PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bruce Chang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hajime Saito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Chang
vs
Saito

200 cm
22
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
23
193 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Tends to cut

[JMFC]Arashi Fighting Nutrition Q156 REC/CARDIO

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bruce Chang!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hajime Saito!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yuuki Gou and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Saito looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Chang!

Saito looking to secure an arm triangle but Chang defends it well.
Chang tries to hold on but Saito postures up.
Chang is controlling an arm, preventing Saito from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Chang wants to control but Saito is having none of it.
Chang is working to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chang is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Saito working for a guillotine from mount but Chang is in no mood to give up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chang tries to lock up and control but Saito gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Saito trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Chang really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

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.

Saito moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Chang has worked his arm free - good work by Chang!
Chang tries to improve position but can't.
Chang struggling a bit here.
Chang tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Saito tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chang is not content to let Saito control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chang is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Saito wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Chang, who protects the arm well.

Saito is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Chang is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Saito shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Chang but Chang pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Chang goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

It looks like Hajime Saito has been cut.
Hajime Saito seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Saito bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Saito passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Chang!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hajime Saito dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hajime Saito's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Saito closes the distance and clinches up with Chang, looking for a takedown. Saito pushes Chang against the cage but Chang circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Chang avoids a punch combination nicely.
Chang goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Saito tries to clinch there but Chang circles away.

Saito drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Chang will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Saito looking to pass the guard.
Saito trying to control but Chang is working from the bottom.
Chang trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Chang looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Saito passes into half guard.
Saito passes to side control.
Saito wants to lay and pray for a moment but Chang keeps working.

Saito is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Chang has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Saito is trying to get an arm triangle but Chang is defending well.
Chang regains half guard.
Saito wants to pass to mount but Chang is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saito wants to lay and pray for a moment but Chang keeps working.
Saito wants to advance to full mount but Chang doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Chang looking for a sweep. Not yet Chang, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Saito tries to free his leg and advance position but Chang is retaining full guard.
Saito trying to control but Chang is working from the bottom.

Chang working for submissions but it's allowed Saito to get to half guard.

Saito is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Chang has managed to free his arm - good work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chang trying to hold on to Saito's head to control him but Saito postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hajime Saito will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Hajime Saito's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A head kick misses from Chang.
Saito tries to clinch but Chang is having none of it.
Saito waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Chang.
Saito closes the distance and clinches up with Chang, looking for a takedown. Saito pushes Chang against the cage but Chang circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Chang avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Saito tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Chang throws a quick inside leg kick.
Saito fails to land the takedown.
Saito misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bruce Chang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hajime Saito.
Chang rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Saito moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chang lands with a kick to the temple. Saito shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Saito shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Chang sprawls well. Chang wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Saito gets slowly back to his feet.
Chang scores with a leg kick.
Saito takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saito misses with a takedown attempt - Chang sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Chang throws a head kick that misses.
Hajime Saito is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Chang throws a head kick that misses.
Saito fails with the takedown.

Saito changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Chang looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Chang is looking for a sweep.
Chang manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Chang trying to control here.
Saito tries to pass the half guard into mount. Chang knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chang is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Chang is working hard here to advance position.
Saito wants to pass the guard but Chang is defending well.

Chang actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Saito closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Chang to the mat! Chang manages to get full guard.
Saito pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Chang is keeping the position for now.
Saito advances to half guard.
Saito wants to pass the guard but Chang is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saito passes to full mount!
Chang is squirming around, avoiding Saito's attempts to control the action.
Chang tries to control Saito's body but Saito pushes him off. Chang squirms to his side and now Saito has his back!
Saito trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Hajime Saito.
I've got Saito 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!
Oh dear, what a disastrous situation! The belt remains unclaimed and both fighters go home unhappy!