PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Zoe Bogem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryo Sakazaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bogem
vs
Sakazaki

181 cm
18
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Zoe Bogem!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryo Sakazaki!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bogem falls off balance throwing a combination

and Sakazaki counters by clinching up.
A shot in the inside from Sakazaki.
Bogem drops down looking for an ankle pick but Sakazaki pulls his leg out and moves away.
Sakazaki ducks right into an uppercut from Bogem.
Sakazaki stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sakazaki wants it to stay on the feet.
Bogem finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

Sakazaki has closed the distance and engaged Bogem in a clinch.
Sakazaki scores with an uppercut up the middle.

It looks like Zoe Bogem has been cut.
Sakazaki prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zoe Bogem. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakazaki lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Bogem backwards.
Bogem has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sakazaki is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Sakazaki jumps guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Sakazaki pushes Bogem off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bogem lands an overhand right.
Bogem misses with a lunging right hand

and Sakazaki counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sakazaki.
Bogem avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Bogem is trying to keep Sakazaki in close.
Sakazaki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakazaki throws a strike but Bogem rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakazaki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sakazaki wants to stand but Bogem is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bogem wants to control from the top but Sakazaki keeps moving.
Sakazaki utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakazaki wants to stand and escape but Bogem is having none of it.
Bogem throws a strike but Sakazaki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sakazaki loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Bogem not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Bogem avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sakazaki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sakazaki is looking to work some ground and pound but Bogem has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakazaki distracts Bogem with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sakazaki preventing the sweep.
Sakazaki has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Bogem is proving hard to escape from.
Bogem trying to keep a closed guard but Sakazaki is proving a slippery customer.
Sakazaki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Bogem scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Bogem cracks a nice hook into Sakazaki's ribs.
Bogem throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sakazaki wants to clinch up but Bogem keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakazaki tries to clinch there but Bogem circles away.
Sakazaki throws a right hand that Bogem ducks under and follows up with a left that Bogem also avoids with ease.
Sakazaki takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Sakazaki doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Bogem swats away the attempt to clinch by Sakazaki.
Bogem ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sakazaki looks winded!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sakazaki throws a one two combo.
Bogem throws a right hand that Sakazaki ducks under and follows up with a left that Sakazaki also avoids with ease.
Bogem scores with a jab. Sakazaki acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bogem comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Zoe Bogem seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A decent looking cross lands there for Bogem.
Bogem cracks a nice hook into Sakazaki's ribs.
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 Zoe Bogem will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Zoe Bogem's cut.
That's time! Bogem's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bogem connects with a right hand. Sakazaki shakes it off.
Zoe Bogem is winning the standup battle so far.
Sakazaki takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Bogem swats away the attempt to clinch by Sakazaki.

Bogem closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bogem lands in his opponent's guard.
Sakazaki wants to stand up but Bogem is controlling him.
Bogem throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sakazaki works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sakazaki working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bogem.
Sakazaki keeping full guard, as Bogem tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bogem throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sakazaki works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Bogem in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bogem accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bogem stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sakazaki swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bogem throws a big right hand that misses.
Bogem throwing strikes from guard but Sakazaki blocks nicely.
Sakazaki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Bogem postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Sakazaki is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Sakazaki is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Sakazaki.
Bogem has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sakazaki swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Bogem.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sakazaki.
Bogem is working Sakazaki over against the cage.
Bogem looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Sakazaki pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bogem lands a body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bogem misses with a takedown attempt - Sakazaki sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bogem lands a right hook to the body.
Sakazaki takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Sakazaki looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bogem has a takedown stuffed.
Decent striking displayed by Bogem there.
Bogem shoots in but Sakazaki avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zoe Bogem. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice sprawl there from Sakazaki as Bogem shoots in.
Nice jab there from Bogem.
Bogem is looking to land body kicks.
Sakazaki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bogem scores with a body shot.
Bogem lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bogem closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sakazaki quickly recovers to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Bogem looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Sakazaki wants to get back to his feet.
Bogem throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bogem throws a strike but Sakazaki avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Bogem connects with a couple of short punches.
Sakazaki keeping moving, preventing Bogem from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zoe Bogem dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Zoe Bogem's cut.
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!

A jab-cross combination lands for Bogem and sends Sakazaki crashing to the mat! Bogem follows him down to the mat - Sakazaki regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

Sakazaki is rocked!

It looks like Ryo Sakazaki has been cut.
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!

Bogem is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Sakazaki doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bogem.
Sakazaki is still in real trouble! Can Bogem finish him?
Bogem thows a huge punch but Sakazaki dodges it nicely.

Sakazaki pushes Bogem off and gets back to his feet.
Sakazaki seems to have recovered his senses.
Bogem ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Bogem swats away the attempt to clinch by Sakazaki.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Bogem.
Bogem works Sakazaki's body with a nice hook.
Ryo Sakazaki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sakazaki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bogem buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Sakazaki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bogem looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Bogem cracks a nice hook into Sakazaki's ribs.
Bogem with a jab.
Bogem misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sakazaki has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Bogem with a nice cross.
Sakazaki shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Bogem scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sakazaki doesn't seem bothered though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bogem scores with a hook to the body. Sakazaki takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Bogem fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sakazaki avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zoe Bogem. That's going to take a lot out of him.
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!
Bogem closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sakazaki circles away.
A left lands for Bogem.
Bogem misses with a takedown attempt - Sakazaki sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bogem catches Sakazaki with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Sakazaki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bogem looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sakazaki is fending him off so far but Bogem persists. Nope, Sakazaki circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakazaki clinches.
Sakazaki lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bogem's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Sakazaki lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sakazaki lands a hook that snaps the head of Bogem backwards.
Bogem lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sakazaki backwards.
Bogem tries to pull guard but Sakazaki won't allow it.
Bogem is trying to stall.
Zoe Bogem is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bogem lands with a right to the head.

Sakazaki ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Sakazaki no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Bogem passes into half guard.
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!
Sakazaki keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bogem maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Sakazaki could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Bogem has cracked it and Sakazaki is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Bogem!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Zoe Bogem!
A victorious Zoe Bogem thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.