PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hajime Saito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Wilbur (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marcus Wilbur has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Saito
vs
Wilbur

185 cm
27
193 lbs
18 - 6 - 1

185 cm
20
185 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hajime Saito!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcus Wilbur!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Wesley Smith and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wilbur uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Saito.
Saito swings widly with a right hand

and Wilbur counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Saito is looking for a sweep. Wilbur is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Saito trying to hold on to Wilbur's head to control him but Wilbur postures up.
Wilbur trying to control from Saito's half guard. Saito has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Saito looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Saito has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Saito looking to control.
Wilbur controls from within his opponent's guard.
Saito looking to control.
Wilbur wants to control from the top but Saito keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Hajime Saito just wasn't active enough.
Saito scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Wilbur fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wilbur moves in looking to clinch but Saito pushes him off.
Saito circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilbur keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saito.
Marcus Wilbur is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Saito closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Wilbur really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Saito. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Saito tries to pass to full mount but Wilbur defends it.
Wilbur trying to hold on to Saito's head to control him but Saito postures up.

Saito is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Wilbur defends it well.

Saito wants to work for an arm triangle but Wilbur is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Saito moves nicely into side control.
Wilbur tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Saito easily slips into full mount!

Saito looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Saito looking to control but Wilbur is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Saito with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wilbur wants to control but Saito is having none of it.
Saito tries to control but Wilbur wriggling away.
Saito wants to take his opponent's back but Wilbur doesn't allow it.
Saito takes Wilbur's back.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Saito tries to keep control of the position but Wilbur is staying busy.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Wilbur trying to control the action but Saito just sinks the hooks in.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Wilbur might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Saito kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Wilbur wants to escape the position.
Wilbur is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Saito is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Wilbur is defending well though. Saito let's go of the attempt for now.
Saito trying to control momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Saito looking to break Wilbur's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Wilbur remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Saito will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

Saito is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Wilbur has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Saito has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Wilbur taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Saito doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:34 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Hajime Saito!
Hajime Saito retains his middleweight title!