PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tomomisan Tsuruta (ranked 2386 p4p, 298 weight class) and Eron Saunders (ranked 2225 p4p, 286 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.

Tsuruta
vs
Saunders

192 cm
26
209 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

194 cm
23
215 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tomomisan Tsuruta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eron Saunders!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Illya Tyunina and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saunders scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Tsuruta doesn't seem bothered though.
Tsuruta feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Saunderss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Saunders loads up on a big right hand but Tsuruta slips the punch.
Tsuruta feinted with a counter takedown.
Saunders connects with a right hand. Tsuruta shakes it off.
Tsuruta moves out of range of the strikes.
A telegraphed right hand from Saunders misses the target.
Tsuruta half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Saunders throws a jab but it's blocked by Tsuruta.
Saunders cracks a nice hook into Tsuruta's ribs.

Saunders gets caught flat footed, as Tsuruta shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Saunders keeping moving, preventing Tsuruta from controlling successfully.
Tsuruta looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Tsuruta's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Tsuruta engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tsuruta throwing strikes from guard but Saunders blocks nicely.
Saunders preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tsuruta throws a big right hand that misses.
Saunders working a defensive guard but Tsuruta manages to pass into side control anyway.
Tsuruta cracks Saunders with a big elbow.
Tsuruta sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Saunders is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Tsuruta landing a few strikes.
Saunders parries the strikes from Tsuruta easily there. Tsuruta is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Saunders to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saunders stops Tsuruta from passing to mount.
Saunders managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Tsuruta.
Tsuruta working the body and head with strikes.
Tsuruta scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Saunders to see if he's OK.
Saunders is trying to improve his position.
Saunders takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Tsuruta trying to control the action but Saunders is working from the bottom.
Tsuruta is putting a hurting on Saunders here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tsuruta trying to control the position but Saunders is working away.
Tsuruta is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Saunders is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Sloppy strikes there by Tsuruta.
Saunders tries to buck Tsuruta off but Tsuruta is having none of it.
Tsuruta cracks Saunders with a big right hand but Saunders just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Tsuruta working the ground and pound but Saunders is defending the strikes.
Saunders is not content to let Tsuruta control the position.
Tsuruta throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tsuruta misses with the ground and pound.
Tsuruta lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Tsuruta lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Saunders defending against the ground and pound.
Tsuruta throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Saunders tries to bench press Tsuruta off him but Tsuruta keeps the position.
Tsuruta works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Tsuruta cracks Saunders with a big elbow.
The ground and pound from Tsuruta seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Saunders taking punishment in the form of punches.
Tsuruta working the ground and pound from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomomisan Tsuruta dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Saunders tries to bum rush Tsuruta with a series of wild strikes but Tsuruta uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tsuruta throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Tsuruta is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Saunders can do to turn this around?
Saunders throws a jab when Tsuruta was well out of range.
Saunders avoids the body shot from Tsuruta.
Eron Saunders seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Tsuruta waves his right hand out in front of him, looking to distract Saunders. Oh, he's unloaded a beast of a left hand - it worked! He's dropped Saunders to the canvas! Can he finish him!?

Saunders is rocked!
Tsuruta stands up over Saunders, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Saunders is still in real trouble! Can Tsuruta finish him?
Tomomisan Tsuruta overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tsuruta postures up and lands a big shot to Saunders's brow.
Tsuruta with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tsuruta arches his back and unloads with a massive left and a right! Saunders's eyes roll back into his head, he's out cold! The ref dives in to stop the fight - wow, they were hard shots!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Tomomisan Tsuruta!