PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rob Butti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tiko Sun (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tiko Sun has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Butti
vs
Sun

165 cm
24
141 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

150 cm
18
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rob Butti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tiko Sun!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Sosuke Kotani and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Butti or perhaps it was just good defense by Sun which made him look bad.
Butti shoots in looking for a takedown but Sun manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Butti's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Butti shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rob Butti. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sun fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Butti avoids it really well and circles away.
Sun throws a body kick that misses

and Butti moves into the clinch.
Butti lands a nice knee to the body.
Sun prevents a takedown attempt there.
Butti scores a nice knee to the body.
Sun stalling in the clinch but Butti improves position.
Butti lands a knee to the body.
Butti scores with a hook to the body.
Butti unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sun lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
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!
Butti is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Sun should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Sun tries a knee to the head but Butti blocks it.
Sun fails to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sun tries to pull guard but Butti holds him up against the cage and eventually Sun drops back down to his feet.

Butti is trying to trip Sun. He has hold of a leg but Sun is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Butti persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Sun working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Butti.
Butti is stalling in the full guard.
Butti throws a big elbow that misses.
Sun working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Butti throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sun works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butti tries to free his leg and advance position but Sun is retaining full guard.
Sun utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Butti is stalling in the full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Butti shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sun defends it nicely.

Butti has managed to clinch.
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!
Sun is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Butti jumps into guard, dragging Sun to the mat.
Butti is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sun is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sun trying to control but Butti is working from the bottom.
Butti 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.

Butti pushes Sun off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Rob Butti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Butti pushes Sun up against the cage in a clinch.

Butti manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Sun seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Butti has Sun pulled in close to control his posture.
Butti has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sun trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Butti keeping moving, preventing Sun from controlling successfully.
Butti wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Tiko Sun has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Butti shoots in but Sun avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sun tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Butti manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Butti dominated that 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.

Butti fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
No luck for Sun with that takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Butti.
Nice takedown defense from Butti. No joy for Sun on that attempt.
Butti fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rob Butti. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sun shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Butti as he avoids it easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Butti.
Butti looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sun is fending him off so far but Butti persists. Nope, Sun circles away and we're back to standing.
Rob Butti is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sun fails with a takedown attempt.
Butti shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sun but Sun pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sun scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Butti clinches with his opponent.
Butti wants a takedown but no success here.
Sun is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Butti pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Butti landing knees to the body.

Butti has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Sun uses from the top position.
Sun has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Butti is proving hard to escape from.
Sun pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Butti is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sun tries to stand but Butti is controlling from the bottom.
Butti pulls Sun in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sun is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Tiko Sun hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Sun wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sun on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Butti. Butti obviously looking to wear him down.
Butti shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Sun counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Butti pushes Sun off and gets back to his feet.
Sun dives in and grabs Butti's left leg, looking for a takedown. Butti pushes down on Sun's head and hops out.
Sun leaves Butti with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Sun wants to clinch.
Butti will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sun tries to clinch but Butti is having none of it.
Sun moves to clinch but Butti breaks away
and Butti counters with a stiff right hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sun throws a leg kick but Butti sees it coming and moves out of range.
Butti shoots in looking for a takedown. Sun tries to sprawl out of it but Butti keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sun manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sun tries to clinch but Butti moves out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sun is trying hard to land a takedown here. Butti sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Butti shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sun fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiko Sun showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Sun. No joy for Butti on that attempt.
Butti shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sun sprawls well. Sun wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Butti gets slowly back to his feet.
Butti is looking to clinch but Sun is avoiding it.
Butti shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sun as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rob Butti. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sun shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Butti as he jumps to the side.
Butti keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Butti shoots in for a double leg but Sun sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sun closes the distance looking to clinch

and Butti counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Butti.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sun tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Butti just stands there and leans against the cage.

Sun breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Butti shoots in but Sun avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Horrible takedown by Sun or perhaps it was just good defense by Butti which made him look bad.
Butti fails with a takedown attempt.
Butti shoots in for a takedown but Sun shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butti fails in his attempt to clinch.
Butti tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sun sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Butti somewhat.
Butti tries for a takedown but Sun circles away easily

and Sun moves into the clinch.

Sun breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sun throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Butti gets caught flat footed, as Sun shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sun preventing the sweep.
Sun sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sun won't allow Butti to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sun postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Butti is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Sun, into his guard.
Butti is stalling in the full guard.
Rob Butti overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Butti postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Butti is looking to clinch but Sun is avoiding it.
Sun fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sun stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sun wants it to stay on the feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sun working hard to break the clinch.

Butti drags the fight down to the ground.

Sun has gone for a leg lock! Butti slips out almost immediately though and dives into Sun's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Butti showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tiko Sun.
I think Sun 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight for Rob Butti!
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Rob Butti!
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for Rob Butti!

Rob Butti wins by unanimous decision!