PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Masato Saeba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuyu Hakusho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saeba comes to the cage accompanied by Easy Action. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Saeba
vs
Hakusho

179 cm
21
179 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

186 cm
26
183 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

Knock Out Artistry

Nutrition 101
Nutrition 101

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Masato Saeba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yuyu Hakusho!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saeba connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Hakusho's hands.
Saeba throws a half hearted mid kick.
Saeba jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Saeba cracks Hakusho with a right hand to the side of the head.
Hakusho tries to work over Saeba's front leg with a kick but Saeba checks it.
Saeba connects with a single shot there.

Hakusho is rocked!
Saeba misses with the combination.
Hakusho lands a glancing blow to the side of Saeba's head.
Yuyu Hakusho seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Saeba lands a big head kick that sends Hakusho tumbling to the mat! Saeba takes a step backwards and waves Hakusho back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Hakusho is still on wobbly legs! Can Saeba finish him?
Saeba keeps the fight on the outside.
Hakusho seems to have recovered his senses.
Saeba throws a leg kick but Hakusho sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Hakusho moves out of range of the strikes.
The fighters circle momentarily. Saeba darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saeba with a nice cross.
Saeba tries a head kick but it misses.
Saeba loads up on a big right hand but Hakusho slips the punch.
A nice combination there by Saeba.

Hakusho feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Saeba keeping full guard, as Hakusho tries to pass.
Saeba controlling Hakusho's posture.
Hakusho stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Saeba swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Saeba is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saeba working a defensive guard here.
Hakusho stopping the sweep attempt from Saeba.
Saeba is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hakusho wants to pass the guard but Saeba is keeping the position.
Hakusho postures up in Saeba's guard and throws a big left but Saeba blocks it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Saeba throws a leg kick which misses Hakusho's front leg but catches the back leg as Hakusho tries to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hakusho is looking to clinch.
Saeba lands a nice leg kick that just misses Hakusho's sensitive parts.
Hakusho misses with a head kick.
Hakusho slips a straight right by Saeba.
Good leg kick by Saeba there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Hakusho avoids the head kick by Saeba.
Saeba feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Hakusho's calf.
Hakusho tries to clinch but Saeba moves out of range.
Saeba displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hakusho throws out the jab.

Hakusho throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Saeba was covering up waiting for the punch and Hakusho finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Hakusho looks gassed!

Saeba throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hakusho wants to control from the top but Saeba keeps moving.
Saeba managing to control the position.
Saeba is trying to control the position but Hakusho postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hakusho postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hakusho postures up.

Hakusho drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Saeba manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Hakusho has Saeba in his guard.

Saeba drops back looking for a leg! Hakusho is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hakusho manages to kick Saeba off! Saeba jumps back into Hakusho's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masato Saeba dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hakusho throws a push kick but Saeba slaps the foot to one side.
Saeba uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Saeba stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Saeba wants it to stay on the feet.
Saeba connects with a single shot there.
Saeba throws a lazy body kick

and Hakusho counters with a shoot takedown. Saeba fights it but they end up in guard.
Saeba is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Saeba managing to control the position.
Hakusho wants to control from the top but Saeba keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hakusho landing with the ground and pound.
Saeba pulls Hakusho in to control the position.
Hakusho is looking to work some ground and pound but Saeba has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saeba is trying to keep Hakusho in close.
Saeba is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Hakusho is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Saeba wants to sweep but no luck.

Hakusho avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hakusho won't allow Saeba to sweep him here.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hakusho falls off balance throwing a combination
and Saeba connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hakusho connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hakusho throws a hook to the side of Saeba's head but Saeba sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hakusho keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saeba.
Nice uppercut there from Saeba.
Saeba keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Saeba fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saeba connects with a solid leg kick.
Hakusho looks to clinch
and Saeba counters with a stiff right hand.
No luck for Hakusho with that takedown attempt.
Masato Saeba has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yuyu Hakusho.
Hakusho is breathing heavily.
Hakusho takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Saeba throws a hook to the side of Hakusho's head but Hakusho sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Saeba scores with a push kick.
Saeba looks to throw the jab but Hakusho is out of range.
Saeba looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Hakusho misses with a kick to the body
and Saeba counters with a straight right hand.
Saeba throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saeba lands an overhand right.
Hakusho defending well as Saeba loads up on a big left hand.
Hakusho takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saeba lands a lovely overhand right.
Hakusho tries to clinch but Saeba moves away
and Saeba counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A solid leg kick lands there for Saeba.
A jab lands there for Saeba.
Saeba throws a big shot that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hakusho walks forward, straight into a front kick from Saeba.
Saeba throws a hook to the side of Hakusho's head but Hakusho sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masato Saeba dominated that second round.
That's time! Saeba's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Saeba keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Hakusho misses with a leg kick
and Saeba counters with a straight right hand.
Saeba misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saeba pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hakusho fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Saeba avoids it really well and circles away.
Hakusho throws a front kick that sends Saeba stumbling back into the cage.
Saeba keeps the fight on the outside.
Saeba ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hakusho moves away.
Masato Saeba is winning the standup battle so far.
A head kick misses from Saeba.
Hakusho takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hakusho takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Saeba swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Saeba fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Hakusho.
Hakusho has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Hakusho there as he acknowledges the shot.
Saeba keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Saeba lands a head shot.
Hakusho bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hakusho's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Hakusho throws a lazy body kick
and Saeba counters with a stiff right hand.
Hakusho misses with a takedown
and Saeba counters with a thumping low kick.
Saeba digs a good hook to Hakusho's body.
Yuyu Hakusho has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saeba connects with a solid leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Saeba throws a combination. Hakusho tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Saeba throws a head kick that misses.
Masato Saeba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Saeba throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Hakusho's head.
Saeba lands a head shot.
Hakusho wants to clinch but Saeba slips to the side
and Saeba counters with a good low kick that Hakusho was not able to check.
Hakusho chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Saeba can pounce on him.
Saeba's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Saeba duly obliges.
Saeba thuds his shin into the meat of Hakusho's side.
Saeba scores with a sloppy right hand. Hakusho should have avoided that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saeba throws a good cross that connects.
Jab by Saeba.
Saeba tries to bum rush Hakusho with a series of wild strikes but Hakusho uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Saeba lands a right hook to the body.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Saeba.
Saeba lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Hakusho walks into a left hand.
Saeba misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hakusho.
Hakusho misses with a kick to the body
and Saeba counters with a slapping leg kick.
Masato Saeba is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hakusho takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hakusho darts in trying to clinch
and Saeba counters with a body kick.
Hakusho shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A good leg kick by Saeba.
Hakusho on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A chopping leg kick lands by Saeba.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Saeba turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hakusho tries to move into range but Saeba moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Saeba scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

And that's the end of the fight!
Masato Saeba showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Saeba, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight for Masato Saeba!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Masato Saeba!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Masato Saeba!

Masato Saeba wins by unanimous decision!