PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Masa Saitoh (ranked 159 p4p, 466 weight class) and Tino Takala (ranked 26 p4p, 74 weight class). 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.

Saitoh
vs
Takala

182 cm
25
205
13 - 5 - 0

180 cm
35
218
15 - 9 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

NARCOS
Nevermore Clothing Co

Champion Apparel
Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Masa Saitoh!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Tino Takala!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Sosuke Kotani and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saitoh misses with a takedown attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Takala misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Takala takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Saitoh lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Takala at a distance.
Takala keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A cross from Saitoh lands.
Saitoh thows a left - swing and a miss!
Saitoh looks to throw the jab but Takala is out of range.
We've been hearing reports that Saitoh has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Saitoh misses with a takedown attempt - Takala sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saitoh throws a lazy right hand but Takala sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Saitoh misses with a left hand
and Takala connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takala throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Saitoh counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Takala thinking.
Saitoh throws a lazy right hand but Takala sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
It seemed like Takala was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Saitoh throws a sloppy body shot
and Takala counters with a leg kick.
Saitoh checks a leg kick.
A counter left hand to the body from Saitoh misses its target.
Saitoh slips under a jab.
Saitoh throws a hook but Takala blocks it.
Takala slips under a jab from Saitoh.
Horrible takedown attempt by Saitoh or perhaps it was just good defense by Takala, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Masa Saitoh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saitoh looks to land a right hand but Takala moved out of range.
Takala throws a combination that misses
letting Saitoh counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saitoh with a hook.
Saitoh throws a body shot but no joy.
Saitoh connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A shot to the body from Takala misses
and Saitoh cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Takala scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like Masa Saitoh has been cut.
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!
Saitoh misses with a hook
and Saitoh takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Saitoh misses with a hook
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Takala takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Saitoh drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Takala tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saitoh connects with a big shot to the side of Takala's head.
Saitoh trying to control.
Takala is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Saitoh off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Takala is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Saitoh wants to control but Takala is keeping busy.
Takala takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Saitoh 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.
Takala covering up well under a series of strikes from Saitoh.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saitoh lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Saitoh manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Saitoh struggling to keep hold of the position.
Saitoh is landing with strikes from the back.
Saitoh throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Saitoh connects with a big shot to the side of Takala's head.
Takala covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Saitoh is throwing shots to the body but Takala manages to wriggle free. Saitoh pounces on him again and ends up in Takala's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takala wants to stand but Saitoh is controlling the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Masa Saitoh dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Masa Saitoh's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Takala throws a right and a left that Saitoh avoids nicely.
Saitoh misses with a looping left.
Takala connects with a solid leg kick.
Saitoh throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Takala on the side of the head.
Saitoh throws out a loose jab but Takala uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takala appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Saitoh throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saitoh misses with a looping left.
Takala uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Saitoh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saitoh moves out of range as Takala throws a body kick.
Saitoh shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Takala connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takala lands a really nice looking cross but Saitoh seems unphased.
A jab lands there for Takala.
Saitoh missing with a left hand there. Takala was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A countering left hand to the body from Takala misses.
Saitoh with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Saitoh scores with a sloppy right hand. Takala should have avoided that one.
Saitoh throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Takala sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Saitoh is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Takala can do to turn this around?
Saitoh digs a good hook to Takala's body.
Saitoh misses with a lunging right hand
and Takala counters with a thumping low kick.
A shot to the liver by Saitoh. Beautiful body shot.
Saitoh is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Takala.
Masa Saitoh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takala on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
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!
Saitoh takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Takala is rocked!
Masa Saitoh is winning the standup battle so far.
Saitoh looks to throw the jab but Takala is out of range.
Takala slips a jab from Saitoh.
Takala counters with a body kick.
Takala throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
A telegraphed right hand from Saitoh misses the target.
Saitoh slips a jab and a cross from Takala.
Saitoh gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Takala cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Saitoh's jab looks to have found its range, popping Takala under the eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saitoh misses with a hook.
Takala flicks out a counter leg kick but Saitoh steps away.
Saitoh misses with a right hand
and Takala connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Saitoh changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Takala looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Saitoh working the strikes but Takala uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Saitoh throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Saitoh slips a nice elbow through Takala's hands, connecting with Takala's forehead.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Takala tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Saitoh manages to move to mount!
Saitoh misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Saitoh pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Saitoh is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takala in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Takala is still in real trouble! Can Saitoh finish him?
Saitoh looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Takala covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Masa Saitoh!
Masa Saitoh retains his light heavyweight title!
Masa Saitoh really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Silverguard Outfitters 🛡 logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.