PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Emerson Fitzpatrick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michel Pitiniot (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fitzpatrick
vs
Pitiniot

194 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

175 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Emerson Fitzpatrick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Michel Pitiniot!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pitiniot clinches.

Pitiniot pulls guard.
Pitiniot 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.
Fitzpatrick being controlled here momentarily.

Pitiniot looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Fitzpatrick has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Pitiniot uses the cage to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pitiniot drives through with a takedown into guard.
Pitiniot wants to stand but Fitzpatrick is controlling his posture from full guard.
Fitzpatrick will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pitiniot trying to control the position from guard on top but Fitzpatrick is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pitiniot stays in close to Fitzpatrick's body and controls the position.

Fitzpatrick is working an open guard so Pitiniot takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Fitzpatrick is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Fitzpatrick rushes Pitiniot and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Pitiniot manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Pitiniot controlling Fitzpatrick's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pitiniot looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pitiniot keeps trying to improve his position.
Fitzpatrick throws a big right hand that misses.
Fitzpatrick works over Pitiniot with some ground and pound from guard.

Pitiniot is looking for a triangle but Fitzpatrick pushes his legs off easily.
Pitiniot is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Pitiniot controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fitzpatrick moves into full guard.
Pitiniot throwing strikes from guard but Fitzpatrick blocks nicely.
Pitiniot missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pitiniot passes Fitzpatrick's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Fitzpatrick really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pitiniot wants to take a breather but Fitzpatrick is having none of it.
Pitiniot is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Fitzpatrick moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Fitzpatrick has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Pitiniot is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Fitzpatrick trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Fitzpatrick really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Pitiniot looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Fitzpatrick bucks Pitiniot off and manages to get back to his feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michel Pitiniot dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Pitiniot shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Fitzpatrick manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Pitiniot postures up.
Pitiniot tries to free his leg and advance position but Fitzpatrick is retaining full guard.
Pitiniot with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pitiniot looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Fitzpatrick controls Pitiniot momentarily but Pitiniot frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pitiniot not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Fitzpatrick is trying to keep Pitiniot in close.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Pitiniot manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Fitzpatrick on his heels. He'll look to pass Fitzpatrick's guard now, I'm sure.

Fitzpatrick kicks Pitiniot off and gets to his feet.

Pitiniot closes the distance and clinches.
Pitiniot lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Fitzpatrick prevents a body shot from Pitiniot.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pitiniot has hold of one of Fitzpatrick's legs. Fitzpatrick is fighting the takedown attempt but Pitiniot gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Michel Pitiniot has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fitzpatrick trying to control the position.
Fitzpatrick throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Pitiniot decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Fitzpatrick, up you get!

Pitiniot gets tackled into the cage by Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick maintains the clinch.

Pitiniot wants the takedown. Fitzpatrick is fighting it off but Pitiniot persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Fitzpatrick's guard against the cage.
Pitiniot is breathing heavily.
Fitzpatrick wants to sweep here but Pitiniot controlling him for the moment.
Fitzpatrick utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fitzpatrick isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Pitiniot stacks Fitzpatrick on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Pitiniot!

Pitiniot stands up.
Pitiniot has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Pitiniot bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Fitzpatrick is looking to regain half guard here but Pitiniot keeps moving and retains side control.
Pitiniot is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Fitzpatrick defending against the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitzpatrick avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Pitiniot.
Fitzpatrick tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pitiniot wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Pitiniot taking a breather here.
Pitiniot wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fitzpatrick keeps working.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Pitiniot decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Pitiniot has Fitzpatrick up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michel Pitiniot 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Pitiniot moves into the clinch successfully.

Pitiniot pulls guard.
Pitiniot is pulling down on Fitzpatrick's head to control his posture.

Pitiniot is looking for a triangle here but Fitzpatrick uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Fitzpatrick landing a few strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pitiniot is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pitiniot bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Fitzpatrick looks to clinch
and Pitiniot counters with a left and a right that stings Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick tries to close the distance and clinch but Pitiniot swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Pitiniot scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Fitzpatrick sneaks out the side door and pushes Pitiniot away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Pitiniot takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Fitzpatrick enables Pitiniot to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Fitzpatrick manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pitiniot loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Fitzpatrick looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pitiniot is one step ahead there.
Fitzpatrick is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Pitiniot is controlling him.
Fitzpatrick looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pitiniot is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pitiniot trying to control but Fitzpatrick is working from the bottom.
Fitzpatrick not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pitiniot stands up out of Fitzpatrick's guard for a moment - Fitzpatrick manages to land a nice upkick.

Pitiniot avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Fitzpatrick looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Pitiniot passes into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Well, if Pitiniot is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pitiniot changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Fitzpatrick looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fitzpatrick is letting Pitiniot control him for a moment.
Pitiniot misses with the ground and pound.
Fitzpatrick struggling a bit here.

Pitiniot is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Fitzpatrick knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pitiniot has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Pitiniot tries to clinch up.
Fitzpatrick doesn't manage to clinch there - Pitiniot circles away.
Pitiniot tries to counter by closing the distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fitzpatrick looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Emerson Fitzpatrick is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Pitiniot looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michel Pitiniot comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Pitiniot has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michel Pitiniot!