PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Seth Keller (ranked 6327 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mamoru Isigava (ranked 4564 p4p, 0 weight class). Isigava comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Short But Seems Long, Time of Our Life kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Keller
vs
Isigava

198 cm
23
194 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

183 cm
25
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Seth Keller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mamoru Isigava!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Kenichi Hosakawa and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
We've got one fighter who appears to only be looking to counter and the other not looking particularly aggressive either, so we could be in for a dull fight.
Keller will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Isigava is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Keller closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Keller is fighting off a takedown attempt but Isigava is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Keller to the mat. Keller regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Keller working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Isigava.
Keller striking from the bottom here.
Keller looking to control.
Isigava won't allow Keller to sweep him here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Isigava is stalling in the full guard.
Keller trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Keller throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Isigava escapes and throws Keller's legs to the side, diving into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Keller tries to improve position but can't.
Isigava advances to mount.
Keller has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Isigava controlling from the full mount.
Keller tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Isigava content just to control the position here.
Keller is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Isigava content just to control the position here.
Keller tries to hold on but Isigava postures up.
Isigava controlling from the full mount.
Keller is desperately trying to improve his position but Isigava has a good base and remains in mount.
Isigava controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keller wants to control but Isigava is having none of it.
Keller is trying to escape the mount.
Isigava controlling his opponent.
It looks like Isigava might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

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.
Keller gets back to half guard.
Isigava tries to pass the half guard into mount. Keller knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Isigava looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Keller with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Isigava trying to control the pace.
Keller throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Isigava is looking to advance position but Keller won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Keller fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Isigava feints the counter takedown.
Keller doesn't manage to clinch there - Isigava circles away.
Keller will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Isigava is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Keller fails in his attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keller tries to clinch but Isigava moves away
and Isigava counters with a left to the body.
Keller wants to clinch

and Isigava counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Keller has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Isigava is on him like a limpet, forcing Keller back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keller doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Isigava has picked Keller up - he's going for a ride! Isigava dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Mamoru Isigava has got the better of the ground game so far.
Keller flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Keller keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Isigava trying to control the pace.
Keller punching from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Isigava slows the pace down in half guard.
Isigava trying to pass the guard but Keller defending well.
Keller trying to control but Isigava postures up.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Keller actively working from the bottom here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Keller tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Isigava manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keller shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Isigava counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Seth Keller. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Keller manages to get back to half guard.
Isigava stops Keller from getting back to his feet.
Isigava passes into side control, despite Keller's attempt to control the position.
Keller really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Keller wants to control but Isigava postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Keller's face as Isigava controls the position.
Keller gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Keller tries to get to full guard but Isigava has control of the leg.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Isigava controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mamoru Isigava 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!

A leg kick checked by Isigava.
Isigava let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Keller tries to clinch

and Isigava counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Isigava looking to pass the guard.

Keller is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Isigava defends well.
Isigava connects with a couple of short punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keller is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Keller had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Isigava defends it easily.
Keller is pulling down on Isigava's head to control his posture.
Isigava controls from within his opponent's guard.
Keller is trying to keep Isigava in close.
Isigava has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Keller is wriggling around but Isigava manages to pass to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Isigava controlling the pace.
Isigava is continuing to stall.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Keller tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Isigava paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keller fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Isigava steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Keller.
Isigava changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Isigava slaps away a takedown attempt from Keller, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Isigava tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Isigava avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Keller fails in his attempt to clinch.

Keller gets a clinch.

Isigava turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Keller wants to control but Isigava postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Isigava prevents Keller from escaping the position.
Keller tries to buck Isigava off but Isigava is having none of it.
Seth Keller has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mamoru Isigava is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mamoru Isigava comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Isigava winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mamoru Isigava!
Mamoru Isigava took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'I come to show everyone what it means to be a Ultimate Fighter!'.