook from Saito.
Kinte doesn't manage to clinch there - Saito circles away.
Kinte throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Saito looks to throw a body kick
and Kinte counters with a good low kick that Saito was not able to check.
Saito misses with a hook. Kinte ducked under it nicely.
Kinte lands with a kick to the ribs.
Kinte takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Saito thows a body shot but no joy.
Saito avoids a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saito misses with an uppercut. Kinte saw that one coming.

Kinte closes the distance and clinches.
Kinte working hard to break the clinch.
Kinte tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Saito just stands there and leans against the cage.
Saito is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kinte is defending well for now.
Saito is trying to stall.

Kinte breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice body punch from Saito.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Saito misses with an uppercut
and Kinte counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Kinte closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Kinte wants to get back to striking at distance but Saito won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kunta Kinte had his way with Reiko Saito in that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Kinte's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Saito ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kinte moves away.
Kinte is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kinte tries to clinch there but Saito circles away.
Kinte is looking to clinch.
Kinte tries to clinch up.
Saito looks to land a combination but Kinte avoids it well.
Kinte avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Saito throws a hook but Kinte blocks it.
Kinte moves to clinch but Saito breaks away
and Saito cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kinte tries to close the distance and clinch up but Saito swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kinte tries to clinch up but Saito circles away and keeps his distance.
Kinte uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Saito.
Kinte tries to clinch up.
Saito swats away the attempt to clinch by Kinte.
Saito misses with a head kick.

Kinte closes the distance and clinches.
Saito misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kinte lands with a light punch inside.
Saito blocking some punches.
Kinte is stalling here.
Kinte scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kinte throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Saitos head.
Kinte scores with a hook to the body.
Saito trying to land knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kinte misses with a punch to the body.
Kinte is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Kinte lands a nice shot to the body.
Saito is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Kinte successfully pulls guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Saito trying to control the position from guard on top but Kinte is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kinte is controlling Saito's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kunta Kinte has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Saito misses the shot to the body.
Kinte slips under a jab from Saito.
Kinte doesn't manage to clinch there - Saito circles away.
Kinte tries to close the distance and clinch up but Saito swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saito changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Kinte darts in and clinches Saito up against the cage.

Kinte breaks the clinch.
A head kick misses from Saito.
A nice inside leg kick there by Saito. That's going to slow Kinte down.
Kinte tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kinte keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kinte misses with a wild body shot.

Kinte clinches with his opponent.
Reiko Saito has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kunta Kinte is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Saito with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kunta Kinte showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kinte has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 48:48
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 50:47
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 50:47

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Kunta Kinte!
Kunta Kinte is the new middleweight champion!
Kunta Kinte gave a mention to Hellraiser Fightgear ($10 and above) in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).