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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Masa Saitoh (ranked 39 p4p, 133 weight class) and Gunnar Gunnarsson (ranked 8 p4p, 20 weight class). Gunnarsson is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Björk - Army Of Me. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!
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| 182 cm
31
205
25 - 9 - 0 |
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193 cm
35
205
33 - 22 - 1 |
Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin |
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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 25 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Masa Saitoh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 22 - 1, fighting out of New York, Gunnar Gunnarsson!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Marco Blurstr�m and Anni Minnem�ki.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gunnarsson misses with a wild body shot.
Saitoh scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gunnarsson doesn't seem bothered though.
Gunnarsson scores with a hook to the body. Saitoh takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Gunnarsson cracks Saitoh with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Saitoh just misses with a punch to the body.
A good leg kick by Gunnarsson.
A swing and a miss from Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson connects with a jab.
Saitoh throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gunnarsson on the side of the head.
Nice straight punches there by Gunnarsson. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Gunnarsson.
Saitoh displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gunnarsson throws out the jab.
It looked like Saitoh wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Saitoh just misses with a punch to the body.
Gunnarsson throws out a counter right but Saitoh avoids it with no problem.
Gunnarsson misses with a low kick.
Saitoh throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gunnarsson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gunnarsson throws a head kick that misses.
Saitoh looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Gunnarsson lands with a cross.
Gunnarsson throws a shot to the body.
Gunnarsson swings widly with a right hand
and Saitoh counters with a stiff right hand.
A slow jab from Saitoh misses its intended target.
Gunnarsson counters with a body kick.
Gunnarsson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Saitoh sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Saitoh checks the leg kick nicely there.
Gunnarsson thows a left - swing and a miss!
A low kick from Gunnarsson misses
and Saitoh counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Saitoh takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Saitoh ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Gunnarsson tries to move into range but Saitoh moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Jab from Saitoh.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gunnarsson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gunnarsson throws a leg kick but Saitoh sees it coming and moves out of range.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saitoh takes a swing at Gunnarsson's ribcage but misses.
Saitoh takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Saitoh looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Saitoh takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Gunnarsson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gunnar Gunnarsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gunnarsson misses with an uppercut. Saitoh saw that one coming.
Saitoh swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Saitoh swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Saitoh misses with a straight left.
Gunnarsson connects with a looping right hand.
A jab from Saitoh finds it's way through Gunnarsson's defenses.
Gunnarsson swings for the body but Saitoh moves out of range.
Saitoh ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Gunnarsson misses with a looping left.
Gunnarsson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Saitoh.
A looping hook to the body misses from Saitoh. Gunnarsson does a little dance to reset his feet.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saitoh gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Saitoh tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Gunnarsson blocks a body shot from Saitoh.
Gunnarsson lands a hook to the side of the head.
Saitoh lands with a light punch inside.
Saitoh misses with a body punch.
Saitoh lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short left from Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson manages to break the clinch.
Saitoh scores with a hook.
Saitoh's corner calls for a 1-2. Saitoh obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Saitoh displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gunnarsson throws out the jab.
Gunnarsson throws a body punch but Saitoh moves out of range.
Saitoh fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Good exchange - Gunnarsson coming out on top.
Saitoh gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gunnarsson breaks the clinch.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson throws an overhand right that lands on Saitoh's shoulder, as Saitoh tries to avoid the shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Saitoh misses the target.
Gunnarsson throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Saitoh counters with a left to the body.
Saitoh uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saitoh is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Gunnarsson takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Saitoh throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gunnarsson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Saitoh manages to avoid it.
Saitoh fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gunnarsson manages to avoid it.
Saitoh moves into range and clinches up with Gunnarsson.
Saitoh keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gunnarsson's efforts to push away.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saitoh tries a body shot but Gunnarsson blocks it.
Saitoh misses with a body punch.
Gunnarsson misses with a punch to the body.
A short right from Saitoh.
Gunnarsson is trying to force a seperation but Saitoh has the dominant position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close round but I would say that Masa Saitoh will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!
Saitoh slips under a jab from Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saitoh.
Gunnarsson wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Saitoh takes a swing at Gunnarsson's ribcage but misses.
Gunnarsson takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Saitoh walks into a jab.
Gunnarsson throws a head kick but Saitoh moves out of range.
Gunnarsson misses with a body kick.
Gunnarsson lands a high kick!
Saitoh closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saitoh lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Saitoh has a couple of punches blocked by Gunnarsson.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Saitoh.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gunnarsson prevents a body shot from Saitoh.
Gunnarsson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gunnarsson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gunnarsson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
That's one minute gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Saitoh.
Gunnarsson misses with a body punch.
Saitoh pushes Gunnarsson back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Saitoh tries to throw a body punch but Gunnarsson avoids it by throwing Saitoh back against the cage.
Gunnarsson has had enough of the clinch but Saitoh keeps him there for the moment.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gunnarsson.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Saitoh.
Saitoh tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gunnarsson's elbow.
Gunnarsson tries to throw a body punch but Saitoh avoids it by throwing Gunnarsson back against the cage.
Masa Saitoh has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Saitoh is leaning against Gunnarsson and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Saitoh lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Saitoh tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gunnarsson's elbow.
Saitoh lands with a light punch inside.
Saitoh lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Gunnarsson is trying to break the clinch but Saitoh has him pressed against the cage.
Saitoh lands a nice uppercut.
Gunnarsson is breathing heavily.
Saitoh tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Saitoh lands with a light punch inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gunnarsson is trying to push Saitoh away but Saitoh has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Saitoh tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Saitoh misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gunnarsson.
Saitoh lands with a short head shot on the inside.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saitoh lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Gunnarsson throws a punch but it's blocked by Saitoh.
Gunnarsson is trying to break free.
Saitoh softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Saitoh is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gunnarsson can do to turn this around?
Saitoh digs a right hand into Gunnarsson's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gunnarsson's gas tank.
Saitoh lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gunnarsson backwards.
Saitoh lands a body shot in the clinch.
Saitoh lands a right hand.
Saitoh lands with a short shot to the head.
Saitoh misses with a body punch.
Saitoh misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gunnarsson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Saitoh tries to work over Gunnarsson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A right hand to the body from Saitoh.
Saitoh lands a body punch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Saitoh.
Saitoh lands with a light punch inside.
Saitoh has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Saitoh working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Saitoh struggles to land a body shot inside as Gunnarsson controls his hands.
Saitoh scores with a nice hook to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Saitoh.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saitoh misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gunnarsson struggles to land a body shot inside as Saitoh controls his hands.
A short right from Saitoh.
Gunnarsson is rocked!
Saitoh works on Gunnarsson's body with a couple of short punches.
Saitoh goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Saitoh lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Gunnarsson backwards.
Gunnarsson is still on wobbly legs! Can Saitoh finish him?
Gunnarsson tries a body shot but Saitoh blocks it.
Gunnarsson seems to have recovered his senses.
Saitoh digs a right hand into Gunnarsson's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gunnarsson's gas tank.
A right hook to the body lands for Saitoh.
A nice left hand lands by Saitoh.
Saitoh stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Saitoh misses with a punch to the body.
Saitoh makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Saitoh throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Gunnarssons head.
Gunnarsson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Saitoh lands a body punch.
Saitoh cracks Gunnarsson with a nice body shot.
Nice body punch from Saitoh.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Saitoh can't find room to land a body shot as Gunnarsson controls the action.
A right hand to the body from Saitoh.
Nice body punch from Saitoh.
Still in the clinch, Saitoh scores with a nice short uppercut.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saitoh scores with an uppercut up the middle.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Saitoh creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Saitoh misses with a body punch.
Gunnarsson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Saitoh throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Gunnarssons head.
Saitoh lands with a light punch inside.
Saitoh lands a left hand.
Saitoh stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Saitoh lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Saitoh tries to work over Gunnarsson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Saitoh lands a hook to the side of the head.
Saitoh lands a big right hand that drops Gunnarsson! The killer instinct kicks in and Saitoh finishes his opponent with a series of strikes from mount. A dominating finish by Saitoh!
Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Masa Saitoh!
An out of breath Masa Saitoh thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
79% |
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