PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Lionel Pitts (ranked 24600 p4p, 0 weight class) and Higo Higa (ranked 7882 p4p, 0 weight class). Higo Higa has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Lionel Pitts's chin.

Pitts
vs
Higa

170 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

200 cm
21
158 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lionel Pitts!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Higo Higa!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Summer Carpenter and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Higa shoots in but no luck this time.
Higa shoots in but no luck this time.
Higa is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Higa fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pitts sprawls well initially but Higa persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Higa is trying to work for a kimura but Pitts is defending well.
Pitts flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Pitts keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Pitts trying to control but Higa postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pitts has his hands clasped together around Higa's back. He's all about the action.
Higa trying to pass the guard but Pitts defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Higa throwing shots but Pitts is blocking nicely.
Pitts is controlling Higa's trapped leg to prevent Higa from advancing to side control.
Pitts flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Higa looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Pitts missing with punches from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Higa is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Pitts gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pitts wants to control but Higa is keeping busy.
Pitts slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Pitts being controlled here, momentarily.
Pitts is adopting a defensive guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Higa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Higa has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Pitts is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pitts tries to strike from the bottom.
Higa passes into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Pitts manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Pitts tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Pitts had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Higa defends it easily.
Higa postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Higa avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
We've been informed that Higa has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Pitts is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Higa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Higa trying to control the position from guard on top but Pitts is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Higa thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Pitts lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Pitts drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Higa dives on top into guard.

Higa looking to sit in guard and control but Pitts gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Higo Higa dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The fight stays on the outside here - Higa looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Higa instigates a clinch.
Higa looking to stall.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Higa.

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

Higa gets a clinch.
Pitts wants a takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Higa turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Higa avoids the strikes from the bottom by Pitts.
Higa wants to stand but Pitts has his arm trapped.

Higa is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Pitts has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pitts is trying to control Higa's posture but Higa avoids it.
Higa looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Pitts is avoiding damage well.
Pitts might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Higa tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

Higa decides to stand back up.

Higa closes the distance and clinches.
Pitts is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Higa is defending well.

Higa has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Pitts is trying to keep an underhook but Higa manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Higa is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Pitts is just riding it out for now. Higa eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pitts is looking to control Higa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pitts avoid being mounted?
Higa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Higa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Pitts does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pitts is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pitts keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Higa controlling the pace.
Pitts is controlling Higa's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Higa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Pitts's head.
Pitts is looking to control Higa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pitts avoid being mounted?

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Higa throws a leg kick

and Pitts counters with a single leg into guard. Higa didn't expect that.
Higo Higa has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Higa wants to sweep here but Pitts controlling him for the moment.
Higa trying to keep a closed guard but Pitts is proving a slippery customer.
Higa is breathing heavily.

Higa is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pitts lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pitts chips away with some ground and pound.
Pitts trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pitts has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Pitts working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pitts makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Higo Higa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Pitts gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Higa drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Pitts gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Pitts gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Higa uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Higa just misses with a punch to the body.
Pitts wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

Higa closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Pitts quickly recovers to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pitts keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Pitts trying to control here.
Higa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Higa working Pitts over with strikes.
Pitts wants to improve his position but Higa is controlling well.
Higa wants to control but Pitts is keeping him busy.
Higa is just content to waste time from the top position. Pitts takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Higa scoring with some ground and pound.
Higa trying to control the position from guard on top but Pitts is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Pitts thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Pitts keeping moving, preventing Higa from controlling successfully.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Higa's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Higa slips nicely into half guard.
Pitts trying to control but Higa postures up.
Pitts landing rabbit punches to the side of Higa's head. Not doing much damage but still scoring a few points.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pitts is doing well to control the position and prevent Higa from advancing to side control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Higa moves into the clinch.
Pitts managing to block the knees to the body from Higa.
Pitts tries to circle away but Higa has him pinned against the cage.
Pitts is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Higa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Higa prevents a takedown attempt there.
Pitts stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Pitts is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lionel Pitts. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Higa prevents the takedown attempt.
Higa has Pitts pressed against the cage.

Pitts has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Higa uses from the top position.

Higa gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pitts tries to keep at a distance but Higa has taken the fight into the clinch.

Higa has Pitts pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Higa pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Pitts tumbling to the mat - Higa dives into Pitts's guard.
Higo Higa is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Higa controlling from the top position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Higa wants to control from the top but Pitts keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Higo Higa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Higa winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Higo Higa!
During a confident post fight interview, Higo Higa thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.