PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fermin Trujillo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryuji Saka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Trujillo
vs
Saka

173 cm
18
148 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
196 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Fermin Trujillo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ryuji Saka!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saka throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Saka feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Saka's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Saka 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.
Trujillo is pulling down on Saka's head to control his posture.
Saka slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saka has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Trujillo is proving hard to escape from.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Trujillo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trujillo keeping moving, preventing Saka from controlling successfully.

Saka gets to his feet - Trujillo follows without any prompting.
Trujillo swats away the attempt to clinch by Saka.
Saka fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Trujillo swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

Saka fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Trujillo sprawls well initially but Saka persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Trujillo trying to control but Saka postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Trujillo is positioning himself well to prevent Saka advancing to mount.
Trujillo wants to control but Saka is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Trujillo is holding on to half guard well.

Saka decides to return to a standing position.
Trujillo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Saka closes the distance and clinches.
Saka drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Saka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Trujillo.

Saka has taken the fight to the clinch.
Saka fails to pull guard.
Fermin Trujillo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryuji Saka.
Trujillo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Trujillo fails to pull guard.
Trujillo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Saka slowing the pace effectively.
Trujillo tries to pull guard but Saka holds him up against the cage and eventually Trujillo drops back down to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Trujillo managing to block the knees to the body from Saka.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Saka's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Saka gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Saka is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Saka has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Trujillo uses from the top position.
Saka can't keep his opponent in guard - Trujillo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saka trying to hold on to Trujillo's head to control him but Trujillo postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryuji Saka dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Saka looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Saka prevents Trujillo from standing back up.
Trujillo controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Trujillo regains full guard. Nicely done.
Saka has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Trujillo wants to stand up but Saka is controlling him.
Saka must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Saka sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Saka trying to control the position from guard on top but Trujillo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Saka really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Trujillo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trujillo is trying to control the position but Saka postures up.

Trujillo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Saka can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Saka wants to stand but Trujillo is controlling his posture from full guard.
Saka trying to control but Trujillo is working from the bottom.
Trujillo tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Trujillo throws a leg kick

and Saka counters with a takedown into side control.

Saka decides to stand back up. Saka steps back and let's Trujillo get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Trujillo wants to clinch up but Saka keeps it at a distance.
Trujillo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Saka.

Trujillo tries to sprawl but Saka drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Saka scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Saka is looking for a kimura here.
Trujillo has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Saka is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saka is stalling here. Trujillo is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Saka seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Trujillo has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Trujillo has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Trujillo tries to clinch but Saka moves out of range.

Saka has closed the distance and engaged Trujillo in a clinch.
Saka pushes Trujillo back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Trujillo has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saka is trying to drag Trujillo to the mat but Trujillo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Saka has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Trujillo uses from the top position.
Saka will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Trujillo gets to his feet - Saka follows without any prompting.
Trujillo is looking to land body kicks.
Saka avoids the body shot from Trujillo.

Trujillo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Saka napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Saka bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
This has been an exciting period of action!

Saka scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryuji Saka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Saka decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Trujillo makes his way to full guard, as Saka worked for a kimura.
Trujillo trying to control the position.
Saka makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ryuji Saka has got the better of the ground game so far.

Trujillo pushes Saka off and gets back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Trujillo is looking to score with low kicks.
Saka throws a one two combo.

Saka closes the distance and clinches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Trujillo is trying to pull guard but Saka turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trujillo gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Saka.
Saka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Trujillo is trying to pull guard but Saka has him pressed against the cage.
Trujillo wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fermin Trujillo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saka stalling in the clinch.
Trujillo is trying to break the clinch but Saka has him pressed against the cage.

Saka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Trujillo fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Saka sprawls well initially but Trujillo persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Saka is looking to control Trujillo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Saka avoid being mounted?
Saka is not content to let Trujillo control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saka is looking to control Trujillo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Saka avoid being mounted?
Saka might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Trujillo haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Trujillo escapes and gets back to his feet.

Saka darts in and clinches Trujillo up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saka landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Saka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Trujillo gets tackled into the cage by Saka. Saka maintains the clinch.
Saka keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Trujillo's efforts to push away.
Trujillo is working for takedown but Saka is calmly controlling the position for now.
Saka manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Saka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Saka scores with a takedown into Trujillo's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saka content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Trujillo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Saka's guard.

Trujillo won't allow Saka to sweep him here.
Saka keeping full guard, as Trujillo tries to pass.
Saka is trying to keep Trujillo in close.

Saka looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryuji Saka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Saka 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Ryuji Saka!
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight for Ryuji Saka!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Ryuji Saka!

Ryuji Saka wins by unanimous decision!