PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Sabatello (ranked 3161 p4p, 5176 weight class) and Yuudai Yanagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sabatello
vs
Yanagi

175 cm
18
167
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
160
0 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Likes comics

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Next Gen Sports

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Johnny Sabatello!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Yuudai Yanagi!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Ryoma Takatsuka and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sabatello dives in and scores a takedown into Yanagi's guard.
Sabatello not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Yanagi keeping moving, preventing Sabatello from controlling successfully.
Sabatello sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sabatello wants to control from the top but Yanagi keeps moving.
Yanagi throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Sabatello wants to control from the top but Yanagi keeps moving.
Yanagi can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sabatello controls the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sabatello is in close to Yanagi's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Yanagi keeping full guard, as Sabatello tries to pass.
Yanagi keeping moving, preventing Sabatello from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sabatello is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Yanagi is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Yanagi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sabatello wants to control from the top but Yanagi keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Sabatello shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Sabatello was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sabatello trying to control the position but Yanagi is working away.
Sabatello is chipping away with strikes.
Sabatello wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yanagi keeps working.
Sabatello connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Yanagi some visible discomfort.
Sabatello is looking to take a break and control but Yanagi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sabatello happy to just control the position for now.
Yanagi is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Sabatello wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yanagi keeps working.
Yanagi is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sabatello advances to mount.
Sabatello can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Yanagi is looking to escape.
Yanagi taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sabatello lands a heavy elbow.
Sabatello lands a big elbow.
Sabatello trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sabatello tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sabatello trying to control but Yanagi is having none of it.
Sabatello with shots to the head and body - Yanagi looks very uncomfortable down there.
Sabatello sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Sabatello trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sabatello content just to control the position here.
BOOM! Sabatello connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sabatello looking to control but Yanagi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sabatello sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Yanagi is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Sabatello dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sabatello feints and as Yanagi raises his hands in defense, Sabatello changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Yanagi pushes Sabatello off and scrambles back to his feet.
Sabatello throws a series of punches but Yanagi avoids them all with ease.
Yanagi now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Sabatello shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Yanagi is trying to defend but Sabatello finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Still in half guard, Sabatello seems content to control.
Sabatello passes to side control.
Sabatello wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yanagi keeps working.
Yanagi is breathing heavily.
Johnny Sabatello overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yanagi being controlled for a moment.
Sabatello is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yanagi can do to turn this around?

Sabatello tries for a kimura but Yanagi is defending well.
Sabatello trying to control the position but Yanagi is working away.
Yanagi can't do much from the bottom here.
Sabatello taking a breather here.
Yanagi wants to control but Sabatello postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sabatello is looking to take a break and control but Yanagi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sabatello working the ground and pound from side control.
Yanagi takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Sabatello cracks Yanagi with a big right hand but Yanagi just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Sabatello takes a little break here. Yanagi wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Sabatello wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yanagi keeps working.
Sabatello is really struggling to control Yanagi but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yanagi takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Yanagi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sabatello is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Yanagi's shoulder. That is not cool.
Yanagi can't do much from the bottom here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yanagi is not content to let Sabatello control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Sabatello dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Yanagi throws a sloppy head kick and Sabatello moves out of range easily.
Yanagi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sabatello appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
A head kick misses from Yanagi.

Sabatello shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Yanagi napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Yanagi is not content to let Sabatello control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yanagi is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Yanagi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sabatello wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yanagi keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Yanagi's face as Sabatello controls the position.
Sabatello works to advance to full mount. Yanagi defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Sabatello tries to control but Yanagi wriggling away.
Sabatello lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Yanagi hang on?
Sabatello trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Sabatello moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Yanagi has worked his arm free - good work by Yanagi!
Sabatello advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sabatello breaks from Yanagi's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Sabatello controlling the position easily from mount.
Sabatello wants to control the pace but Yanagi is squirming around nicely.
Sabatello content just to control the position here.
Sabatello seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Yanagi for as long as he can get away with.
Yanagi is squirming around, avoiding Sabatello's attempts to control the action.
Sabatello avoids the attempt from Yanagi to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sabatello looking to control but Yanagi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Yanagi is trying to escape the mount.
Sabatello landing punches.
Sabatello controlling the position easily from mount.
Sabatello lands with some strikes.
Sabatello controlling the pace for now.
Sabatello looking to control but Yanagi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sabatello controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Sabatello connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sabatello scoring with strikes but Yanagi is staying in there.
Sabatello takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Sabatello working the ground and pound effectively.
Sabatello trying to control but Yanagi is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yuudai Yanagi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnny Sabatello is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Sabatello showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sabatello, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Sabatello!