PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hiro Samagushi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafal Baginski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Samagushi comes to the cage accompanied by Metallica- Seek and Destroy. Baginski has chosen Dj Khaled - Win as his entrance music. Rafal Baginski will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Samagushi
vs
Baginski

184 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
18
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiro Samagushi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rafal Baginski!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Baginski tries to sprawl but Samagushi drives through with a takedown into half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Samagushi works his way into full mount!
Samagushi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A nice elbow there by Samagushi.
A nice elbow there by Samagushi.
Samagushi controlling from mount.
Baginski tries to hold on but Samagushi postures up.
Samagushi lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baginski tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Samagushi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The referee warns Baginski that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Baginski is trying desperately to improve position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samagushi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Samagushi connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Baginski wants to try and get back to his feet.
Samagushi controlling the position easily from mount.
Baginski is in all sorts of trouble here.
Samagushi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Baginski tries to lock up and control but Samagushi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samagushi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Baginski working to try and regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Samagushi controlling from the full mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Baginski wants to hold on but Samagushi pushes him away.
Baginski is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samagushi controlling his opponent.
Baginski is wriggling around trying to escape.
Samagushi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Baginski wants to try and get back to his feet.
Baginski looks gassed!
Samagushi avoids the attempt from Baginski to control.
Samagushi lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Samagushi controlling the pace for now.
Samagushi has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baginski bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Baginski trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Samagushi looking for a sweep. Not yet Samagushi, not yet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Samagushi wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Baginski wants to pass the guard but Samagushi is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiro Samagushi dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

No joy there for Samagushi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hiro Samagushi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Samagushi drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Baginski is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Samagushi controls the position.

Samagushi is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Baginski knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Baginski struggling a bit here.
Samagushi in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Samagushi trying to control the action but Baginski is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baginski gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Baginski tries to hold on but Samagushi pushes him away.
Baginski might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Samagushi kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Samagushi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Baginski is looking to improve his position but Samagushi isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baginski is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Samagushi trying to control but Baginski is having none of it.
Baginski manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Baginski manages to get to full guard.
Baginski wants to sweep here but Samagushi controlling him for the moment.
Baginski is breathing heavily.
Samagushi is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Baginski looking for a sweep. Not yet Baginski, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samagushi's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Baginski is controlling Samagushi's posture.

We're going to have a standup here because Hiro Samagushi wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Samagushi shoots in and bounces Baginski off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Samagushi trying to control but Baginski is working from the bottom.

Baginski throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Baginski trying to keep a closed guard but Samagushi is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baginski 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.
Samagushi postures up.
Samagushi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Baginski is keeping the position for now.
Samagushi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Samagushi looking to pass the guard.
Samagushi engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
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.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Samagushi lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Samagushi stuffs the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiro Samagushi dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Baginski gets caught napping as Samagushi dives in and scores a takedown. Baginski manages to retain guard.
Samagushi postures up.
Samagushi might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Baginski is looking for a triangle but Samagushi pushes his legs off easily.
Samagushi is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Baginski wants to sweep here but Samagushi controlling him for the moment.
Baginski pulls Samagushi in to control the position.
Baginski working a defensive guard here.
Samagushi is stalling in the full guard.
Baginski takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Samagushi is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Baginski's half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baginski wants to control but Samagushi is keeping busy.
Samagushi performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Samagushi prevents Baginski from improving his position.
Baginski wants to get back to full guard but Samagushi has passed into side control.
Baginski is looking to reverse the position.
Samagushi controlling the position from side mount.
Baginski is trying to control Samagushi's posture but Samagushi avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samagushi remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Hiro Samagushi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Samagushi throws a one two combo.
Samagushi throws a right hand that Baginski ducks under and follows up with a left that Baginski also avoids with ease.

Samagushi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Baginski sprawls well initially but Samagushi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baginski is trying to maintain the position but Samagushi is very close to passing his half guard.
Samagushi stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baginski is trying to control but can't.
Samagushi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Baginski is trying to control but can't.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Rafal Baginski wasn't active enough on the ground.

Samagushi dives in and scores a takedown into Baginski's guard.
Baginski controls Samagushi momentarily but Samagushi frees himself.
Samagushi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Baginski keeping full guard, as Samagushi tries to pass.

Baginski is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Baginski controls Samagushi momentarily but Samagushi frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baginski can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Samagushi controls the pace.
Hiro Samagushi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Baginski tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Samagushi postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Samagushi lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Rafal Baginski has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Samagushi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Baginski wants to get back to full guard.
Baginski lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hiro Samagushi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Samagushi 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hiro Samagushi!
A very excited looking Hiro Samagushi made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.