PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Amakusa Saneuji (ranked 2841 p4p, 3615 weight class) and Daniel Philips (ranked 154 p4p, 196 weight class). Saneuji comes to the cage accompanied by Zen Spirit. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Saneuji
vs
Philips

178 cm
19
135
2 - 0 - 0

178 cm
19
141
1 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Bondi MMA ðŸï¸
Katman Drip Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Amakusa Saneuji!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Philips!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Philips misses with an uppercut.
Philips connects with the punch.
Philips cracks Saneuji with a right hand to the side of the head.
Saneuji on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Philips connects with a nice looking jab.
Saneuji dives in for a single leg takedown but Philips sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Saneuji has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Philips misses with a hook from the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Philips.

Saneuji tightens his grip and picks Philips up, before dumping him to the ground. Philips manages to land in guard.
Saneuji preventing the sweep.
Saneuji wants to stand but Philips has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Saneuji drops back looking for a leg! Philips is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Philips manages to kick Saneuji off! Saneuji jumps back into Philips's guard.
Saneuji really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
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!
Saneuji wants to stand but Philips has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Philips has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Saneuji can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Philips keeping full guard, as Saneuji tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saneuji has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Philips is proving hard to escape from.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Philips keeping moving, preventing Saneuji from controlling successfully.
Philips looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Philips tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Saneuji lands a couple of digs.
Saneuji stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Philips swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Saneuji trying to control the position from guard on top but Philips is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Saneuji missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Saneuji drops back looking for a leg! Philips is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Philips manages to kick Saneuji off! Saneuji jumps back into Philips's guard.

Saneuji is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Philips really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Saneuji. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Saneuji throws a big elbow that misses.
Saneuji postures up and lands a big shot to Philips's brow.
Saneuji trying to control but Philips is working from the bottom.
Philips keeping full guard, as Saneuji tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Philips controlling Saneuji's posture.
Philips keeping moving, preventing Saneuji from controlling successfully.
Philips controls Saneuji momentarily but Saneuji frees himself.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Philips just misses with a punch to the body.
Saneuji looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Philips is fending him off so far but Saneuji persists. Nope, Philips circles away and we're back to standing.
Philips scores with a shot to the body.
Decent striking displayed by Philips there.

Saneuji dives in and scores a takedown into Philips's guard.
Saneuji trying to control but Philips is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saneuji has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Philips is proving hard to escape from.
Saneuji in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Saneuji drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Saneuji jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Philips looking for a sweep. Not yet Philips, not yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Philips keeping moving, preventing Saneuji from controlling successfully.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Daniel Philips will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Saneuji uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Philips.
Philips throws a sloppy body shot

and Saneuji counters with a nice double leg into side control. Philips won't be happy with that.
Philips is looking for a sweep.

Saneuji tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

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

Saneuji tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saneuji gets to mount! Philips was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saneuji is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Philips can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Philips is trying desperately to improve position.
Saneuji with good strikes from the mount here!
Saneuji looking to control and managing it successfully.

Saneuji is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Philips can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Saneuji landing strikes from the mount and Philips is in trouble!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Saneuji has control of Philips's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Philips regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Amakusa Saneuji overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Saneuji trying to control but Philips is having none of it.

Saneuji looking to secure an arm triangle but Philips defends it well.
Philips can't escape the position.
Saneuji is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Philips can do to turn this around?

Philips defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Saneuji.
Saneuji is landing with some decent strikes but Philips is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Philips is wriggling around trying to escape.

Saneuji swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Philips is now in Saneuji's guard. A big mistake from Saneuji there, giving up the dominant position!
Philips wants to control from the top but Saneuji keeps moving.

Saneuji is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Philips has his hands clasped together but Saneuji extends and breaks Philips's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Saneuji.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Amakusa Saneuji!