PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kindo Suzuki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Barry Montalo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Suzuki
vs
Montalo

170 cm
22
158 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

165 cm
21
165 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kindo Suzuki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Barry Montalo!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Hirohito Nitta and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Suzuki tries to clinch there but Montalo circles away.
Suzuki moves in looking to clinch but Montalo pushes him off.
Suzuki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Montalo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Suzuki tries to avoid it but Montalo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Suzuki to the ground. Suzuki escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Suzuki. No joy for Montalo on that attempt.
Suzuki wants to clinch up but Montalo keeps it at a distance.
Suzuki shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Montalo but Montalo pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Suzuki blocks a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Suzuki tries to clinch up.
Suzuki tries to clinch but Montalo moves out of range.
Montalo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suzuki tries to clinch there but Montalo circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Montalo as Suzuki shoots in.
Suzuki misses with a takedown attempt

and Montalo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kindo Suzuki. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Montalo gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Suzuki wants to clinch
and Montalo counters with a nice uppercut.
Suzuki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Montalo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Suzuki moves into the clinch.
Suzuki landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Montalo wants to stall.
Montalo is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Suzuki pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Montalo looks gassed!
Montalo is looking to break free of the clinch but Suzuki has double underhooks.
Montalo trying to stall but Suzuki improves his position.
Nice elbow from Suzuki.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montalo wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Knees in the clinch landing for Suzuki.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Come on Suzuki - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Suzuki changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Montalo fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Suzuki moves into the clinch.
Suzuki throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Montalo blocks it with crossed arms.
Suzuki scores with a knee to the head.
Suzuki throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Montalo blocks it with crossed arms.
Montalo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Suzuki tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Suzuki looking for a takedown.

Suzuki breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Montalo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Suzuki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Montalo is fending him off so far but Suzuki persists. Nope, Montalo circles away and we're back to standing.
Suzuki staying out of range there.

Montalo tries to keep at a distance but Suzuki has taken the fight into the clinch.
Suzuki is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Montalo is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Montalo is working on a single leg takedown against the ropes. Suzuki can't fight it off and eventually Montalo manages to take the fight to the floor. Suzuki looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Montalo drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Suzuki manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Montalo has Suzuki in his guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Montalo is on top in guard.
Suzuki keeping moving, preventing Montalo from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Montalo wants to get up but he can't break Suzuki's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Suzuki 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 fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Suzuki keeping moving, preventing Montalo from controlling successfully.
Suzuki trying to keep a closed guard but Montalo is proving a slippery customer.
Montalo prevents Suzuki from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Barry Montalo dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Suzuki drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Montalo wants to control but Suzuki postures up.
Montalo is not content to let Suzuki control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Montalo is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montalo tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Montalo is squirming around, avoiding Suzuki's attempts to control the action.
Montalo swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Suzuki avoids the attempt from Montalo to control.
Montalo is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's two 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.
Suzuki blocks Montalo's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Suzuki won't let Montalo get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Montalo wants to hold on but Suzuki pushes him away.
Montalo is breathing heavily.
Suzuki trying to control but Montalo is having none of it.
Suzuki controlling the pace for now.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Montalo tries to hold on but Suzuki postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montalo is squirming around, avoiding Suzuki's attempts to control the action.
Suzuki won't let Montalo get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Montalo is looking to get to half guard.
Suzuki controlling from the full mount.
Suzuki tries to control but Montalo wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Montalo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Suzuki controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kindo Suzuki dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Suzuki wants to clinch.
Montalo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Suzuki shoots in but no luck this time.
Suzuki tries to clinch there but Montalo circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Suzuki tries to close the distance and clinch but Montalo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Suzuki moves in looking to clinch but Montalo pushes him off.
Montalo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Montalo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Suzuki stuffs the takedown attempt from Montalo. Montalo gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montalo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Suzuki is fending him off so far but Montalo persists. Nope, Suzuki circles away and we're back to standing.
Kindo Suzuki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Barry Montalo.
Montalo stuffs the takedown attempt from Suzuki. Suzuki gets slowly back to his feet.
Suzuki tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Montalo counters with a nice double leg into side control. Suzuki won't be happy with that.
Suzuki trying to remain calm as Montalo controls from the top position.
Montalo trying to control the position but Suzuki is working away.
Suzuki defending against the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montalo is looking to take a break and control but Suzuki is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Montalo controls the position.
An elbow from Montalo crashes against the mat.

Montalo has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Montalo has closed the distance and engaged Suzuki in a clinch.
Suzuki using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Montalo has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Suzuki with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Montalo tries for a takedown. No joy.
Montalo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Montalo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suzuki tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Montalo stalling in the clinch but Suzuki improves position.
Suzuki stops a takedown attempt from Montalo.
Suzuki lands a knee to the head.
Suzuki connects with a nasty looking knee right to Montalo's face.

Montalo is rocked!
Suzuki with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Montalo tries to pull guard but Suzuki holds him up against the ropes and eventually Montalo drops back down to his feet.
Suzuki scores with a knee to the head.
Montalo is still on wobbly legs! Can Suzuki finish him?
Montalo prevents a takedown attempt there.

Suzuki breaks from the clinch.
Suzuki gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Montalo counters with a single leg into guard. Suzuki didn't expect that.
Suzuki wants to stand but Montalo is controlling the position.
Montalo seems to have recovered his senses.
Montalo sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Suzuki wants to sweep but no luck.
Montalo trying to control but Suzuki is working from the bottom.
Montalo wants to stand but Suzuki is controlling his posture from full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Barry Montalo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Montalo 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Barry Montalo!