PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Omar Sandoyano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabe Higgins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Sandoyano
vs
Higgins

178 cm
22
164 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
165 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Improved boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Mustang Fight Food
Mustang Fight Food

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Omar Sandoyano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gabe Higgins!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sandoyano throws and low kick but Higgins moves out of range easily.

Higgins feints and as Sandoyano raises his hands in defense, Higgins changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sandoyano seems keen to control Higgins's posture.
Sandoyano wants to sweep here but Higgins controlling him for the moment.

Higgins gets to his feet - Sandoyano follows without any prompting.

Higgins gets the takedown into side control.
Sandoyano trying to control but Higgins flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Sandoyano trying to control the action but Higgins just sinks the hooks in.
Higgins wants to control but Sandoyano manages to buck him off and is now in Higgins's guard! Nice work there by Sandoyano!
Sandoyano is looking to stand up but Higgins won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Higgins keeping moving, preventing Sandoyano from controlling successfully.
Higgins trying to control the position.
Sandoyano has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Higgins is proving hard to escape from.
Higgins is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sandoyano is pressing down on Higgins's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Higgins stands up from Sandoyano's guard - Higgins perhaps looking for a knockout.
Sandoyano fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Higgins keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Higgins throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Sandoyano counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sandoyano stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Higgins looks to land a body kick but Sandoyano moved away.
Higgins tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Higgins takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Sandoyano scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Omar Sandoyano is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Higgins looks gassed!
Sandoyano clinches but Higgins breaks the clinch

and Higgins counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Higgins.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sandoyano wants to stand up but Higgins is controlling him.
Sandoyano wants to control but Higgins passes easily into half guard.
Sandoyano is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sandoyano looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sandoyano trying to control but Higgins postures up.
Sandoyano wants to get back to full guard.
Sandoyano slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sandoyano wants to sweep here but Higgins controlling him for the moment.
Higgins must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Sandoyano is looking for a triangle here but Higgins uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Higgins gets to mount! Sandoyano was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Higgins prevents Sandoyano from getting the reversal.
Higgins controlling the position easily from mount.
Sandoyano is looking to improve his position but Higgins isn't that keen on the idea.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Sandoyano tries to lock up and control but Higgins gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Higgins punishing his opponent with strikes.
Higgins controlling the position easily from mount.
Higgins's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Higgins landing shots from mount.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Higgins controlling his opponent.
Higgins prevents Sandoyano from getting the reversal.
Sandoyano looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
You can see the frustration on Sandoyano's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Higgins biding his time, controlling Sandoyano.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Higgins is looking to control Sandoyano but Sandoyano is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Sandoyano tries to break free.
Sandoyano wants to get back to his feet.
Sandoyano tries to roll but Higgins sticks to his back.
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.
Sandoyano turns into Higgins and is now in his guard.
Sandoyano is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sandoyano wants to control from the top but Higgins keeps moving.
Sandoyano is in close to Higgins's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sandoyano wants to control from the top but Higgins keeps moving.
Sandoyano won't allow Higgins to sweep him here.
Sandoyano trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sandoyano is looking to stand up but Higgins won't let him.
Higgins keeping moving, preventing Sandoyano from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sandoyano wants to clinch but Higgins slips to the side
and Higgins finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Sandoyano throws a lazy head kick

and Higgins counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Higgins tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sandoyano smiles and moves away.
Higgins throws a body kick that misses.
Sandoyano connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Higgins's hands.
Higgins fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sandoyano wants to clinch but Higgins slips to the side

and Higgins counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sandoyano won't be happy with that.
Higgins in the domination position with Sandoyano hanging on.

Higgins is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sandoyano is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Higgins decides to stand up, so the ref orders Sandoyano to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Sandoyano. No joy for Higgins on that attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabe Higgins dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Higgins attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Sandoyano lands a body shot.
Sandoyano lands with a nice combination. Higgins backs away looking to recover.
Higgins takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Higgins thows a leg kick but Sandoyano checks it
and Sandoyano counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sandoyano keeps the fight on the outside.

Higgins feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Sandoyano is looking for a triangle but Higgins pushes his legs off easily.
Higgins trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Higgins won't allow Sandoyano to sweep him here.
Higgins is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sandoyano is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sandoyano working a defensive guard but Higgins passes into half guard.
Higgins wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sandoyano keeps working.
Sandoyano wants to get back to full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sandoyano thows a leg kick but Higgins checks it

and Higgins counters with a takedown into side control.
Sandoyano is not content to let Higgins control the position.
Gabe Higgins has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sandoyano is trying to get back to half guard.

Higgins working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sandoyano regains half guard.
Higgins keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Sandoyano trying to control but Higgins postures up.
Higgins is nestled in close to Sandoyano, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Higgins working the head and body with strikes.

Higgins is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Sandoyano doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Higgins.
Sandoyano throws a strike from the bottom but Higgins passes into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Higgins working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Sandoyano is not content to let Higgins control the position.
Sandoyano tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Higgins cracks Sandoyano with a big elbow.
Sandoyano can't do much from the bottom here.
Sandoyano tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Higgins working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Sandoyano can't do much from the bottom here.

Higgins stands up.
Higgins doesn't manage to clinch there - Sandoyano circles away.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Sandoyano looks to land a combination. Higgins sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Higgins displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sandoyano throws out the jab.
Sandoyano throws a lazy body kick

and Higgins counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Sandoyano!
You get the feeling that Sandoyano really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Higgins is working for a guillotine from mount but Sandoyano frees his head quite easily.
Sandoyano is looking to improve his position but Higgins isn't that keen on the idea.
Higgins controlling from the full mount.
Sandoyano is looking to improve his position but Higgins isn't that keen on the idea.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Sandoyano gets back to half guard.
Higgins looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Sandoyano won't allow Higgins to pass to mount.
Higgins wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Sandoyano uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Sandoyano is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sandoyano wants to control the position but Higgins says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Higgins trying to control from Sandoyano's half guard. Sandoyano has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Sandoyano is trying to control the position but Higgins postures up.
Higgins trying to control the position from guard on top but Sandoyano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Sandoyano manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Sandoyano working for a guillotine from mount but Higgins is in no mood to give up.
Higgins is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sandoyano in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Sandoyano landing punches.
Sandoyano takes Higgins's back.
Higgins turns into Sandoyano and is now in his guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Higgins looking to pass the guard.
Higgins trying to control but Sandoyano is working from the bottom.
Higgins sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sandoyano keeping moving, preventing Higgins from controlling successfully.
Higgins controls from within his opponent's guard.
Higgins wants to control from the top but Sandoyano keeps moving.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Higgins trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sandoyano being controlled here, momentarily.
Sandoyano lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Higgins!
Higgins tries to hold on but Sandoyano pushes him away.
Omar Sandoyano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sandoyano tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.

Higgins tries to improve his position but Sandoyano has taken his back! Sandoyano has a choke - it's sunk in pretty tight... Will Higgins tap? No... maybe... yes! He's tapped! Sandoyano Pushes Higgins away and gets up to celebrate with his corner!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Omar Sandoyano!