PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aruki Masura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sancho Pancha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sancho Pancha told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Masura
vs
Pancha

181 cm
23
187 lbs
9 - 10 - 0

182 cm
24
176 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aruki Masura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sancho Pancha!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Masura blocks a head kick by Pancha.
Sancho Pancha seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Masura doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Pancha counters with a shoot takedown. Masura fights it but they end up in guard.
Pancha loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Masura 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.
Masura working a defensive guard here.
Pancha scoring with punches to the head and body.
Masura wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Masura trying to keep a closed guard but Pancha is proving a slippery customer.
Pancha throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Pancha has gone for a leg lock! Masura slips out almost immediately though and dives into Pancha's guard.

Pancha is looking for a triangle but Masura pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pancha keeping full guard, as Masura tries to pass.
Pancha looking to hit a scissor sweep but Masura is one step ahead there.
Masura wants to pass the guard but Pancha is keeping the position.
Pancha wants to sweep but no luck.

Masura is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Masura stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pancha swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pancha wants to stand but Masura is controlling the position.

That's two 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.

Pancha looking for a guillotine here but Masura defends easily.
Masura pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pancha is keeping the position for now.
Masura trying to control but Pancha is working from the bottom.
Masura preventing the sweep.

Masura drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Masura jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Masura looking to pass the guard.
Pancha is trying to control the position but Masura postures up.

Pancha looking for a guillotine here but Masura defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masura pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pancha is keeping the position for now.
Pancha looking to control.

Pancha looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Masura slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Pancha looks gassed!
Masura wants to control but Pancha is keeping him busy.

Masura tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Masura has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Masura is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Pancha is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Pancha struggling a bit here.

Masura working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Pancha struggling a bit here.
Pancha is trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sancho Pancha dominated that round.
That's time! Masura's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Masura thows a body kick. Pancha tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Pancha throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Masura counters with a slapping leg kick.
Pancha takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Masura keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pancha stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pancha wants it to stay on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masura misses with a wild body shot.
Masura fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pancha misses with a combination

and Masura decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Pancha's guard.
Pancha bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Masura's guard.
Masura looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pancha is one step ahead there.
Masura lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pancha!

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

Masura looking for subs off his back but Pancha has passed one foot through into half guard.
Sancho Pancha has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masura is looking for a sweep. Pancha is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Pancha is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Masura sees it coming and defends easily.
Masura tries to roll over but Pancha keeps him under control.
Pancha wants to free his trapped foot but Masura is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Pancha missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pancha thows a huge punch but Masura dodges it nicely.

Pancha is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Masura doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Pancha.
Masura regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masura manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Masura takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Masura working for a submission but Pancha is keeping him at bay.
Masura can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pancha is looking to escape.
Pancha regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masura tries to pass the half guard into mount. Pancha knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Pancha is trying to maintain the position but Masura is very close to passing his half guard.

Masura is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Pancha sees it coming and defends easily.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Masura lands a nice short elbow.
Masura prevents Pancha from improving his position.
Pancha trying to control but Masura postures up.

Pancha looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Masura is pressing down on Pancha's thigh, looking to free his foot. Pancha is holding on for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aruki Masura dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Masura throws a poor cross that misses
and Pancha counters with a two punch combo.
Masura tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Pancha misses with a double jab
and Masura counters with a nice uppercut.
Pancha throws a jab but it's blocked by Masura.
A leg kick checked by Pancha.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pancha avoids the head kick by Masura.
Pancha throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pancha fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A low kick from Pancha misses

and Masura counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Masura stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pancha swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pancha not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Pancha escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Masura gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pancha takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Masura drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Masura jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Masura pushing down on Pancha's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Pancha is looking for a sweep. Masura is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Masura uses his free foot to push down on Pancha's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Pancha.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masura looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Masura tries to control but Pancha wriggling away.
Pancha wants to control but Masura is having none of it.

Masura has hold of Pancha's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Pancha manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Masura moves to take his opponent's back.
Pancha breaks Masura's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Pancha drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Masura dives on top into guard.

Masura drops back looking for a leg! Pancha is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Pancha manages to kick Masura off! Masura jumps back into Pancha's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pancha trying to control the position.

Pancha working for a triangle but Masura defends it easily.
Masura trying to control the position from guard on top but Pancha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Masura is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Masura trying to control the position from guard on top but Pancha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Pancha can't keep his opponent in guard - Masura advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Pancha is looking to improve his position.
Masura trying to pass the guard but Pancha defending well.
Pancha is trying to stand.
Masura content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Pancha looks like he's trying to stand up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aruki Masura showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Masura 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight for Aruki Masura!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Aruki Masura!
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Aruki Masura!

Aruki Masura wins by unanimous decision!