PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kamaneto Funaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Keizo Sawaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sawaki has chosen 'Kodo' by The Yoshida Brothers as his entrance music. On his way into the cage it seems that Kamaneto Funaki has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Kamaneto Funaki seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Funaki
vs
Sawaki

168 cm
21
150 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

175 cm
26
155 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

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 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kamaneto Funaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Keizo Sawaki!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shirou Masuda and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Funaki shoots and misses
and Sawaki counters with a stiff right hand.
Nice cross by Sawaki.
Sawaki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Funaki.
Sawaki lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Sawaki misses with a body shot

and Funaki counters with a shoot takedown. Sawaki fights it but they end up in guard.
Sawaki tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Funaki drops back, looking for a kneebar! Sawaki looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Sawaki looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Sawaki!
Sawaki tries to score with some ground and pound. Funaki controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Funaki tries to improve position but can't.
Sawaki tries to move to mount but Funaki blocks the move with his legs.
Sawaki landing a few strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sawaki tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Funaki is trying to get back to his feet.
Funaki holding on.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Funaki tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Funaki can't do much from the bottom here.
Sawaki working the ground and pound but Funaki is defending the strikes.

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.
Sawaki working away.
Sawaki trying to control the action but Funaki is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sloppy strikes there by Sawaki.
Funaki throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Funaki tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Sawaki goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Funaki rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Sawaki's guard! Nice work there by Funaki!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sawaki is on top in guard.
Sawaki postures up and lands a big shot to Funaki's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Funaki is looking for a triangle here but Sawaki uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Sawaki is trying to get an arm triangle but Funaki is defending well.

Funaki throws Sawaki to one side and escapes!
Funaki with a poor takedown
and Sawaki counters with a thumping low kick.
Funaki is breathing heavily.
Funaki gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sawaki counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kamaneto Funaki. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sawaki is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Funaki knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Funaki tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funaki wants to control but Sawaki is having none of it.
Sawaki lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Funaki really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Sawaki cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Funaki keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sawaki pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keizo Sawaki dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Funaki has his takedown stuffed

so Sawaki counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sawaki sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sawaki wants to pass the guard but Funaki is keeping the position.

Funaki escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sawaki gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Funaki is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sawaki is aware though and is defending well.

Funaki is looking for a triangle but Sawaki pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Funaki trying to keep a closed guard but Sawaki is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funaki wants to get back to his feet but Sawaki is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sawaki pushing down on Funaki's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Sawaki is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Funaki has managed to free his arm - good work.
Funaki is refusing to be controlled, as Sawaki sits in half guard.
Sawaki trying to mount his opponent but Funaki defends it.
Sawaki passes to full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Funaki is trying desperately to improve position.
Sawaki landing strikes from the mount and Funaki is in trouble!
Sawaki avoids the attempt from Funaki to control.
Funaki is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Sawaki tries to control but Funaki wriggling away.
Sawaki pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Sawaki goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Funaki turns into him and now he's in Sawaki's guard.

Sawaki working for a triangle but Funaki defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sawaki will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Sawaki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sawaki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Funaki wants to control from the top but Sawaki keeps moving.
Funaki trying to stand up but can't free himself from Sawaki's guard.
Funaki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sawaki is keeping the position for now.

That's four 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.
Funaki wants to control from the top but Sawaki keeps moving.
Funaki throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sawaki works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Funaki drops back, looking for a kneebar! Sawaki looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Sawaki looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Sawaki!
Funaki takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Funaki is looking to reverse the position.
Sawaki advances nicely into full mount.
Funaki really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keizo Sawaki 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!

Funaki moves forwards but Sawaki connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Funaki ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Funaki fails with the takedown

and Sawaki counters with a takedown into side control.

Sawaki looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Funaki gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Sawaki wants to free his trapped foot but Funaki is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Funaki trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funaki is looking for a sweep. Sawaki is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sawaki is trying to control the action in half guard but Funaki is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Funaki wants to get back to his feet.
Funaki tries to get to full guard but Sawaki has control of the leg.
Sawaki frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Funaki regains half guard.
Sawaki working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Funaki wants to get back to full guard.

Sawaki seems to be looking for submissions.
Sawaki is controlling the pace.
Funaki is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funaki won't allow Sawaki to pass to mount.

Funaki actively working from the bottom here.
Sawaki moves nicely into side control.
Keizo Sawaki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Keizo Sawaki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sawaki is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Sawaki gets to mount! Funaki was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Funaki is trying to reverse the position but instead Sawaki has taken his back - oops!
A lull in the action here.
Good control from Sawaki.
Kamaneto Funaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Funaki breaks Sawaki's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keizo Sawaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sawaki 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keizo Sawaki!