PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tomomisan Tsuruta (ranked 2329 p4p, 318 weight class) and Nicky Santoro (ranked 3125 p4p, 398 weight class). Nicky Santoro will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Tsuruta
vs
Santoro

192 cm
21
209 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
21
217 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tomomisan Tsuruta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Nicky Santoro!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santoro rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Tsuruta counters with a left to the body.
Santoro walks into a jab.

It looks like Nicky Santoro has been cut.
Santoro takes one to the side of the head.
Tsuruta swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Santoro connects with a crisp jab.

It looks like Tomomisan Tsuruta has been cut.
Tsuruta slips a straight right by Santoro.
Tsuruta throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Santoro sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Tsuruta lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
A telegraphed right hand from Tsuruta misses the target.
Nicky Santoro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tsuruta shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Santoro counters with a stiff right hand.
Santoro throws a jab but it's blocked by Tsuruta.
Santoro takes a jab right on the kisser.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tsuruta throws a predictable looking body shot
and Santoro counters with a stiff right hand.
Tsuruta scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Santoro doesn't seem bothered though.
Tsuruta takes a swing at Santoro's ribcage but misses.
Tsuruta fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Santoro on the side of the head.
Tsuruta misses the body punch
and Santoro counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Santoro throws a big shot that misses.
Santoro misses with a lunging right hand
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Santoro uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Tsuruta has time to react.
Tsuruta looks to throw the jab but Santoro is out of range.
Santoro looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Tsuruta moves out of range as Santoro strikes.
Tsuruta feinted with a counter takedown.
Santoro throws a big shot that misses.
Tsuruta throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Santoro misses with a looping right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tsuruta.
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!
Tsuruta displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Santoro throws out the jab.
Santoro misses the jab.
Tsuruta attempts a counter takedown but Santoro avoids it well and moves away.
Tsuruta pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tsuruta throws a jab but it's blocked by Santoro.
Tsuruta lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Tsuruta takes a swing at Santoro's ribcage but misses.
Nicky Santoro is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A jab from Tsuruta does it's job there.
Nice shot lands for Tsuruta.
Santoro misses with a right hand
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Santoro might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Tsuruta throws a poor cross that misses
and Santoro connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santoro scores with a punch to the head.
Tsuruta uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Santoro.
It looked like Tsuruta wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Tsuruta takes one to the side of the head.

Tsuruta is rocked!
Santoro bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Tsuruta with a poor takedown
and Santoro counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Oh Tsuruta is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tomomisan Tsuruta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santoro looks to throw the jab but Tsuruta is out of range.
Santoro ducks down into range and throws a picture perfect right hook that connects with Tsuruta's jaw. Tsuruta's eyes stare off into space as he falls to the mat, out cold! Santoro does the decent thing and steps back, rather than landing any shots to his unconscious opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:35 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Nicky Santoro!
A very excited looking Nicky Santoro made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.