PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sai Fukuta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hwang Yang Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Fukuta
vs
Yang Lee

175 cm
18
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

177 cm
26
156 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sai Fukuta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hwang Yang Lee!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Ren Mimura and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lee throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Sai Fukuta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fukuta blocks a head kick by Lee.
Fukuta shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lee sprawls well. Lee wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Fukuta gets slowly back to his feet.
Fukuta shoots in and drives through. Lee sprawls well.
Fukuta shoots and misses
and Lee counters with an inside leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sai Fukuta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lee tries to land a front kick but Fukuta steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Lee throws a head kick but Fukuta moves out of range.

Fukuta feints and as Lee raises his hands in defense, Fukuta changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Fukuta pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lee is keeping the position for now.

Lee pushes Fukuta off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Fukuta takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fukuta looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lee is fending him off so far but Fukuta persists. Nope, Lee circles away and we're back to standing.
A punch combination from Lee misses.
Fukuta changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lee tries to avoid it but Fukuta manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lee to the ground. Lee escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Fukuta shoots in looking for a takedown but Lee manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Fukuta's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Hwang Yang Lee is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fukuta blocks a head kick by Lee.
Lee looks gassed!
A punch combination from Lee misses.
Nice sprawl there from Lee as Fukuta shoots in.
Fukuta closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lee circles away.
Lee throws a head kick that misses.
Fukuta avoids the head kick by Lee.
Lee feints and then cracks Fukuta's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Fukuta down.
Lee throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fukuta with a poor takedown
and Lee counters with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee scores with a nice body kick.
Fukuta dives in and grabs Lee's left leg, looking for a takedown. Lee pushes down on Fukuta's head and hops out.
Fukuta takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Lee avoids the head kick by Fukuta.
Lee tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Fukuta is defended easily by Lee.
Lee misses with a head kick.
No luck for Fukuta with that takedown attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fukuta misses with a takedown
and Lee counters with a two punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee throws a head kick but Fukuta moves out of range.
Fukuta misses with a takedown attempt - Lee sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Lee throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Lee scores with a head kick. Fukuta tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Lee moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Lee fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
No luck for Fukuta with that takedown attempt.
Fukuta looks for a takedown but Lee sprawls well.
Lee scores with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fukuta blocks a head kick by Lee.
Lee keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Fukuta shoots in and drives through. Lee sprawls well.
Fukuta takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Lee lands with a kick to the temple. Fukuta shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Lee stuffs the takedown.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lee lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Nice takedown defense from Lee. No joy for Fukuta on that attempt.
Lee scores with a head kick. Fukuta tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hwang Yang Lee dominated that round.
That's time! Fukuta's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Lee misses with a low kick.
Fukuta shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lee but Lee pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Lee turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Lee connects with a leg kick. Fukuta looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Fukuta fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Lee throws a combination that misses

and Fukuta counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Lee!
Fukuta has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Lee's face.
Lee is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Fukuta trying to control but Lee is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fukuta pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Fukuta takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Fukuta looking to control but Lee is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Fukuta controlling the pace for now.
Fukuta is stalling here but it's allowed Lee to get half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Lee wants to get back to his feet.

Sai Fukuta has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Lee throws a right and a left that Fukuta avoids nicely.
Lee throws a head kick but Fukuta moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Lee. No joy for Fukuta on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sai Fukuta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fukuta avoids the head kick by Lee.
Lee throws a head kick but Fukuta moves out of range.
Lee displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Fukuta.
Fukuta shoots for a takedown but Lee saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fukuta looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lee is fending him off so far but Fukuta persists. Nope, Lee circles away and we're back to standing.
Lee goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Fukuta misses with a takedown attempt - Lee sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Fukuta doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Lee counters with a three punch combo that has Fukuta backing up. Fukuta nods at Lee to acknowledge the strikes.
A head kick misses from Lee.
Fukuta fails with the takedown
and Lee makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Fukuta really felt that one!
Lee moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Fukuta shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lee pinned against the cage. Lee gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Lee looks to land a combination but Fukuta avoids it well.
Fukuta is looking to clinch but Lee is avoiding it.
Lee slaps away a takedown attempt from Fukuta, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Lee.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lee slaps away a takedown attempt from Fukuta, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Lee goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sai Fukuta dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Fukuta shoots in for a takedown but Lee shows good takedown defense.
Lee throws a lazy body kick

and Fukuta counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Fukuta not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Lee has hold of Fukuta's hands but Fukuta slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Lee is not content to let Fukuta control the position.
Fukuta uses his free foot to push down on Lee's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Lee.
Fukuta tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fukuta throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You get the feeling that Lee really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Fukuta fails to take his opponent's back.
Lee trying desperately to get to his feet.

Fukuta is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Lee has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Fukuta looking to ground and pound but Lee is blocking nicely.
Lee's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Fukuta trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fukuta is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Sai Fukuta is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fukuta throws a head kick but Lee moves out of range.
Hwang Yang Lee seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fukuta tries for a takedown but Lee sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Fukuta tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lee swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sai Fukuta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lee scores with a head kick.
Lee pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fukuta closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lee circles away.
Fukuta closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lee circles away.
Lee lands a leg kick that knocks Fukuta off balance momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Lee tenderised Fukuta's leg. Fukuta is trying to keep his angry face on.
Fukuta is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Lee blocks a head kick by Fukuta.
Lee throws a nice head kick!
Lee stuffs the takedown attempt from Fukuta. Fukuta gets slowly back to his feet.
Nice sprawl there from Lee as Fukuta shoots in.
Lee misses with the combination.
Lee tries a head kick but it misses.
Lee stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lee wants it to stay on the feet.
Fukuta chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Lee can pounce on him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Fukuta scores with a takedown into Lee's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fukuta prevents Lee from getting back to his feet.
Fukuta wants to control from the top but Lee keeps moving.
Fukuta is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Lee kicks Fukuta off and gets to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lee throws a sloppy head kick

so Fukuta counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fukuta trying to control the position from guard on top but Lee is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sai Fukuta showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Fukuta has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sai Fukuta!
Sai Fukuta seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.