PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Phillip Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anton Figuera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Garcia
vs
Figuera

172 cm
22
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Dark Storm Performance

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 Tokyo, Phillip Garcia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Anton Figuera!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garcia throws a right hand that Figuera ducks under and follows up with a left that Figuera also avoids with ease.
Garcia throws a body punch but Figuera moves out of range.
Figuera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Garcia swinging wilding here.
Garcia misses with a hook. Figuera ducked under it nicely.

Figuera has closed the distance and engaged Garcia in a clinch.
Figuera wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Garcia has him pressed against the cage.
Figuera lands a knee to the head.
Figuera unloads a knee to the mid-section. Garcia lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Figuera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Garcia!
Figuera moves in looking to clinch but Garcia pushes him off.
Garcia throws a combination. Figuera tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Figuera tries to clinch up.
Garcia throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Garcia shoots in but no luck this time.
Garcia shoots in and drives through. Figuera sprawls well.
Garcia is breathing heavily.
Garcia throws a series of punches but Figuera avoids them all with ease.
Garcia avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Figuera throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Garcia's head.
Garcia swats away the attempt to clinch by Figuera.
Garcia keeps the fight on the outside.

Figuera moves into range and clinches up with Garcia.
Figuera connects with a knee to the head.
Garcia can't break the clinch.
Figuera landing knees to the body.
Figuera landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Figuera with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Figuera.
Figuera wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Garcia has him pressed against the cage.
Figuera crunches a lovely knee into Garcia's ribcage.

Figuera jumps guard and drags Garcia to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Figuera manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Garcia manages to get himself to full guard.
Garcia keeping moving, preventing Figuera from controlling successfully.
Figuera stopping the sweep attempt from Garcia.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Figuera!
Garcia unloading with bombs!
Figuera is bucking up trying to escape but Garcia cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia dominating with strikes here.

Figuera is rocked!
Garcia looking to finish Figuera with some ground and pound. This is bad for Figuera!
Figuera is still in real trouble! Can Garcia finish him?
A nice elbow there by Garcia.
Garcia with good strikes from the mount here!
A nice elbow there by Garcia.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Figuera is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Garcia has control of Figuera's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Figuera regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Figuera seems to have recovered his senses.
Figuera slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Figuera looking for submissions off his back.
Garcia trying to control the action but Figuera is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Figuera is looking to get back to full guard here but Garcia has managed to pass to side control instead.
Figuera tries to lock up and control but Garcia gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Figuera is squirming around, avoiding Garcia's attempts to control the action.
Figuera working to try and regain half guard.
A nice elbow there by Garcia.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Garcia avoids the attempt from Figuera to control.
Garcia fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phillip Garcia dominated that round.
That's time! Garcia's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Garcia takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Figuera doesn't manage to clinch there - Garcia circles away.
Good shot there by Figuera.
Garcia swats away the attempt to clinch by Figuera.
Garcia throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Garcia swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Garcia throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Figuera.
Figuera slips a jab and a cross from Garcia.
Garcia keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Figuera wants to clinch up but Garcia keeps it at a distance.
Figuera tries to close the distance and clinch but Garcia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Figuera forces Garcia back against the cage and clinches.
Figuera holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Figuera misses with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Figuera tries a body shot but Garcia blocks it.
Figuera tries to land knees in the clinch but Garcia avoids the damage to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good body shot from Figuera.
Figuera tries to land knees in the clinch but Garcia avoids the damage to the body.
Figuera stalling in the clinch but Garcia improves position.
Garcia takes an elbow to the forehead.
Figuera tries to land knees in the clinch but Garcia avoids the damage to the body.
Figuera prevents a takedown attempt there.
Figuera is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
A short right from Figuera.
Figuera trying to stall but Garcia improves his position.
Figuera with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Garcia blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Figuera wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Garcia has him pressed against the cage.
Figuera with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Figuera lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Garcia.
With the fighters up against the cage, Figuera throws an elbow but misses.

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.
Figuera missing with knees to the body.
Garcia looking for a takedown.
Figuera tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Figuera throws a knee to the head but misses.

Figuera breaks the clinch.
Figuera thows a left - swing and a miss!
Garcia avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Garcia throws a series of punches but Figuera avoids them all with ease.
A head kick misses from Figuera.
Figuera throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Garcia counters with a nice body shot.
Figuera fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Garcia checks it well.
Garcia will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Garcia throws a series of punches but Figuera avoids them all with ease.

Garcia shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Garcia was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Figuera is trying desperately to improve position.
Garcia landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Figuera is in all sorts of trouble here.
Garcia looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Figuera tries to reverse the position but Garcia maintains control.
Figuera manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Figuera has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Garcia is working away from the top position though.
Figuera is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Garcia's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Garcia's back!
Figuera controls the action.
Will Figuera go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia trying to control the hands but Figuera won't let him.
Garcia rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Garcia is refusing to be controlled, as Figuera sits in half guard.
Garcia on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Garcia tries to get out of the position.

Figuera is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Garcia is just riding it out for now. Figuera eventually gives up the hold.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Garcia lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phillip Garcia dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Garcia misses with a double jab
and Figuera counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Garcia is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Figuera lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Figuera avoids a punch combination nicely.

Figuera moves into range and clinches up with Garcia.
Garcia takes a knee right on the jaw!
Figuera looking to throw knees to the head but Garcia is blocking nicely.
Figuera connects with a knee to the head.
Figuera leaning against his opponent.

Garcia lands a takedown into guard.
Figuera is controlling Garcia's posture.

Figuera working for a triangle but Garcia defends it easily.

Figuera looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Figuera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia slips nicely into half guard.
Garcia wants to stand up but Figuera has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Figuera looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Phillip Garcia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Figuera actively working from the bottom here.
Garcia is looking to take a break and control but Figuera is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Garcia looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Garcia is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Figuera actively working from the bottom here.
Figuera gets full guard.
Garcia wants to control from the top but Figuera keeps moving.

Figuera looking for a guillotine here but Garcia defends easily.
Garcia connects with a couple of short punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia won't allow Figuera to sweep him here.
Garcia keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Figuera's head.
Garcia thows a big elbow that misses.

Figuera working for a triangle but Garcia defends it easily.
Garcia wants to pass the guard but Figuera is keeping the position.

Figuera throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Figuera working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Garcia doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Garcia manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's four 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.
Garcia trying to control but Figuera is working from the bottom.
Figuera is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Garcia postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Garcia lands a jab to the head.
Figuera tries to clinch
and Garcia cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Garcia swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Figuera counters with an outside leg kick.

Figuera darts in and clinches Garcia up against the cage.
Figuera with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Anton Figuera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Garcia looking for a takedown.

Figuera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Anton Figuera.
I think Garcia has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Phillip Garcia!