PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Apollo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Saku Thirtynine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thirtynine is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Speed 2 Remix by Tetsuya Komura . Saku Thirtynine has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Apollo
vs
Thirtynine

169 cm
30
165 lbs
22 - 16 - 1

178 cm
36
169 lbs
18 - 19 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 22 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Ryan Apollo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 19 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Saku Thirtynine!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Ren Mimura and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thirtynine on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

Apollo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Apollo prevents the takedown attempt.
Thirtynine changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Apollo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Apollo.
Apollo dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Thirtynine. That did some damage!

Thirtynine changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Apollo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Apollo struggling a bit here.

Thirtynine tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Thirtynine has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Apollo sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Apollo is concentrating on defense, preventing Thirtynine from advancing position.
Apollo tries to get to full guard but Thirtynine has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apollo makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Apollo.
Apollo looking to control.
Thirtynine won't allow Apollo to sweep him here.
Thirtynine is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Apollo is pulling down on Thirtynine's head. It's preventing any offense from Thirtynine, at least for the moment.
Apollo trying to control the position.
Thirtynine's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Ryan Apollo has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Apollo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Thirtynine.
Ryan Apollo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saku Thirtynine.
Apollo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Apollo doesn't manage to clinch there - Thirtynine circles away.
Thirtynine misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thirtynine misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Thirtynine looks to land a right hand but Apollo moved out of range.
Thirtynine takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Apollo slaps away a takedown attempt from Thirtynine, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Thirtynine tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Thirtynine looks winded!
Apollo connects with a body shot that sends Thirtynine's belly button to the back.
Thirtynine chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Apollo can pounce on him.
Thirtynine steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Apollo. That one must have hurt.
Apollo lands a nice shot to the body.
Apollo misses with a head kick.
Apollo jabs Thirtynine to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Apollo shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Thirtynine is trying to defend but Apollo finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Apollo is trying to control. Thirtynine wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Apollo moves nicely into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thirtynine is trying to get back to half guard.
Apollo controls the position from side control.
You can see the frustration on Thirtynine's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Apollo trying to control the action but Thirtynine is working from the bottom.
Apollo works to advance to full mount. Thirtynine defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Apollo lands a big shot there that rocks Thirtynine but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Thirtynine is looking to improve his position but Apollo isn't that keen on the idea.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Apollo stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Thirtynine swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Apollo counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Apollo moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Apollo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A looping hook to the body misses from Apollo. Thirtynine does a little dance to reset his feet.

Apollo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Thirtynine looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Apollo controls the position from side control.

Apollo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Apollo wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Thirtynine, who protects the arm well.
Apollo has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Thirtynine tries to hold on but Apollo postures up.

Apollo working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Thirtynine looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Apollo! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 6:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Ryan Apollo!
Our winner, Ryan Apollo, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.