PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Desmond Fairbanks (ranked 1423 p4p, 38 weight class) and Fujii Yusuke (ranked 2079 p4p, 47 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fairbanks
vs
Yusuke

173 cm
28
142 lbs
19 - 13 - 0

178 cm
31
160 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Desmond Fairbanks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Fujii Yusuke!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Ron Honeybunn and Ben Hemmingworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yusuke misses with a hook. Fairbanks ducked under it nicely.
Yusuke misses the shot to the body.
It looked like Fairbanks wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Yusuke on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Yusuke throws a shot to the body.
Yusuke slips a jab and a cross from Fairbanks.
Fairbanks throws a body shot but no joy.
Nice body punch from Fairbanks.
A slapping leg kick lands for Yusuke.
Fairbanks swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yusuke misses with a straight right.
Yusuke avoids the body shot from Fairbanks.
Yusuke avoids a punch combination nicely.
Fujii Yusuke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A cross from Fairbanks lands.
Yusuke scores with a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yusuke uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fairbanks.
The fighters circle momentarily. Fairbanks darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Yusuke fails with a takedown attempt.
Fairbanks swings for the body but Yusuke moves out of range.
Fairbanks misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yusuke.
Fairbanks scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Yusuke uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Fairbanks.
Yusuke is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Yusuke ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Fairbanks throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Yusuke sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Fairbanks is looking to wear down Yusuke with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Fairbanks throws a body punch but Yusuke moves out of range.
Yusuke tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Fairbanks scores with a jab to the body.
Fairbanks misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yusuke takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Yusuke uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yusuke keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yusuke lands a nice looking kick to the body. Fairbanks takes a step back to recover.
Yusuke punishes Fairbanks's body with a nice straight punch.
A telegraphed right hand from Yusuke misses the target.
Yusuke lands a nice looking kick to the body. Fairbanks takes a step back to recover.
Yusuke is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Fairbanks.
Fairbanks slips under a jab.
Fairbanks misses with a jab to the body
and Yusuke counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Yusuke has closed the distance and engaged Fairbanks in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Fairbanks lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Yusuke backwards.
Fairbanks misses with some punches.
Fairbanks pressing his opponent against the cage.
Yusuke doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Yusuke misses with a punch on the inside.
Yusuke scores with a shoulder strike.
Yusuke swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Yusuke misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yusuke.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Fairbanks.
Fairbanks lands with a left to the head.
Fairbanks throws a head punch that misses.
A right hand to the body from Yusuke.
Yusuke misses with a hook from the clinch.
Fairbanks blocks an uppercut.
Fairbanks fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A bit of stalling here from Yusuke.
Yusuke blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks lands with a short shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fairbanks lands a nice uppercut.
Yusuke lands a nice uppercut.
Fairbanks struggles to land a body shot inside as Yusuke controls his hands.
Fairbanks dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Fairbanks lands with a light punch inside.
Yusuke gets through Fairbanks's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A right handed body shot lands from Yusuke.
Fairbanks takes a shot to the head.
Yusuke throws a head punch that misses.
Fairbanks blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A shot in the inside from Yusuke.
Yusuke scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Yusuke scores with a shoulder strike.

Yusuke's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fairbanks slips under a jab.
Fairbanks swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Fairbanks lands with a good body shot.
Fairbanks steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Yusuke. That one must have hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Fujii Yusuke will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Yusuke dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Fairbanks. That did some damage!
Fairbanks avoids a kick to the body.
Fairbanks lands a body shot.
Fairbanks lands a body shot.
Desmond Fairbanks is winning the standup battle so far.
Fairbanks keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yusuke moves out of range of the strikes.
Fairbanks throws a one two combo.
Yusuke takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Yusuke avoids the body shot from Fairbanks.
Yusuke throws a leg kick but Fairbanks sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Yusuke lands a nice hook to Fairbanks's body. Fairbanks takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Decent striking displayed by Yusuke there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yusuke throws a leg kick which misses Fairbanks's front leg but catches the back leg as Fairbanks tries to avoid it.
Fairbanks looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Fairbanks swings for the body but Yusuke moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yusuke closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Fairbanks misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yusuke.
A slow jab from Yusuke misses its intended target.
Fairbanks uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Yusuke.
Fairbanks cracks Yusuke with a right hand to the side of the head.
Fairbanks takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Fairbanks blocks the body kick.
Fairbanks was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Yusuke throws a lazy right hand but Fairbanks sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Fairbanks was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Yusuke throws a hook but Fairbanks blocks it.
Yusuke throws a nice outside leg kick.
Fairbanks misses with an uppercut. Yusuke saw that one coming.
Fairbanks throws a body shot but no joy.
Despite the aggression on Yusuke's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Yusuke keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yusuke thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yusuke thows a left - swing and a miss!
Yusuke avoids the body shot from Fairbanks.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A big right from Yusuke misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Fairbanks. Yusuke does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fairbanks takes a swing at Yusuke's ribcage but misses.
Fairbanks takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Yusuke ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Fairbanks moves away.
Yusuke cracks Fairbanks with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Fairbanks steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Yusuke.
Fairbanks scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Yusuke explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Yusuke looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Yusuke swings for the body but Fairbanks moves out of range.
Good standup being displayed there by Fairbanks as he connects with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yusuke moves out of range of the strikes.
Fairbanks throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Fairbanks misses with a hook. Yusuke ducked under it nicely.
Yusuke is trying to counter with his kicks.
Yusuke lands a nice shot that snaps Fairbanks's head back.
Fairbanks looks to score with a jab to the body but Yusuke is just out of range.
Yusuke scores with a jab.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Fairbanks checks a leg kick.
Fairbanks lands a right hook to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Fairbanks. Yusuke does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fairbanks takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Fairbanks misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yusuke.
Fairbanks misses the shot to the body.
Yusuke misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Fairbanks avoids a kick to the body.
Fairbanks was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Fairbanks misses with a body shot.
Yusuke avoids the body shot from Fairbanks.
Yusuke lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Fairbanks throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yusuke misses with a body kick.
Fairbanks is looking to counter punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yusuke swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yusuke tries to clinch up
enabling Fairbanks to counter with a crisp jab.
A left lands for Yusuke.
Yusuke takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fujii Yusuke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Fairbanks's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Yusuke keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yusuke misses with a low kick as Fairbanks jumps back.
Fairbanks connects with a right hand. Yusuke shakes it off.

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

Yusuke is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Fairbanks stopping the sweep attempt from Yusuke.
Fairbanks looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Yusuke looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Fairbanks tries to free his leg and advance position but Yusuke is retaining full guard.

Yusuke has his foot on Fairbanks's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Fairbanks works his way back into a safe position though.
Fairbanks wants to pass the guard but Yusuke is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairbanks trying to control the position from guard on top but Yusuke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Yusuke looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Yusuke keeping full guard, as Fairbanks tries to pass.
Fairbanks showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Fairbanks postures up.
Fairbanks looking to pass the guard.
Fairbanks won't allow Yusuke to sweep him here.
Yusuke is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Desmond Fairbanks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.

Yusuke is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Fairbanks rolls with it to try and escape but Yusuke cranks on the arm and Fairbanks is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Fujii Yusuke!