PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between rafael sassaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Toni Tornado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). sassaki's entrance music is forever. A fine choice. Toni Tornado looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

sassaki
vs
Tornado

187 cm
18
219 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
220 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, rafael sassaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Toni Tornado!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tornado gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and sassaki counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Tornado defends well against a solid takedown attempt from sassaki.
Tornado fails with the takedown

and sassaki counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
sassaki is trying to control. Tornado wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tornado is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of sassaki's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take sassaki's back!
sassaki trying to control the position but Tornado manages to sink in the hooks.
sassaki is really stuck here.
sassaki manages to reverse the position and now he's in Tornado's guard. Nice work there by sassaki.

sassaki is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Tornado is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Tornado has escaped and now he's on top!

sassaki looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tornado pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. sassaki is keeping the position for now.
Tornado trying to control the position from guard on top but sassaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
sassaki manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tornado manages to get himself to full guard.
sassaki trying to control but Tornado is working from the bottom.
sassaki is breathing heavily.
Tornado avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

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.
Tornado manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Tornado is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. sassaki can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Tornado looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Tornado has control of sassaki's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and sassaki regains control of the situation pretty easily.

sassaki defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Tornado.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tornado avoids the attempt from sassaki to control.
Tornado prevents sassaki from getting the reversal.
sassaki tries to hold on but Tornado postures up.
Tornado working the ground and pound effectively.
sassaki is looking to improve his position but Tornado isn't that keen on the idea.

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.

Tornado working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Tornado is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But sassaki has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from sassaki!
Tornado looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
sassaki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Tornado is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that rafael sassaki will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

sassaki changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Tornado tries to avoid it but sassaki manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Tornado to the ground. Tornado escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Tornado dodges the punch combination from sassaki.

sassaki changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Tornado looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tornado tries to escape but sassaki is in control.

sassaki decides to stand back up.
Tornado with a poor takedown

and sassaki counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
sassaki is trying to stall.
sassaki has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tornado is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tornado is looking for a takedown up against the cage. sassaki gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
sassaki working Tornado over with knees to the body.

sassaki has clasped his hands together around Tornado's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tornado is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on sassaki's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Tornado has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. sassaki is working away from the top position though.
sassaki has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Tornado works to full guard.
Tornado is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
sassaki is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tornado's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tornado's back!

sassaki tightening his grip on Tornado, looking for the choke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
sassaki doesn't have the hooks in and Tornado manages to turn into his guard.
sassaki keeping moving, preventing Tornado from controlling successfully.

Tornado drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but sassaki manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Tornado has sassaki in his guard.
sassaki trying to control but Tornado is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
sassaki has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Tornado pulls sassaki in close to prevent any damage.
Tornado 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.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
sassaki is working Tornado over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

sassaki gets to his feet. Tornado looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Tornado gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Tornado working for a triangle but sassaki defends it easily.
sassaki wants to stand but Tornado has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

rafael sassaki dominated that second round.
That's time! sassaki's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Tornado drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

sassaki throws his legs up looking for a submission but Tornado uses it to pass to side control.
Tornado creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
sassaki prevents Tornado from improving position.

Tornado is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but sassaki is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Tornado tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
sassaki is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tornado moves into full mount!
sassaki is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Tornado looking for a guillotine from mount but sassaki is having none of it.

Tornado working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tornado tries to control but sassaki wriggling away.
sassaki wants to hold on but Tornado pushes him away.
Tornado trying to control but sassaki is having none of it.
sassaki is looking to improve his position but Tornado isn't that keen on the idea.
Tornado putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tornado cracks sassaki with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Toni Tornado has got the better of the ground game so far.
sassaki slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Tornado is sneakily working for an arm triangle but sassaki sees it coming and defends easily.
sassaki manages to get to full guard.
Tornado controls from within his opponent's guard.
Tornado looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
sassaki looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Tornado slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
sassaki gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Tornado trying to control the action but sassaki is working from the bottom.
Tornado wants to free his trapped foot but sassaki is holding on for dear life with his legs.

And that's the end of the fight!
Toni Tornado comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think sassaki has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Toni Tornado!