PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kulapu Saga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Bang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bang comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Last Of A Dying Breed kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Saga
vs
Bang

190 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

185 cm
22
203 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kulapu Saga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryan Bang!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saga misses with a takedown attempt - Bang sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bang fails in his attempt to clinch.
Saga takes a swing at Bang's ribcage but misses.

Bang clinches with his opponent.
Bang is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Saga gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Bang jumps guard.

Bang wriggles free and stands up.
Bang keeps the fight on the outside.
Bang throws a solid leg kick but Saga takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Bang.
Bang takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Saga with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Saga fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bang, pushing him back against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bang keeps control of Saga as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Bang escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bang stuffs the takedown.
Saga shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bang pinned against the cage. Bang gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kulapu Saga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saga fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saga wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Bang tries to move into range but Saga moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A nice leg kick lands there from Saga.
No luck for Saga with that takedown attempt.
Bang tries to close the distance and clinch up but Saga swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Horrible takedown by Bang or perhaps it was just good defense by Saga which made him look bad.
Saga misses with a leg kick
and Bang counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Saga is looking to clinch.
Bang swings for the body but Saga moves out of range.
Bang shoots in looking for a takedown but Saga manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bang's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bang looks gassed!
Saga sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Saga shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bang sprawls well. Bang wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Saga gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saga with a hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A clash of legs there as Saga blocks the low kick.
Saga doesn't manage to clinch there - Bang circles away.
Saga misses with a leg kick.
Saga scores with a one two! Bang had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Saga lands a jab-cross combination.
Saga shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bang as he avoids it easily.
Bang throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Saga.
Bang lands a front kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Saga.

Bang gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Bang breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saga looks to land a combination but Bang avoids it well.
Saga misses with a jab, cross combination.
No luck for Bang with that takedown attempt.
Bang lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Saga gets a clinch.

Bang pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Saga ducks under a wild hook from Bang.
Saga works Bang's body with a nice hook.
Saga fails with a takedown attempt.
Saga shoots in for a takedown but Bang shows good takedown defense.
Bang connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saga misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bang.

Bang rushes Saga and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Saga working hard to break the clinch.

Bang successfully pulls guard.
Bang is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bang missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bang lands a nice short elbow.
Bang blocks the strikes from Saga.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bang sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Saga defending well though.
Bang scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
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 Kulapu Saga will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bang shoots in looking for a takedown but Saga manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bang's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bang moves out of range of the body kick from Saga.
Bang tries to clinch there but Saga circles away.
Bang throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bang tries to clinch up but Saga circles away and keeps his distance.
Bang fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Saga tries for a takedown but Bang sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bang walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Saga checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

Saga moves into the clinch successfully.
Bang avoiding damage as Saga throws knees to the body.
Bang is stalling here.
Bang is breathing heavily.
Saga has had enough of the clinch but Bang keeps him there for the moment.
Saga misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Bang.

Bang breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Bang closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Saga did well to prevent Bang getting side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Bang thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Saga on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Saga tries to get out of the position.
Saga wants to control but Bang is keeping busy.
Bang tries to pass to full mount but Saga defends it.
Saga tries to get to full guard but Bang has control of the leg.
Saga has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bang is working away from the top position though.

Bang postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Saga to stand up.
Saga fails with an attempt to clinch.
Saga tries to clinch but Bang is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saga staying out of range there.
Bang rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Saga moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kulapu Saga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bang will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kulapu Saga has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Bang.
Saga is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Saga doesn't manage to clinch there - Bang circles away.
Bang doesn't manage to clinch there - Saga circles away.
Saga is looking to wear down Bang with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Saga shoots in looking for a takedown but Bang manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Saga's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bang tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Saga swivels and escapes.
Saga shoots for a takedown but Bang saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Saga connects with a body shot.
Saga ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saga stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Saga wants it to stay on the feet.

Saga drives through and clinches with Bang against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saga wants to break the clinch but can't.
Bang managing to block the knees to the body from Saga.

Bang breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bang moves forwards but Saga connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Bang takes a swing at Saga's ribcage but misses.
Saga is looking to clinch but Bang is avoiding it.

Bang pushes Saga up against the cage in a clinch.
Saga controlling the action here for a moment.
Bang has Saga pressed against the cage, preventing Saga from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Saga is trying to force a seperation but Bang has the dominant position.
Saga looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bang tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Saga's elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bang working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Bang fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Saga misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Bang.
Bang managing to block the knees to the body from Saga.
Bang blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Bang escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bang stuffs the takedown attempt from Saga. Saga gets slowly back to his feet.
Bang closes the distance and clinches up with Saga, looking for a takedown. Bang pushes Saga against the cage but Saga circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Bang circles away from the clinch attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bang tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Saga throws a head kick that misses.
Saga circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ryan Bang will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Bang tries to close the distance and clinch but Saga swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Saga is looking to clinch but Bang is avoiding it.
Bang throws a big shot that misses.
Bang is looking to clinch but Saga is avoiding it.
A jab from Bang does it's job there.
Bang wants to clinch.

Saga closes the distance and pushes Bang back into the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Bang takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Saga tries to break free but Bang pushes him back against the cage.

Bang has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Saga uses from the top position.
Bang wants to sweep but no luck.
Bang takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bang is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saga tries to stand but Bang is controlling from the bottom.
Bang lands a decent punch to the body there.
Saga has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Saga stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bang swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bang is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Saga would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Sagais looking to pass into half guard but Bang pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Bang is in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bang trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Saga looking for subs off his back but Bang has passed one foot through into half guard.
Bang lands with a punch from half guard.
Bang prevents Saga from improving his position.
Ground and pound from Bang.
Bang seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Saga does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bang seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Saga is looking to improve his position.
Bang thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Saga's head.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Bang connects with a nice short shot to Saga's temple.
Bang wants to control but Saga is keeping him busy.
Ryan Bang has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bang throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Bang thows a huge punch but Saga dodges it nicely.
Bang is trying to control the action in half guard but Saga is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Bang throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bang looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Bang lands with a punch from half guard.
Bang lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Saga tries to get to full guard but Bang has control of the leg.
Bang thows a huge punch but Saga dodges it nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bang winds up and cracks Saga with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bang is nestled in close to Saga, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Bang is nestled in close to Saga, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan Bang comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bang has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Kulapu Saga!