PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gunnar Johnsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Masato Saeba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnsson's entrance music is Kashmir - Led Zeppelin. A fine choice. Saeba comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Easy Action kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Gunnar Johnsson has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Johnsson
vs
Saeba

180 cm
24
180 lbs
11 - 3 - 0

179 cm
20
179 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Win Nutritional - proof of quality

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gunnar Johnsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masato Saeba!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, George Francis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saeba looks to throw the jab but Johnsson is out of range.
Saeba throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saeba throws a hook but Johnsson blocks it.
Johnsson wants to clinch up but Saeba keeps it at a distance.
Saeba throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A slow jab from Johnsson misses its intended target.
Johnsson scores with a crisp jab that stopped Saeba in his tracks.

Saeba lands a big head kick that sends Johnsson tumbling to the mat! Saeba takes a step backwards and waves Johnsson back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Gunnar Johnsson has been cut.
Johnsson throws the left hand but Saeba avoids the punch easily.
Saeba goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Johnsson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Saeba.
Johnsson avoids the body shot from Saeba.
Johnsson missing with a left hand there. Saeba was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Saeba uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Johnsson.
Johnsson tries for a takedown but Saeba sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saeba tries to work over Johnsson's front leg with a kick but Johnsson checks it.
Johnsson misses with a straight left.
Saeba throws a head kick but Johnsson moves out of range.
Saeba is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Johnsson.
Johnsson misses with a straight right.
Saeba takes a swing at Johnsson's ribcage but misses.
A low kick from Johnsson misses
and Saeba counters with a leg kick.
Johnsson throws a jab when Saeba was well out of range.
Saeba ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Johnsson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saeba.
A big right from Saeba misses.
Johnsson misses with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
A telegraphed right hand from Johnsson misses the target.
Saeba is looking to slow Johnsson down with leg kicks.
Saeba misses with a looping right.
Johnsson checks the leg kick.
Johnsson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Saeba.
Johnsson tries to clinch up but Saeba circles away and keeps his distance.
Saeba tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Johnsson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Saeba sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Saeba defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johnsson.
Johnsson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gunnar Johnsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saeba uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Johnsson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Saeba throws out the jab.
Saeba digs a good hook to Johnsson's body.
Nice body punch from Saeba.
Johnsson missing with a left hand there. Saeba was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Johnsson stuns Saeba with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Saeba misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnsson.
Saeba throws out a loose jab but Johnsson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice defenses there by Saeba.
A jab from Johnsson misses.
Saeba looks to throw the jab but Johnsson is out of range.
Gunnar Johnsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saeba lands a nice looking kick to the body. Johnsson takes a step back to recover.
Saeba throws out a loose jab but Johnsson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Johnsson is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saeba ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Johnsson moves away.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Johnsson. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Johnsson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Johnsson on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Johnsson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Saeba keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Johnsson.
Saeba wants to slow Johnsson down by chopping away at his legs.
Saeba slips under a jab.
Johnsson swinging wilding here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saeba slips a straight right by Johnsson.
Saeba connects with a solid leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masato Saeba dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gunnar Johnsson's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Saeba throws a looping overhand right but Johnsson ducks down to avoid it.
Saeba misses with a leg kick.
Saeba misses with an uppercut.
Johnsson throws a lazy right hand but Saeba sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Johnsson throws a body punch but Saeba moves out of range.
Saeba clobbers Johnsson with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
A slow jab from Saeba misses its intended target.
Saeba lands a head kick!
A big right from Johnsson misses.
Saeba scoring well with a low kick there.
Saeba lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Johnsson circles away quickly and effectively.
Johnsson is looking to chop away at Saeba's legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slow jab from Johnsson misses its intended target.
Saeba defending well as Johnsson loads up on a big left hand.
Johnsson waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Saeba.
Saeba feints and then cracks Johnsson's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Johnsson down.
Saeba throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saeba comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Johnsson fails to land the takedown.
A jab from Saeba misses.
Saeba throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Saeba throws a jab when Johnsson was well out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Saeba misses
and Johnsson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Saeba throws a jab but it's blocked by Johnsson.
Saeba tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Johnsson throws a big shot that misses.
Johnsson needs to keep his hands up - Saeba had a free shot at his head there.
Saeba ducks under a wild hook from Johnsson.
Saeba bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Saeba uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Johnsson.
Johnsson moves out of range of the body kick.
Johnsson with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Saeba to score with a decent uppercut.
Johnsson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Saeba circles away.
Saeba with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson moves out of range as Saeba strikes.
Masato Saeba seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Johnsson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Saeba throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Johnsson might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
No joy there for Saeba, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A swing and a miss from Saeba.
Johnsson fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Saeba on the side of the head.
Johnsson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Saeba uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Johnsson has time to react.
Johnsson throws a jab when Saeba was well out of range.
Saeba throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Saeba throws a lazy right hand but Johnsson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saeba throws a hook but Johnsson blocks it.
Saeba tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Johnsson is able to avoid easily.
Johnsson keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Johnsson scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Johnsson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Saeba pinned against the cage. Saeba gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gunnar Johnsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saeba looks to land a left hand but Johnsson moved out of range nicely.
Saeba has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Johnsson looks to throw the jab but Saeba is out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saeba throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Johnsson ducks under a wild hook from Saeba.
Saeba defending well as Johnsson loads up on a big left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masato Saeba showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Gunnar Johnsson's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Saeba thows a body shot but no joy.
Saeba misses with a hook. Johnsson ducked under it nicely.
Johnsson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Saeba.
Saeba throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A head kick misses from Saeba.
Saeba lands a glancing blow to the side of Johnsson's head.
Saeba throws and low kick but Johnsson moves out of range easily.
Saeba on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Saeba uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Johnsson.
Saeba takes one to the side of the head.
Johnsson misses with an uppercut. Saeba saw that one coming.
Masato Saeba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saeba feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Johnsson's calf.

Saeba drops Johnsson with a beautiful combination! Johnsson stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Saeba is looking for the KO!

Johnsson is rocked!
Saeba tries to bum rush Johnsson with a series of wild strikes but Johnsson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Saeba connects with a jab and follows up with a big overhand right! Oh that's hurt Johnsson! He's out on his feet! Saeba rushes in and drops Johnsson with another big right hand, forcing the referee to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Masato Saeba!