PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Haiki Masatupo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Makosa Michinoku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michinoku comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Primavera by Ludovico Einaudi kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Masatupo
vs
Michinoku

180 cm
27
158 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

180 cm
27
163 lbs
11 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Haiki Masatupo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Makosa Michinoku!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michinoku throws the left hand but Masatupo avoids the punch easily.
Michinoku fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Michinoku keeps the fight on the outside.

Masatupo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Michinoku looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Michinoku is trying to buck Masatupo off.
Michinoku on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Michinoku is looking to reverse the position.
Michinoku is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Michinoku explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Nice sprawl there from Masatupo as Michinoku shoots in.

Masatupo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Masatupo creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Michinoku sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Michinoku is pushing Masatupo's head away, looking to escape. Masatupo manages to hold on to the position though.
Masatupo lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Michinoku down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masatupo scoring with punches and elbows.
Michinoku pushes Masatupo away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Masatupo gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Michinoku parries the strikes from Masatupo easily there. Masatupo is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Michinoku to escape.
Michinoku is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Masatupo asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Michinoku is looking to reverse the position.
Masatupo landing strikes.
Masatupo sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Michinoku is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Michinoku is trying to buck Masatupo off.
Michinoku tries to bench press Masatupo off him but Masatupo keeps the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Masatupo stuffs the takedown attempt from Michinoku. Michinoku gets slowly back to his feet.
Haiki Masatupo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Makosa Michinoku.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Masatupo shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Michinoku's guard.
Masatupo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Michinoku is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Michinoku is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Michinoku looks gassed!
Masatupo keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Michinoku's head.
Masatupo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Masatupo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Michinoku wants to stand up but Masatupo is controlling him.
Masatupo is looking to work some ground and pound but Michinoku has wrist control.
Masatupo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Michinoku works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Masatupo doesn't manage to clinch there - Michinoku circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masatupo throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Michinoku's head.

Michinoku gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Michinoku wants to take a breather but Masatupo is having none of it.
Masatupo wants to get back to his feet.
Michinoku thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Masatupo's head.
Masatupo is trying to stand back up but Michinoku is controlling him
Michinoku looks to land a strike but Masatupo avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masatupo managing to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Michinoku accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Michinoku throws a strike but Masatupo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Masatupo throws and elbow that misses. Michinoku uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Masatupo's guard. Nice move by Michinoku!
Masatupo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haiki Masatupo dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Michinoku fails with the takedown

and Masatupo moves into the clinch.
Masatupo tries to land a knee to the head but Michinoku blocks with his arms.
Masatupo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Masatupo lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Masatupo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Michinoku has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Masatupo using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Masatupo misses with a knee strike.
Michinoku tries for a takedown but Masatupo manages to get underhooks.
Masatupo tries a knee to the head but Michinoku blocks it.
Masatupo misses with a knee to the head.
Masatupo misses with a knee strike.
Masatupo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Michinoku blocks it with crossed arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michinoku blocks an uppercut.
Masatupo lands a knee to the head.
Michinoku changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Masatupo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Haiki Masatupo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Makosa Michinoku.

Masatupo forces Michinoku back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michinoku looking for a takedown.
Masatupo misses with a knee to the head.
Michinoku being controlled against the cage.
Michinoku has Masatupo pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Masatupo manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Masatupo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Masatupo takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Masatupo is pressed up against the cage. Michinoku has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Masatupo down to the mat. Masatupo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Michinoku dives in and grabs Masatupo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Masatupo pushes down on Michinoku's head and hops out.
Michinoku shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Masatupo sprawls well. Masatupo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Michinoku gets slowly back to his feet.
Michinoku is breathing heavily.
No luck for Michinoku with that takedown attempt.
Haiki Masatupo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Masatupo tries to close the distance and clinch but Michinoku swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Michinoku darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masatupo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Masatupo is controlling Michinoku's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Masatupo is refusing to be controlled, as Michinoku sits in half guard.
Michinoku throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Michinoku is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masatupo is trying to get back to full guard.
Masatupo on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Michinoku throws a strike but Masatupo avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Michinoku with a nice head shot there.
Michinoku working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Masatupo controlling Michinoku's posture.
Masatupo is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michinoku throws a big right hand that misses.
Michinoku throws a strike but Masatupo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Masatupo thows a big elbow that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Masatupo won't allow Michinoku to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haiki Masatupo dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Masatupo rushes Michinoku and presses him up against the cage.
Masatupo misses with a knee strike.
Michinoku drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Masatupo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Masatupo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Michinoku blocks it with crossed arms.
Michinoku drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Masatupo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Masatupo connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Makosa Michinoku has been cut.
Masatupo tries a knee to the head but Michinoku blocks it.
Masatupo is pressed up against the cage. Michinoku has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Masatupo down to the mat. Masatupo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Haiki Masatupo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Makosa Michinoku.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Michinoku.

Masatupo darts in and clinches Michinoku up against the cage.
Masatupo tries a knee to the head but Michinoku blocks it.
Michinoku takes a knee right on the jaw!

Masatupo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masatupo fails with an attempt to clinch.

Masatupo instigates a clinch.
Michinoku drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Michinoku takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Masatupo's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Masatupo misses with a knee strike.
Masatupo with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Masatupo lands a knee to the head.
Masatupo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Michinoku has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A knee to the head by Masatupo.
Masatupo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Michinoku blocks it with crossed arms.
Masatupo tries a knee to the head but Michinoku blocks it.
Masatupo looking to throw knees to the head but Michinoku is blocking nicely.
Michinoku is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Masatupo gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Haiki Masatupo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Michinoku drops down looking for an ankle pick but Masatupo pulls his leg out and moves away.
Masatupo staying out of range there.
Michinoku avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Masatupo closes the distance and clinches.
Michinoku is trying to drag Masatupo to the mat but Masatupo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Masatupo scores with a knee to the head.
Michinoku is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Masatupo gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Masatupo slows down the pace here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masatupo stops a takedown attempt from Michinoku.
Masatupo tries to land a knee to the head but Michinoku blocks with his arms.
Masatupo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Michinoku tries to score a body lock takedown but Masatupo shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Michinoku wants a takedown but no success here.
Masatupo looking to throw knees to the head but Michinoku is blocking nicely.
Masatupo lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Michinoku takes a knee right on the jaw!
Michinoku is trying to drag Masatupo to the mat but Masatupo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Masatupo lands a knee to the head.
Masatupo misses with a knee to the head.
Masatupo scores with a knee to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Michinoku is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Masatupo pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Masatupo lands a knee to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Haiki Masatupo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Masatupo has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Haiki Masatupo!