PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Keizo Sawaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cyrus Plague (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sawaki comes to the cage accompanied by 'Kodo' by The Yoshida Brothers. Plague comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Calibrate the Virus by Winter Solstice kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sawaki
vs
Plague

175 cm
24
155 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

173 cm
24
154 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

Dangerous GnP
Decent boxing
Powerful

Sabotage Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Keizo Sawaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cyrus Plague!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Fujiwara and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sawaki lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Plague throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sawaki shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A lazy left from Plague finds it's target.
Plague tries to bum rush Sawaki with a series of wild strikes but Sawaki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Plague slips under a jab from Sawaki.
Plague throws the left hand but Sawaki avoids the punch easily.
Sawaki stuffs the takedown attempt from Plague. Plague gets slowly back to his feet.
Plague throws a right and a left that both miss.
Plague throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sawaki ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sawaki fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Plague manages to avoid it.
Plague throws a body punch but Sawaki moves out of range.
Plague misses with a body shot.
Plague slips a straight right by Sawaki.
Plague misses with a hook. Sawaki ducked under it nicely.
Sawaki connects with a solid leg kick.
Plague cracks Sawaki with a good jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plague tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sawaki was well out of range. Poor timing from Plague.
Plague throws a leg kick but Sawaki sees it coming and moves out of range.
Plague scores with a punch to the head.
Plague misses with a looping left.
Sawaki fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Plague manages to avoid it.
Sawaki slips a jab and a cross from Plague.
Plague throws a hook but Sawaki blocks it.
Plague takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Plague lands a two punch combo.
Plague throws a right and a left that both miss.
Plague bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Sawaki's head.
Sawaki throws a lazy right hand but Plague sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Plague throws a lazy right hand but Sawaki sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Plague misses with a straight right.
Plague ducks right into an uppercut from Sawaki.
Plague stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Plague lands with a straight right. Sawaki didn't see that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Sawaki with that takedown attempt.
Plague throws a body punch but Sawaki moves out of range.
Sawaki avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Plague throws a hook to the side of Sawaki's head but Sawaki sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Plague lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Sawaki takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Sawaki is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Plague's half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Plague manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Plague looking to control.

Sawaki drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Plague manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Sawaki has Plague in his guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Plague trying to control but Sawaki is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plague passes Sawaki's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Plague tries to pass to full mount but Sawaki defends it.
Sawaki avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Plague.
Plague sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sawaki defending well though.
Plague takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Nice strikes from Plague there.
Sawaki blocking the ground and pound attempt from Plague.
Sawaki moves into full guard.
Plague is in close to Sawaki's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Plague trying to control the position from guard on top but Sawaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sawaki escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Plague gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Plague throwing strikes from guard but Sawaki blocks nicely.

Sawaki has his foot on Plague's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Plague works his way back into a safe position though.
Sawaki utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sawaki can't keep his opponent in guard - Plague advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Plague missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Plague is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sawaki takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyrus Plague dominated that round.
That's time! Sawaki's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Plague is looking to score with low kicks.
A slow jab from Plague misses its intended target.
Sawaki slips under a jab.
Plague throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Sawaki stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Sawaki tries for a takedown but Plague sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sawaki keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sawaki.
Plague lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Plague ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sawaki throws a jab when Plague was well out of range.
Plague just misses with a punch to the body.
Plague throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sawaki.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Plague, as that shot connected.
Sawaki tries for a takedown but Plague circles away easily

and Plague counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Plague pushing down on Sawaki's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Plague seems to be working for a kimura but Sawaki defends the submission attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Plague lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Plague passes to side control.
Plague is putting a hurting on Sawaki here, landing some big shots from side control.
Plague cracks Sawaki with a big right hand but Sawaki just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Sawaki can't do much from the bottom here.
Plague wants to control but Sawaki is keeping him busy.
Plague might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sawaki kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Plague creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Sawaki tries to buck Plague off but Plague is having none of it.
Plague looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Sawaki is avoiding damage well.
Sawaki wants to control but Plague postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Plague tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sawaki was well out of range. Poor timing from Plague.
Sawaki looks to land a combination but Plague avoids it well.
Plague takes one to the side of the head.
Plague waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sawaki.
Plague walks into a stiff left hand from Sawaki.
Sawaki lands a nice hook to Plague's body. Plague takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plague swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A jab from Plague finds it's way through Sawaki's defenses.
Plague looks to land a left hand but Sawaki moved out of range nicely.
Plague swinging wildly here.
Plague pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Plague ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sawaki misses with a hook.

Plague drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Plague is working Sawaki over with some ground and pound from side control.
Sawaki managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Plague.
Sawaki is looking for a sweep.
Plague scoring with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plague in side control, throwing shots but Sawaki defends.
Plague is trying to move to mount but Sawaki reverses beautifully and ends up in Plague's guard.
Plague trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Sawaki is in close to Plague's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Plague manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Plague putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sawaki is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyrus Plague showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Plague walks into a stiff left hand from Sawaki.
Sawaki ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sawaki slips a jab and a cross from Plague.
Plague misses with a wild body shot.
Plague ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sawaki moves away.
Sawaki slips a jab from Plague.
Plague shoots in for a takedown but Sawaki shows good takedown defense.
Sawaki changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Plague swinging wildly here.
Plague throws a lazy right hand but Sawaki sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Plague takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Sawaki misses with an uppercut.
Sawaki scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Plague misses with a straight left.

Plague gets a takedown into half guard.
Plague takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sawaki is in trouble now - Plague has advanced to mount!
Plague scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Plague putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Plague cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Plague throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Sawaki is looking to get to half guard.
Cyrus Plague has got the better of the ground game so far.
Plague looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Plague avoids the attempt from Sawaki to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Plague cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Keizo Sawaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Plague lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Sawaki hang on?
Sawaki taking shots to the head.
The referee warns Sawaki that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Plague landing strikes from the mount and Sawaki is in trouble!

Plague swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Sawaki is now in Plague's guard. A big mistake from Plague there, giving up the dominant position!
Sawaki content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Plague looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sawaki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Plague looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sawaki puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Plague wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sawaki looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Sawaki wants to take a breather but Plague is having none of it.
Plague strikes from the bottom but Sawaki passes into mount!
Plague wants to control but Sawaki is having none of it.
Sawaki looking to control but Plague is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Plague tries to hold on but Sawaki pushes him away.
Plague is desperately trying to improve his position but Sawaki has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sawaki looking to finish Plague with some ground and pound. This is bad for Plague!
Plague tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Plague has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cyrus Plague comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Plague has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight for Cyrus Plague!
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight for Cyrus Plague!
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Cyrus Plague!

Cyrus Plague wins by unanimous decision!