PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Troy Savano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tatsuya Suuou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Savano
vs
Suuou

174 cm
25
143 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

167 cm
25
140 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite 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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Troy Savano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tatsuya Suuou!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Sandra Marshall and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Savano wants to clinch up but Suuou keeps it at a distance.
Suuou looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Nice body kick from Savano.

Savano moves into the clinch successfully.
Savano drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Savano is trying to break free.
Savano wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Suuou has him pressed against the cage.
Savano is trying to pull guard but Suuou turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Savano has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Suuou avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Troy Savano. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Savano goes for a takedown in the clinch but Suuou prevents it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Savano ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Savano no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Suuou slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suuou lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Savano being controlled here, momentarily.
Savano looking to control.
Suuou pushing down on Savano's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Savano trying to control but Suuou postures up.
Suuou is controlling the pace.
Savano trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Savano is looking to improve his position.
Suuou seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Still in half guard, Suuou seems content to control.
Savano is trying to get back to full guard.
Savano slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Suuou is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Suuou makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Suuou's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Suuou is working Savano over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Savano looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Suuou is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Suuou won't allow Savano to sweep him here.
Suuou is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Savano escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Suuou gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Suuou is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Savano looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Suuou postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Suuou has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Savano looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Suuou slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Savano tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Savano is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tatsuya Suuou dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Suuou has taken the fight to the clinch.
Savano tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Suuou has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Suuou gets underhooks to prevent Savano's takedown attempt.

Savano breaks the clinch.

Savano shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Savano is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Savano is looking to advance position but Suuou won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Suuou has his hands clasped together around Savano's back. He's all about the action.
Suuou tries to get to full guard but Savano has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Savano seems to be working for a kimura but Suuou defends the submission attempt.
Savano scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Suuou controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Suuou is trying to stand.
Suuou is doing well to control the position and prevent Savano from advancing to side control.
Savano trying to control from Suuou's half guard. Suuou has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Suuou holds on and takes a little breather.

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.
Savano wants to control from the top but Suuou keeps moving.
Suuou is controlling Savano's posture.
Savano wants to stand but Suuou is controlling his posture from full guard.
Savano has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Savano wants to control from the top but Suuou keeps moving.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Suuou lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Tatsuya Suuou has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suuou winds up and cracks Savano with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Suuou lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Savano is trying to stand.
Savano is trying to maintain the position but Suuou is very close to passing his half guard.
Suuou scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Savano is looking to improve his position.
Suuou tries to pass to full mount but Savano defends it.
Suuou winds up and cracks Savano with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Suuou connects with a nice short shot to Savano's temple.
Suuou performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Savano wants to get back to full guard.
Suuou landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Suuou winds up and cracks Savano with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Savano makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Savano.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Suuou's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Suuou's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Savano trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Suuou controls from within his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tatsuya Suuou showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Suuou slaps away a takedown attempt from Savano, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Savano clobbers Suuou with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Savano tries to bum rush Suuou with a series of wild strikes but Suuou uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Savano closes this distance looking for a takedown but Suuou circles away.

Suuou 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.

Savano working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Suuou doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Suuou manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Suuou slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Suuou avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Savano is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Savano is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Suuou is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Suuou controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Suuou scoring with punches to the head and body.
Suuou content to stall in guard here.
Suuou wants to pass the guard but Savano is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Suuou stays in close to Savano's body and controls the position.
Suuou is continuing to stall.
Savano is trying to keep Suuou in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Suuou looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Savano is fending him off so far but Suuou persists. Nope, Savano circles away and we're back to standing.
Suuou tries to score a power double leg takedown but Savano sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Suuou somewhat.
Suuou shoots in but Savano avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Troy Savano has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tatsuya Suuou.
Savano lands a nice looking body shot.
Savano throws a nice head kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suuou tries for a takedown but Savano circles away easily
and Savano counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Suuou shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Savano defends it nicely.
Savano went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Savano lands a jab to Suuou's midsection.
Savano tries to clinch there but Suuou circles away.

Suuou fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Savano to the ground. Suuou is now in Savano's guard.
Suuou controls from within his opponent's guard.
Savano throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Savano thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Suuou scoring with punches to the head and body.
Savano 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.
Suuou sitting in guard here, content to control.
Suuou working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Savano lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Suuou 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.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Savano throwing strikes but missing.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Troy Savano.
I think Suuou 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tatsuya Suuou!