PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Apollo Anderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Asoki Sakiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Asoki Sakiro has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Apollo Anderson's chin.

Anderson
vs
Sakiro

183 cm
21
198 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

187 cm
28
185 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Seven Sins™

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Apollo Anderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Asoki Sakiro!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakiro leaves Anderson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Anderson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sakiro sprawls well initially but Anderson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Anderson working the head and body with strikes.
Anderson prevents Sakiro from standing back up.
Anderson throwing shots but Sakiro is blocking nicely.
Sakiro makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sakiro.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakiro looking to control.
Sakiro manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Anderson manages to get himself to full guard.
Sakiro would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Anderson keeping moving, preventing Sakiro from controlling successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sakiro throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Anderson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakiro wants to pass the guard but Anderson is keeping the position.
Anderson is adopting a defensive guard.

We're going to have a standup here because Apollo Anderson wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Anderson shoots for a takedown but Sakiro saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sakiro throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Asoki Sakiro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Sakiro gets tackled into the cage by Anderson. Anderson maintains the clinch.

Anderson works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Anderson landing some decent shots from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anderson passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Anderson landing strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Anderson is trying to ground and pound but Sakiro uses the momentary lack of control by Anderson to regain half guard.
Anderson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sakiro gets full guard.
Anderson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Anderson with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Anderson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Anderson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sakiro keeping moving, preventing Anderson from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Sakiro escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Anderson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sakiro keeping moving, preventing Anderson from controlling successfully.
Sakiro wants to stand up but Anderson is controlling him.
Anderson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Anderson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sakiro bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Anderson's guard.
Anderson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sakiro on the ground.
Anderson wants to sweep here but Sakiro controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anderson is working hard here to advance position.
Sakiro pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Anderson is keeping the position for now.
Anderson wants to stand and escape but Sakiro is having none of it.
Anderson keeping moving, preventing Sakiro from controlling successfully.
Anderson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Anderson controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Apollo Anderson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Anderson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sakiro changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Anderson tries to avoid it but Sakiro manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Anderson to the ground. Anderson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Sakiro closes the distance and pushes Anderson back into the cage.

Anderson gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Sakiro keeping moving, preventing Anderson from controlling successfully.
Anderson postures up.
Anderson throwing strikes from guard but Sakiro blocks nicely.
Anderson with a nice head shot there.
Sakiro is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Anderson stops Sakiro from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderson tries to free his leg and advance position but Sakiro is retaining full guard.

Sakiro is looking for a triangle but Anderson pushes his legs off easily.
Anderson connects with a couple of short punches.
Anderson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Anderson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Anderson throws and elbow that misses. Sakiro uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Anderson's guard. Nice move by Sakiro!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakiro being controlled here momentarily.

Anderson pushes Sakiro off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sakiro fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Anderson, pushing him back against the cage.
Sakiro throws a punch but it's blocked by Anderson.
Anderson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sakiro avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Anderson content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Anderson blocking some punches.
Anderson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A nice left hand lands by Anderson.

Sakiro escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Anderson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sakiro avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Apollo Anderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakiro darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Anderson.
Sakiro throws a right hand that Anderson ducks under and follows up with a left that Anderson also avoids with ease.
Anderson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakiro slaps away a takedown attempt from Anderson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Anderson dives in and grabs Sakiro's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sakiro pushes down on Anderson's head and hops out.
Anderson shoots in but no luck this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sakiro shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Anderson but Anderson pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Sakiro gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sakiro wants to break free but Anderson has control.

Anderson wants the takedown. Sakiro is fighting it off but Anderson persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Sakiro's guard against the cage.

Sakiro escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Anderson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sakiro 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.
Anderson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sakiro is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakiro trying to keep a closed guard but Anderson is proving a slippery customer.

Sakiro has his foot on Anderson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Anderson works his way back into a safe position though.
Sakiro preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Sakiro looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Anderson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sakiro works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Anderson looking to sit in guard and control but Sakiro gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sakiro stopping the sweep attempt from Anderson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Apollo Anderson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Anderson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Anderson looking to pass the guard.
Anderson throws and elbow that misses. Sakiro uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Anderson's guard. Nice move by Sakiro!
Sakiro throwing strikes from guard but Anderson blocks nicely.
Anderson controlling Sakiro's posture.
Anderson keeping moving, preventing Sakiro from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakiro being controlled here momentarily.
Sakiro works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sakiro throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sakiro not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Anderson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Anderson tries to get out of the position.
Anderson desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Anderson moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anderson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sakiro is one step ahead there.
Anderson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Anderson lands a nice shot to the head.
Anderson scoring with strikes but Sakiro is staying in there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sakiro is trying to stand.
Sakiro regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakiro blocking the ground and pound attempt from Anderson.
Sakiro wants to get back to his feet.
Anderson looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Apollo Anderson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Anderson's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Anderson scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Anderson passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Sakiro!
Anderson controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anderson with a couple of short strikes.
Sakiro is bucking up trying to escape but Anderson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Apollo Anderson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Anderson landing strikes from the mount and Sakiro is in trouble!
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!
Sakiro keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Anderson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Anderson trying to control but Sakiro is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakiro is working to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Apollo Anderson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Anderson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Apollo Anderson!