PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between tony pitock (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gulpeka Saken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Saken's choice of entrance music: give it away. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

pitock
vs
Saken

178 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

165 cm
23
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, tony pitock!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gulpeka Saken!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
pitock throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
pitock shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Saken sprawls well. Saken wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. pitock gets slowly back to his feet.

Saken has closed the distance and engaged pitock in a clinch.

Saken's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Saken changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. pitock looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Saken stands up and beckons pitock to his feet.
pitock shoots and misses

and Saken counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for pitock!
Saken controlling the position easily from mount.
Saken putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saken tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Saken landing shots from mount.
pitock tries to improve his position but instead Saken has taken his back!
Saken is trying to stick to pitock's back but pitock is turning into Saken. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Saken's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by pitock.

pitock drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and pitock jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Saken looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Saken is pulling down on pitock's head. It's preventing any offense from pitock, at least for the moment.

Saken pushes pitock off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saken sizes up pitock with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Saken throws a lazy head kick

so pitock counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Saken wants to sweep but no luck.
Saken throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
pitock is breathing heavily.
Saken has a closed guard, preventing pitock from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saken wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Saken kicks pitock off and gets to his feet.
pitock wants to clinch

and Saken counters with a nice double leg into guard.
pitock utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
pitock looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Saken puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saken not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saken tries to pass to full mount but pitock defends it.

Saken stands up from half guard.
pitock shoots and misses

and Saken counters with a shoot takedown. pitock fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for tony pitock. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
pitock is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Saken is controlling him.
Saken pushes down on pitock's leg and manages to get into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gulpeka Saken dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Saken shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches pitock napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Saken tries to move into full mount but can't pass pitock's legs.
Saken working away.

Saken stands up.

Saken gets the takedown into side control.
pitock tries to bench press Saken off him but Saken keeps the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saken decides to stand up, so the ref orders pitock to his feet.

Saken closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Saken decides to stand up.
Saken misses with a takedown attempt - pitock sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Saken shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Saken wants to pass the guard but pitock is defending well.
Gulpeka Saken has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saken is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
pitock has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Saken is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saken landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Saken stands up from half guard.

Saken takes the fight into the clinch.
pitock jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Saken walks away with a smile on his face. pitock gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
pitock tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Saken is able to avoid easily.
Saken swings and misses with a hook to the body.
pitock stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Saken.
pitock doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Saken counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
pitock is looking to improve his position.
pitock has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Saken is working away from the top position though.
Saken is taking a breather. pitock says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saken takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gulpeka Saken showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

pitock keeps the fight on the outside.

Saken forces pitock back against the cage and clinches.

Saken has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed pitock clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Saken has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
pitock holding both Saken 's hands and preventing any damage.
Saken is punishing pitock with strikes - can he finish him?!
Saken has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for pitock.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Saken. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saken scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. pitock is looking for a way out.
Saken just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Saken has the hooks in. pitock is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Saken is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. pitock knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften pitock for a finish.

pitock is trying to defend against the choke here but Saken has an arm under his chin. This one might not last much longer. Saken Tightens the hold and pitock taps out furiously! Saken displays superior BJJ to win the fight.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Gulpeka Saken!