PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hiroyuki Saitou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Duchess Queensbury (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hiroyuki Saitou could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Duchess Queensbury's chin.

Saitou
vs
Queensbury

188 cm
26
176 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

180 cm
34
180 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiroyuki Saitou!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Duchess Queensbury!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shigeki Sano and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saitou throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A punch combination from Queensbury misses.
Saitou lands with a good body shot.
Queensbury staying out of range there.
Saitou looks to score with a jab to the body but Queensbury is just out of range.
Saitou showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Queensbury.
Queensbury fails to land with a series of punches.
Queensbury feints a jab promting Saitou to slip. Queensbury then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Saitou slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

It looks like Hiroyuki Saitou has been cut.
Saitou rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Queensbury moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Queensbury swinging wildly here.
Saitou throws a front kick aimed at Queensbury's knee but Queensbury avoids it well.
Queensbury checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sloppy strikes from Saitou. Those never looked like landing.
Saitou throws a nice looking combination but Queensbury bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Queensbury avoids the body shot from Saitou.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Queensbury fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Oooh a lovely combination from Saitou sends Queensbury down but not out. Saitou dives into side control looking to finish.

Queensbury is rocked!

It looks like Duchess Queensbury has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Queensbury is trying to improve his position.
Queensbury is still in real trouble! Can Saitou finish him?

Saitou working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Queensbury seems to have recovered his senses.
Queensbury is trying to control Saitou's posture but Saitou avoids it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Queensbury can do anything to dispel that myth.
Saitou trying to control the position but Queensbury is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saitou is really struggling to control Queensbury but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Queensbury tries to escape but Saitou is in control.
Check out the look on Saitou's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Saitou wants to lay and pray for a moment but Queensbury keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Queensbury tries to buck Saitou off but Saitou is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saitou has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Saitou takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Queensbury can't escape the position.
Queensbury is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Saitou looking to control but Queensbury is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Queensbury wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Saitou.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saitou controlling from mount.
Saitou's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Saitou wants to control the pace but Queensbury is squirming around nicely.
Saitou thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Queensbury can't escape the position.
Saitou controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiroyuki Saitou dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Saitou throws a combination that misses
and Queensbury counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Saitou tries a head kick but it misses.
Saitou tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Saitou tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Queensbury is able to avoid easily.
Queensbury throws a one two combo.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Queensbury gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Queensbury's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Saitou throws a left and a right that both miss
and Queensbury counters with a stiff right hand.
Queensbury dodges the punch combination from Saitou.
Queensbury throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Queensbury drops Saitou with a nice combination! Queensbury dives into Saitou's guard, looking to finish!

Saitou is rocked!

Hiroyuki Saitou's cut is getting worse.

Saitou is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Oh Saitou is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Saitou manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Queensbury manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Queensbury keeping full guard, as Saitou tries to pass.
Saitou seems to have got his legs back now.
Queensbury preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Saitou slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Saitou throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Saitou tries to score with some ground and pound. Queensbury controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Queensbury prevents Saitou from improving position.
Saitou is working hard here to advance position.
Queensbury is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saitou slows the pace down.
Saitou wants to control but Queensbury is keeping him busy.
Queensbury wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Queensbury avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Saitou.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Queensbury tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Saitou wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
A lull in the action here.
Queensbury wants to control but Saitou postures up.
Queensbury is not content to let Saitou control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Queensbury is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Saitou asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Saitou staying calm.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Duchess Queensbury showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Queensbury takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Queensbury throws a right hand that Saitou ducks under and follows up with a left that Saitou also avoids with ease.
Saitou swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Queensbury counters with a nice leg kick.
Saitou connects with a body shot that sends Queensbury's belly button to the back.
Queensbury lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Saitou backs up against the cage.
Queensbury checks a leg kick.
Saitou misses with a two punch combination.
Queensbury tries a head kick but it misses.

Queensbury gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Saitou manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Saitou controls Queensbury momentarily but Queensbury frees himself.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Queensbury working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saitou keeping moving, preventing Queensbury from controlling successfully.

Saitou is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Queensbury is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Queensbury would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Queensbury lands a couple of digs.
Queensbury wants to pass the guard but Saitou is keeping the position.
Saitou keeping moving, preventing Queensbury from controlling successfully.
Queensbury wants to get up but he can't break Saitou's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Queensbury pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saitou is keeping the position for now.
Saitou is pulling down on Queensbury's head. It's preventing any offense from Queensbury, at least for the moment.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Saitou keeping moving, preventing Queensbury from controlling successfully.
Hiroyuki Saitou overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Duchess Queensbury was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Queensbury avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Queensbury dodges the punch combination from Saitou.

Queensbury gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Saitou fails to land.
Queensbury cracks Saitou with a nice body shot.

Queensbury pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Queensbury checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
A solid body kick from Queensbury.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saitou misses with a shot to the body

and Queensbury counters with a leg kick then a big left hand that sends Saitou down! Queensbury is looking to finish but Saitou is intelligently defending himself.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saitou keeping moving, preventing Queensbury from controlling successfully.
Queensbury must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saitou wants to sweep here but Queensbury controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Queensbury not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Queensbury wants to stand and escape but instead Saitou has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Saitou stops Queensbury from standing up.
Saitou is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Queensbury wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Saitou is now in half guard.

Saitou is working for a kimura but Queensbury is defending it quite comfortably.
Saitou thows a huge punch but Queensbury dodges it nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Saitou trying to control the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Duchess Queensbury comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Queensbury has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Duchess Queensbury!
A relieved looking Duchess Queensbury thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.