PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kazushi Saakuuraabaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chad Butler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Butler has chosen Pick the World Up as his entrance music. Chad Butler is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Saakuuraabaa
vs
Butler

185 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
200 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Einherjer RAW Nutrition
Malicious Intent Fight Gear

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kazushi Saakuuraabaa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chad Butler!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, George Francis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Butler misses with a head kick.
Butler throws a head kick but Saakuuraabaa moves out of range.
Butler shoots for a double leg takedown but Saakuuraabaa sprawls well. He's pushed Butler's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Butler throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Butler fails in his attempt to clinch.
Chad Butler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saakuuraabaa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Saakuuraabaa avoids a punch combination nicely.
Butler fails with the takedown.
Kazushi Saakuuraabaa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chad Butler.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butler shoots in and drives through. Saakuuraabaa sprawls well.
Butler throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Butler looks gassed!
Horrible takedown by Butler or perhaps it was just good defense by Saakuuraabaa which made him look bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saakuuraabaa gets the takedown into side control.
Butler dodges the ground and pound from Saakuuraabaa.
Saakuuraabaa creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Butler sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Saakuuraabaa misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Saakuuraabaa throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Butler avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Saakuuraabaa.
Saakuuraabaa is chipping away with strikes.
Saakuuraabaa lands an elbow.
Saakuuraabaa works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Saakuuraabaa working the ground and pound but Butler is defending the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saakuuraabaa misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Butler dodges the ground and pound from Saakuuraabaa.
Butler takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Butler prevents Saakuuraabaa from improving position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saakuuraabaa throwing strikes but Butler manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Butler wants to stand but Saakuuraabaa has his arm trapped.
Butler avoids the strikes from the bottom by Saakuuraabaa.
Saakuuraabaa gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Saakuuraabaa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saakuuraabaa flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Saakuuraabaa missing with punches from the bottom.

Butler decides to return to a standing position.
A head kick misses from Butler.

Butler gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Saakuuraabaa preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saakuuraabaa cracks Butler with a solid left hand.
Saakuuraabaa throws a big right hand that misses.
Saakuuraabaa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Butler not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Saakuuraabaa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Saakuuraabaa throws a strike but Butler rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Butler is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Butler looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Saakuuraabaa throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazushi Saakuuraabaa dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Saakuuraabaa blocks a head kick by Butler.
A head kick misses from Butler.
Butler misses with a takedown

and Saakuuraabaa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Butler's guard.
Butler really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Saakuuraabaa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Saakuuraabaa tries to free his leg and advance position but Butler is retaining full guard.
Butler looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Saakuuraabaa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Saakuuraabaa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Butler avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Butler working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Saakuuraabaa.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Saakuuraabaa's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saakuuraabaa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Butler throws a sloppy head kick

and Saakuuraabaa counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saakuuraabaa missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Saakuuraabaa 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.
Saakuuraabaa not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Butler avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Saakuuraabaa.
Butler avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Saakuuraabaa.
Saakuuraabaa not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Saakuuraabaa not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Butler trying to hold on to Saakuuraabaa's head to control him but Saakuuraabaa postures up.
Saakuuraabaa takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Butler pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Butler throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Saakuuraabaa closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Butler is trying to get back to his feet.
Butler is trying to get back to half guard.
Saakuuraabaa working the ground and pound.
Saakuuraabaa throws an elbow but Butler slips to the side and avoids it well.
Saakuuraabaa 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.
Butler parries the strikes from Saakuuraabaa easily there. Saakuuraabaa is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Butler to escape.
Kazushi Saakuuraabaa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saakuuraabaa is trying to ground and pound but Butler uses the momentary lack of control by Saakuuraabaa to regain half guard.
Saakuuraabaa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Butler is looking to chop away at Saakuuraabaa's legs.
Butler looks to land a combination but Saakuuraabaa avoids it well.
Butler tries to clinch up.

Saakuuraabaa shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Saakuuraabaa with a couple of short strikes.
Saakuuraabaa looking to finish with strikes here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saakuuraabaa throwing strikes here but Butler is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Saakuuraabaa lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Butler hang on?
Saakuuraabaa is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Saakuuraabaa looking to finish with strikes here!
Butler blocking the ground and pound.
Saakuuraabaa throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Butler holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Saakuuraabaa tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Butler wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Saakuuraabaa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazushi Saakuuraabaa dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Butler.
Butler gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Saakuuraabaa counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Saakuuraabaa.
Saakuuraabaa throwing strikes but missing.
Saakuuraabaa content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Saakuuraabaa is working Butler over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Saakuuraabaa is in close to Butler's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saakuuraabaa throwing strikes from guard but Butler blocks nicely.
Saakuuraabaa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saakuuraabaa working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Saakuuraabaa throws and elbow that misses. Butler uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Saakuuraabaa's guard. Nice move by Butler!
Saakuuraabaa trying to strike off his back.
Saakuuraabaa will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Saakuuraabaa thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Butler trying to control the position from guard on top but Saakuuraabaa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Butler must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A head kick from Butler lands but Saakuuraabaa takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butler gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Saakuuraabaa counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Saakuuraabaa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Saakuuraabaa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Saakuuraabaa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Saakuuraabaa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Saakuuraabaa throws and elbow that misses. Butler uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Saakuuraabaa's guard. Nice move by Butler!
Butler preventing the sweep.
Butler wants to control from the top but Saakuuraabaa keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saakuuraabaa striking off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Butler decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Butler tries to stand but can't do so whilst Saakuuraabaa controls his leg.
Saakuuraabaa missing with punches from the bottom.
Saakuuraabaa missing with punches from the bottom.
Saakuuraabaa punching from the bottom.
Saakuuraabaa punching from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saakuuraabaa throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Butler manages to pass to side control.

Butler decides to stand up, so the ref orders Saakuuraabaa to his feet.
A punch combination from Butler misses.

Butler gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Saakuuraabaa throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Butler works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Butler preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Chad Butler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kazushi Saakuuraabaa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Saakuuraabaa throws and elbow that misses. Butler uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Saakuuraabaa's guard. Nice move by Butler!

And that's the end of the fight!
Kazushi Saakuuraabaa showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Saakuuraabaa, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kazushi Saakuuraabaa!