PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jim Carlo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hiroyuki Saitou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Carlo's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, NFG-Anthem for the Unwanted. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Carlo
vs
Saitou

182 cm
28
185 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

188 cm
24
176 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jim Carlo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiroyuki Saitou!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Donatello Bradman and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saitou throws a body punch but Carlo moves out of range.
Carlo throws a leg kick which misses Saitou's front leg but catches the back leg as Saitou tries to avoid it.
Saitou throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Carlo.

Carlo darts in and clinches Saitou up against the cage.
Saitou stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Carlo is trying to trip Saitou. He has hold of a leg but Saitou is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Carlo persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Saitou trying to control the position.
Carlo trying to control the position from guard on top but Saitou is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Carlo scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Saitou keeping moving, preventing Carlo from controlling successfully.
Carlo is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Saitou is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Saitou controls Carlo momentarily but Carlo frees himself.
Saitou keeping full guard, as Carlo tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saitou tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Carlo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saitou is keeping the position for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Saitou swats away the attempt to clinch by Carlo.
Jim Carlo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Carlo shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Saitou is trying to defend but Carlo finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Saitou is holding on to half guard well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saitou is trying to control but can't.
Carlo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Saitou's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carlo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Carlo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Carlo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Carlo is working for a kimura but Saitou is defending it quite comfortably.
Saitou controlling the position for now.

Carlo is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Carlo has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carlo pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Carlo jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Saitou manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Saitou can't do much from the bottom here.
Carlo in side control, throwing shots but Saitou defends.

Carlo goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Saitou has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Carlo but great work by Saitou.
Carlo tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Saitou misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Saitou controlling from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carlo gets back to half guard.
Saitou stalling.
Carlo is staying active underneath Saitou, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Saitou seems to be looking for submissions.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saitou is just content to waste time from the top position. Carlo takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Carlo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Saitou defends well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Carlo dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Saitou connects with a nice looking jab.
Saitou misses with a double jab
and Carlo counters with a nice low kick that buckles Saitou's knee momentarily.
Carlo misses with a takedown
and Saitou counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Carlo misses with a takedown
and Saitou connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Carlo slips a jab and a cross from Saitou.
Saitou stuffs the takedown attempt from Carlo. Carlo gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jim Carlo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carlo shoots in looking for a takedown but Saitou manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Carlo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Nice straight punches there by Saitou. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Saitou.
Saitou looks to land a combination but Carlo avoids it well.
Saitou keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carlo with a poor takedown
and Saitou counters with a two punch combo.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Saitou lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Carlo shoots and misses
and Saitou counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Carlo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Saitou avoids it really well and circles away.
Saitou stuffs the takedown.

Saitou clinches up with Carlo and pushes him back against the cage.
Carlo drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Saitou works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Saitou is trying to push Carlo away but Carlo has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Carlo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Saitous head.
Saitou is trying to break the clinch but Carlo is controlling him.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Carlo as Saitou tries to tie him up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Saitou pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Saitou gets caught napping as Carlo dives in and scores a takedown. Saitou manages to retain guard.
Saitou working a defensive guard here.
Carlo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saitou is keeping the position for now.
Carlo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Saitou is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Carlo stands and throws Saitou's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Saitou tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Carlo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Carlo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Saitou is trying to get back to half guard.
Carlo cracks Saitou with a big right hand but Saitou just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Saitou tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Carlo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Carlo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Saitou is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Carlo swings around for an armbar but Saitou sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Carlo's guard.
Saitou stopping the sweep attempt from Carlo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carlo is trying to keep Saitou in close.
Saitou landing some decent shots from guard.
Saitou trying to control the position from guard on top but Carlo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Saitou stopping the sweep attempt from Carlo.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Saitou trying to control the position from guard on top but Carlo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiroyuki Saitou showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Saitou gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Saitou keeping full guard, as Carlo tries to pass.
Saitou trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Carlo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saitou is keeping the position for now.
Carlo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Saitou controlling the position.
Carlo not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Jim Carlo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Carlo trying to control the position from guard on top but Saitou is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Carlo's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carlo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Carlo advances to half guard.
Saitou regains full guard. Nicely done.
Carlo is stalling in the full guard.
Saitou controls Carlo momentarily but Carlo frees himself.
Carlo keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Saitou's head.
Carlo trying to control the position from guard on top but Saitou is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Carlo chips away with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Saitou had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Carlo defends it easily.
Saitou wants to sweep here but Carlo controlling him for the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Carlo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Saitou looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Carlo wants to control from the top but Saitou keeps moving.
Saitou thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carlo is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Carlo passes Saitou's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Saitou wants to control but Carlo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Saitou is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Carlo moves into full mount! Saitou won't be happy about that!
Carlo landing punches.
Carlo lands a big shot there that rocks Saitou but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Carlo tries to control but Saitou wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Carlo looking to secure an arm triangle but Saitou defends it well.
Carlo fails to move to back control.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Carlo moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Saitou has worked his arm free - good work by Saitou!

Carlo tries for a kimura but Saitou is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Carlo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Saitou is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jim Carlo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Carlo 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jim Carlo!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Jim Carlo waved his t-shirt featuring Xtreme Merchandise's logo in front of the cameras.