PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mike Belanger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kosuki Masahara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Belanger
vs
Masahara

185 cm
20
145 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

177 cm
21
150 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Doom Fightwear

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Belanger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kosuki Masahara!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Tiny Johnson and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Masahara fails in his attempt to clinch.
Masahara tries to clinch up but Belanger circles away and keeps his distance.
Masahara tries to clinch up but Belanger circles away and keeps his distance.
Masahara wants to clinch
and Belanger counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Masahara tries to close the distance and clinch but Belanger swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Masahara.
Kosuki Masahara seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Belanger swats away the attempt to clinch by Masahara.
Masahara wants to clinch up but Belanger keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Belanger throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Belanger takes a swing at Masahara's ribcage but misses.
Belanger misses with the combination.
Belanger tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Masahara was well out of range. Poor timing from Belanger.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masahara closes the distance but Belanger moves to the side
and Belanger counters with a left to the body.
Masahara tries to close the distance and clinch but Belanger swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Masahara slips a jab and a cross from Belanger.
Masahara with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Masahara moves in looking to clinch but Belanger pushes him off.
Belanger throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Belanger thuds his right hand into Masahara's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Belanger throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Masahara.
Belanger checks a leg kick.
Belanger lands a nice shot to the body.
Masahara tries to clinch there but Belanger circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masahara slips a jab and a cross from Belanger.
Masahara has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Belanger finds it's way round the side to connect with Masahara's head.
Belanger cracks Masahara with a right hand to the side of the head.
Masahara is looking to clinch.
Belanger looks to land a combination but Masahara avoids it well.
Belanger scores with a three punch combo!
Masahara tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Belanger manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Belanger circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Belanger. No joy for Masahara on that attempt.
Mike Belanger is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Belanger looks to land a combination but Masahara avoids it well.
Belanger looks to land a combination but Masahara avoids it well.
Belanger connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Masahara momentarily.
Masahara tries a low kick but Belanger avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Masahara looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Belanger throws a right hand that Masahara ducks under and follows up with a left that Masahara also avoids with ease.
Masahara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Belanger paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Masahara fails in his attempt to clinch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Masahara.
Masahara looks to clinch
and Belanger counters with a nice body shot.
Belanger throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Masahara.
Belanger lands a head shot.
Belanger lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Masahara circles away quickly and effectively.
Masahara tries to clinch but Belanger moves out of range.
Masahara fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Belanger swinging wildly here.
Belanger shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Masahara eats them both and turns towards Belanger to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Masahara throws a low kick but Belanger avoids it.
Belanger rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Masahara moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Belanger throws a right and a left that both miss.
Belanger misses with the combination.
Masahara tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Belanger circles away from the clinch attempt
and Belanger counters with a two punch combo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Belanger dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Belanger misses with a wild combination.
Belanger swinging wildly here.
Belanger misses with a few strikes there.
Masahara wants to clinch up but Belanger keeps it at a distance.
Belanger circles away from the clinch attempt
and Belanger connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masahara slips a jab and a cross from Belanger.
Masahara tries to clinch but Belanger is having none of it.
Belanger tries to bum rush Masahara with a series of wild strikes but Masahara uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A combination from Belanger does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masahara keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Masahara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Belanger paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Belanger throws a nice looking combination but Masahara bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A left and a right from Belanger both land. Nice combination.
Belanger works over Masahara's head and body with a nice combination.
Belanger swats away the attempt to clinch by Masahara.
Belanger throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Belanger keeps the fight on the outside.
Masahara tries to clinch but Belanger is having none of it.
Belanger swinging wildly here.
Masahara fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belanger looks to land a combination but Masahara avoids it well.
Belanger looks to land a combination but Masahara avoids it well.
Belanger circles away from the clinch attempt
and Belanger counters with a two punch combo.
A punch combination from Belanger misses.
Belanger throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Masahara.
Sloppy strikes from Belanger. Those never looked like landing.
Belanger is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Masahara gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Belanger.
Belanger rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Masahara moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Belanger swats away the attempt to clinch by Masahara.
A combination from Belanger does no damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belanger throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Masahara.
Masahara tries to close the distance and clinch up but Belanger swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Belanger really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Belanger throws a nice looking combination but Masahara bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Belanger connects with a nice looking jab.
Belanger misses with the combination.
Belanger closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Belanger throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Belanger looks to land a combination but Masahara avoids it well.
Belanger misses with the combination.
Belanger misses with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masahara tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Belanger manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Masahara takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Masahara slips a jab and a cross from Belanger.
Belanger feints a jab promting Masahara to slip. Belanger then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Masahara slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
A combination from Belanger does no damage.
Masahara tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Masahara darts in trying to clinch
and Belanger counters with a left and a right that stings Masahara.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Some wild striking there from Belanger.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Belanger dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Belanger throws a series of strikes that have Masahara backpedaling.
Belanger swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Belanger keeps the fight on the outside.
Belanger moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Mike Belanger is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Belanger scores with a one two! Masahara had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Masahara tries to clinch up but Belanger circles away and keeps his distance.
Masahara fails in his attempt to clinch.
Belanger scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Masahara tries to clinch up.
Belanger fails to land with a series of punches.
Masahara tries to clinch but Belanger moves out of range.
Masahara wants to clinch.
Belanger is working the combinations to good effect here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belanger keeps the fight on the outside.
Masahara takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
A left and a right from Belanger both land. Nice combination.
Belanger will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Belanger throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Belanger throws a series of punches but Masahara avoids them all with ease.
Belanger misses with a wild combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Masahara looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masahara tries to close the distance and clinch up but Belanger swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Masahara fails with an attempt to clinch.
Masahara tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Belanger makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Belanger lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Masahara circles away quickly and effectively.
Belanger throws a combination that misses
and Masahara makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Belanger circles away from the clinch attempt.
Masahara tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Belanger manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Masahara wants to clinch.
Masahara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Belanger paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Belanger misses.
Belanger fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Some wild striking there from Belanger.
The fight stays on the outside here - Masahara looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Belanger misses with a series of wild punches.
Belanger swats away the attempt to clinch by Masahara.
Belanger misses with a wild combination.

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.
A nice leg kick lands there from Masahara.
Masahara has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Masahara, right into the meat.
Masahara attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Belanger throws a nice looking combination but Masahara bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Masahara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Belanger paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kosuki Masahara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Masahara tries to clinch but Belanger moves out of range.
Masahara tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Belanger manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Masahara tries to clinch but Belanger is having none of it.
Masahara tries to clinch there but Belanger circles away.
Masahara darts in trying to clinch
and Belanger counters with a stiff right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Belanger showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Belanger 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Belanger!