PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Masa Saitoh (ranked 534 p4p, 849 weight class) and ZaDarius Haden (ranked 73 p4p, 115 weight class). Haden comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Mot�rhead - Orgasmatron kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Saitoh
vs
Haden

182 cm
28
205
16 - 6 - 0

198 cm
36
222
30 - 22 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

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30th Century Beer Store
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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 16 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Masa Saitoh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 22 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, ZaDarius Haden!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yuuki Gou and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saitoh misses with a series of wild punches.
Saitoh misses the body punch
and Haden counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Saitoh keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Saitoh enables Haden to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Saitoh manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Haden won't allow Saitoh to sweep him here.
Saitoh is working hard here to advance position.
Haden pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saitoh is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Haden's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Haden stopping the sweep attempt from Saitoh.
Haden trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saitoh is adopting a defensive guard.
Haden controls from within his opponent's guard.
Haden is fighting to break Saitoh's control of his arms but Saitoh is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Haden has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Saitoh is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Saitoh takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Haden misses the jab.

That's two 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.
Saitoh slips a straight right by Haden.
Saitoh misses the jab.
Saitoh fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Haden manages to avoid it.
A countering left hand to the body from Haden misses.
Haden missing with a left hand there. Saitoh was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Saitoh throws a body shot but no joy.
Haden swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Saitoh throws a hook but Haden avoids it easily.
Saitoh looks to land a left hand but Haden moved out of range nicely.
Saitoh throws a body shot but no joy.
Haden is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Saitoh.
Saitoh stuns Haden with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Saitoh takes a swing at Haden's ribcage but misses.
Haden moves out of range as Saitoh strikes.
It seemed like Haden was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

Haden scores with a takedown into Saitoh's guard.
Saitoh has Haden pulled in close to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haden trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Haden is working Saitoh over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Haden looking to sit in guard and control but Saitoh gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Saitoh might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Saitoh controls from within his opponent's guard.
Haden wants to sweep here but Saitoh controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haden is looking to stand up but Saitoh isn't so interested in that idea.
Saitoh is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Saitoh trying to control but Haden is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saitoh stopping the sweep attempt from Haden.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

ZaDarius Haden dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Saitoh scores with a jab to the body.
Saitoh dodges the punch combination from Haden.
Haden tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Saitoh was well out of range. Poor timing from Haden.
Haden's corner calls for a 1-2. Haden obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Saitoh looks to land a left hand but Haden moved out of range nicely.
Saitoh looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Haden lands a nice shot to the body.
Haden on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Haden misses with a straight right.
Saitoh misses with a body shot.
Saitoh is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Haden's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Haden steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Saitoh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saitoh throws a hook but Haden blocks it.
Saitoh swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Haden feints the counter takedown.
Saitoh ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Saitoh bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A big right from Saitoh misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haden throws a body punch but Saitoh moves out of range.
Saitoh closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Saitoh stuns Haden with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A big right from Haden misses.
Saitoh throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saitoh misses with a body punch
and Haden makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Haden lands a slapping body shot.
Saitoh throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Saitoh uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Haden.
ZaDarius Haden seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Saitoh looks to throw the jab but Haden is out of range.
Saitoh throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Haden uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saitoh.
Haden dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Haden swings for the body but Saitoh moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haden misses with a jab, cross combination.
Haden connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Haden just misses with a punch to the body.
Haden scores with a jab. Saitoh acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Saitoh throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Haden is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Saitoh throws a hook but Haden avoids it easily.
Haden looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A swing and a miss from Haden.
Saitoh loads up on a big right hand but Haden slips the punch.
Saitoh throws a lazy right hand but Haden sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Saitoh fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Haden manages to avoid it.
A big left from Saitoh misses.
Nice shot by Saitoh.
Saitoh fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Haden manages to avoid it.
Saitoh swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Saitoh throws a body punch but Haden moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haden feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Saitohs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Saitoh doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Saitoh on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Saitoh lands a right hook to the body.
Haden lands a body shot.
Saitoh misses the jab.
Haden gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Haden ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Haden misses the shot to the body.
Saitoh with a nice cross.
Haden tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Saitoh was well out of range. Poor timing from Haden.
Saitoh misses with a hook.
Haden slips a straight right by Saitoh.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Haden fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saitoh throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Haden connects with a good right hand that stumbles Saitoh. Saitoh circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Haden lands with a good body shot.
Nice body punch from Saitoh.
Haden uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Saitoh.
Haden keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saitoh.
Saitoh bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Saitoh swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Saitoh scores with a decent looking hook.

Haden darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Saitoh is trying to get back to full guard.
Saitoh won't allow Haden to pass to mount.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but ZaDarius Haden will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Haden has a takedown stuffed.
Saitoh looks to throw the jab but Haden is out of range.
Haden connects with a crisp jab.
Haden misses with a looping right.
An attempted straight right counter from Saitoh misses the target.
Saitoh's corner calls for a 1-2. Saitoh obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Haden throws a series of punches but Saitoh moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Haden. Saitoh does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nice shot by Haden.
Haden throws the left hand but Saitoh avoids the punch easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haden throws a body shot but no joy.
Haden throws a hook but Saitoh avoids it easily.
Haden misses with a two punch combination.
An attempted straight right counter from Saitoh misses the target.
Saitoh looks to land a left hand but Haden moved out of range nicely.
Haden misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saitoh just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice body punch from Saitoh.
Haden takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Saitoh ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Haden moves away.
Nice shot by Haden.
Saitoh tests Haden's chin there with a solid looking shot.

It looks like ZaDarius Haden has been cut.
Saitoh throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Haden tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Saitoh misses with a looping right.
Saitoh connects with a jab.
Saitoh throws a body punch but Haden moves out of range.
Saitoh scores with a crisp jab that stopped Haden in his tracks.
Haden takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Saitoh scores with a nice strike.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Haden misses with an uppercut. Saitoh saw that one coming.
It looked like Saitoh wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Saitoh throws a lazy right hand but Haden sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Masa Saitoh has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haden has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Saitoh finds it's way round the side to connect with Haden's head.
Saitoh throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saitoh misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Haden.
Saitoh misses the shot to the body.
Haden swings for the body but Saitoh moves out of range.
Haden lands a nice shot to the body.
Saitoh throws an overhand right that lands on Haden's shoulder, as Haden tries to avoid the shot.
Haden swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Haden scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Saitoh gets back to full guard.
Haden being controlled here momentarily.
Haden wants to control from the top but Saitoh keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haden is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Saitoh pulls Haden in close to prevent any damage.
Haden looking to pass the guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Haden takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Haden ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saitoh moves away.

Saitoh moves into the clinch.
Saitoh doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Saitoh lands with a light punch inside.
ZaDarius Haden is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Saitoh working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Saitoh lands a hook to the side of the head.
Haden blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nice body punch from Saitoh.
Saitoh throws a head punch that misses.
Saitoh misses with the head strike.
Saitoh tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Saitoh tries to throw a body punch but Haden avoids it by throwing Saitoh back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Masa Saitoh showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Haden has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... ZaDarius Haden!
In his post fight interview, ZaDarius Haden started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.