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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tater Salad (ranked 1331 p4p, 999 weight class) and Saint Arai (ranked 129 p4p, 99 weight class). Salad comes to the cage accompanied by Tater Salad. 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.
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| 182 cm
21
155
6 - 3 - 0 |
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170 cm
21
148
8 - 2 - 0 |
Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine |
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BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tater Salad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Saint Arai!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salad feints and then cracks Arai's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Arai down.
Arai shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Salad misses with a lunging right hand
and Salad takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Salad gets tackled into the cage by Arai. Arai maintains the clinch.
Salad lands a shoulder strike.
Arai manages to break the clinch.
Salad stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Salad wants it to stay on the feet.
Arai looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Salad pivots, looking for a leg kick but Arai is out of range and Salad settles back down.
Salad uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Arai.
Salad avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Arai scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Arai has Salad up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice body punch from Salad.
Salad prevents the takedown attempt.
Tater Salad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saint Arai.
Salad softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Arai is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Salad to keep the fight standing.
That's one minute gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Salad.
Arai tries to pull guard but Salad holds him up against the cage and eventually Arai drops back down to his feet.
Arai fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Arai is trying to pull guard but Salad has him pressed against the cage.
Arai tries to pull guard but Salad forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Arai turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Arai manages to end up in side control.
Arai working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Arai sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Salad is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Arai working away.
Arai misses with the ground and pound.
Arai staying calm.
Salad is looking for a sweep.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arai trying to control the action but Salad is working from the bottom.
Arai fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Arai has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Arai working the ground and pound but Salad is defending the strikes.
Salad regains half guard.
Salad is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Arai thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Arai is taking a breather. Salad says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Arai 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arai prevents Salad from improving his position.
Salad definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Arai not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Salad smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Arai tries to close the distance and clinch up but Salad swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Salad connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
No luck for Arai with that takedown attempt.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arai fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Saint Arai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Arai lands a right hook to the body.
Arai scores with a takedown into Salad's guard.
Arai advances position into side control!
Salad is not content to let Arai control the position.
Salad tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Arai wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Saint Arai will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.
Salad misses with a few strikes there.
Arai changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Salad tries to avoid it but Arai manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Salad to the ground. Salad escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Salad looks to throw the jab but Arai is out of range.
Arai looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Arai throws a body punch but Salad moves out of range.
Arai looks to score with a jab to the body but Salad is just out of range.
Arai lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Arai throws out a loose jab but Salad uses good head movement to avoid it.
Salad is looking to counter punch.
Salad tries to bum rush Arai with a series of wild strikes but Arai uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tater Salad is winning the standup battle so far.
Arai moves in looking to clinch but Salad pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salad stuffs the takedown.
Salad throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Arai to counter with a crisp jab.
Arai fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Salad, pushing him back against the cage.
Arai wants a takedown.
Tater Salad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saint Arai.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Salad lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short right from Salad.
Arai can't get the takedown.
Salad pushes Arai back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Salad misses with a punch to the body.
Salad breaks from the clinch.
A slow jab from Arai misses its intended target.
Salad takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Arai looks to land a combination but Salad avoids it well.
Arai throws a lazy uppercut
and Salad connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Arai misses with a body shot.
Salad misses the jab.
Arai avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Salad dips to his left and cracks Arai with an uppercut!
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Arai shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Salad but Salad pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Arai is looking to clinch.
Salad throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Arai sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Salad keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Salad throws out a loose jab but Arai uses good head movement to avoid it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Arai looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Salad, as that shot connected.
Arai lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Arai slips under a jab from Salad.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arai connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Salad misses with a lunging right hand
and Arai counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Salad thinking.
Arai scores with a hook to the body. Salad takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Arai looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Salad is fending him off so far but Arai persists. Nope, Salad circles away and we're back to standing.
The fighters circle momentarily. Salad darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Arai tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Salad defends well and Arai ends up having to push Salad into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Arai moves away from the strike by Salad.
Arai looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Salad avoids the body shot from Arai.
It looked like Salad wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A big left from Salad misses.
Arai slips under a jab from Salad.
Salad misses with a head kick.
Arai slips under a jab from Salad.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salad waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Arai.
Arai swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Arai tries to clinch up.
Arai shoots in looking for a takedown but Salad manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Arai's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Arai blocks a jab.
Salad throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Arai.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Arai with a poor takedown
and Salad counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Arai connects with a single shot there.
Jab from Arai.
Arai scores with a sloppy right hand. Salad should have avoided that one.
Salad with a nice cross.
Jab by Salad.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Tater Salad dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!
Horrible takedown attempt by Arai or perhaps it was just good defense by Salad, which made it look bad.
Arai misses with a two punch combination.
Arai takes a swing at Salad's ribcage but misses.
Arai rushes Salad and presses him up against the cage.
Salad manages to break the clinch.
Arai misses with a takedown attempt
and Salad counters with a nice uppercut.
Arai misses with a two punch combination.
Salad keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Tater Salad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saint Arai.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salad moves away from the strike by Arai.
Salad rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Arai counters with a straight right hand.
Arai closes this distance looking for a takedown but Salad circles away.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Arai throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Salad stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A chopping leg kick lands by Salad.
Salad looks to throw the jab but Arai is out of range.
Salad throws a shot from downtown. Arai moves away and avoids it.
Arai throws a body shot but no joy.
Arai misses with a hook.
Salad on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Arai is looking to clinch.
Arai misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Salad counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Arai connects with a single shot there.
Arai throws out a loose jab but Salad uses good head movement to avoid it.
Salad throwing a counter right hand but Arai manages to avoid it.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Salad moves away.
Arai misses with a double jab.
A little feinted left hand from Salad on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Arai avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Arai lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A slow jab from Salad misses its intended target.
Arai fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Arai throws a jab when Salad was well out of range.
Salad blocks a jab.
Salad slips under a jab from Arai.
Salad throwing a counter right hand but Arai manages to avoid it.
Arai closes the distance but Salad moves to the side
and Salad counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Salad misses with a left hand
and Arai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salad misses with a hook. Arai ducked under it nicely.
Arai rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Salad moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Arai jabs at Salad's body.
Salad pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Arai. Salad does a little dance to reset his feet.
Salad takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Arai connects with a crisp jab.
Salad cracks Arai with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Arai fails with a takedown attempt.
It looked like Salad wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arai throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Salad's waist but Salad gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Arai off to one side.
Salad throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Arai sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Salad scores with a jab. Arai acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Arai shoots in looking for a takedown but Salad manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Arai's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Salad moves out of range of the strikes.
Arai throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Arai keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Salad looks to land a left hand but Arai moved out of range nicely.
Nice defenses there by Salad.
Arai keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Salad.
Arai throws a hook but Salad avoids it easily.
A little feinted left hand from Salad on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Saint Arai.
I think Arai 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saint Arai!
After winning the bout, Saint Arai thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
52% |
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