PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shinsuke Fujita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Malone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Fujita
vs
Malone

190 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

190 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Shinsuke Fujita!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sam Malone!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Malone fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Fujita, pushing him back against the cage.
Fujita tries to score a body lock takedown but Malone shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A short right from Malone.

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

Malone pushes Fujita up against the cage in a clinch.

Malone breaks from the clinch.
Malone throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Fujita stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Malone fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Fujita gets caught napping as Malone dives in and scores a takedown. Fujita manages to retain guard.
Fujita looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Malone puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Malone working Fujita over with strikes.
Fujita wants to get back to his feet.
Fujita is looking for a sweep. Malone is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Malone takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Fujita wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone stalling.
Malone missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Malone winds up and cracks Fujita with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Malone working over Fujita with some ground and pound. Fujita looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Malone controlling the action here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fujita pushes Malone off but Malone dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fujita is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The referee asks Malone politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Malone prefers to stall for the moment though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fujita is trying to get back to half guard.

Malone has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Fujita closes the distance but Malone moves to the side
and Malone counters with a two punch combo.
Sam Malone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fujita is looking to clinch but Malone is avoiding it.
Malone tries to counter with a clinch but Fujita shakes him off and moves away.

Malone closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Fujita quickly recovers to half guard.

Malone decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fujita gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Malone counters with a stiff right hand.
Fujita is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Malone closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Malone looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Fujita with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Malone seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Fujita wants to get back to full guard but Malone has passed into side control.
Malone controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Malone has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Malone advances to full mount.
Malone with the ground and pound from mount.
Malone cracks Fujita with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Malone punishing his opponent with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Malone dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Malone stuffs the takedown.
Shinsuke Fujita is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fujita tries to clinch
and Malone cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Fujita is looking to clinch.
Fujita tries to clinch up but Malone circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fujita looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Malone has closed the distance and engaged Fujita in a clinch.
Fujita jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Malone walks away with a smile on his face. Fujita gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Fujita dives in for a single leg takedown but Malone sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shinsuke Fujita. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fujita doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Malone instigates a clinch.
Malone stops a takedown attempt from Fujita.
Fujita goes for a takedown attempt but Malone pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Malone shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Malone showed some decent athleticism there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone lands with a punch from half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Malone in particular looking to stall.
Fujita on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's two 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.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Malone winds up and cracks Fujita with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Malone content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Fujita is in trouble now - Malone has advanced to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone controlling from mount.
Malone has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Death Valley Training Facility. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Malone lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Malone landing strikes, looking to finish!

Malone looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Malone goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Fujita is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malone manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Fujita manages to get himself to full guard.

Fujita preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Malone is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Malone gets to his feet - Fujita follows without any prompting.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Malone lands a two punch combo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fujita takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Fujita on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Malone showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Fujita drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Malone gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Come on Malone - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Malone has Fujita pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Malone pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Fujita tumbling to the mat - Malone dives into Fujita's guard.
Fujita can't keep his opponent in guard - Malone advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Malone controlling the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malone lands with a punch from half guard.
Malone slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fujita wants to get back to full guard but Malone has passed into side control.
Malone is staying tight to Fujita's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Malone passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Fujita!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Malone controlling from the full mount.
Malone is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Malone lands with some strikes.
Malone landing strikes from the mount.
The referee warns Fujita that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Sam Malone has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Malone controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Malone.
Malone landing punches.

That's four 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.
Fujita is in a horrible position here. Malone smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Malone looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Sam Malone is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Malone lands a big elbow.
Malone controlling from mount.
Malone landing punches.

Malone is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Fujita is surviving well by controlling Malone's body position as best he can.
Malone blocks Fujita's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Malone breaks from Fujita's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Shinsuke Fujita has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Malone controlling from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sam Malone comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Malone 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 26:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sam Malone!
An out of breath Sam Malone thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.