PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hickson Tiger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Masaki Sumitani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Tiger
vs
Sumitani

183 cm
27
185 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

185 cm
26
194 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hickson Tiger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masaki Sumitani!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shirou Masuda and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sumitani fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Tiger.
Tiger goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sumitani swinging wildly here.
Tiger throws a jab but it's blocked by Sumitani.
Sumitani moves out of range of the body kick from Tiger.
Tiger tries to clinch up but Sumitani circles away and keeps his distance.
Tiger moves out of range as Sumitani throws a body kick.
Tiger blocks a head kick by Sumitani.
Hickson Tiger seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sumitani connects with a body shot.
Sumitani chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tiger can pounce on him.
Tiger throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tiger looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sumitani goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sumitani throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Sumitani swats away the attempt to clinch by Tiger.
Sumitani works Tiger's body with a nice hook.
Sumitani tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sumitani lands a jab to Tiger's midsection.
Sumitani with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sloppy strikes from Sumitani. Those never looked like landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Tiger.
Sumitani throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tiger just misses with a punch to the body.
Tiger lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Sumitani blocks a low kick nicely.
Tiger tries to clinch up.
Tiger looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
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!
Tiger moves out of range of the body kick from Sumitani.
Sumitani throws a sloppy head kick and Tiger moves out of range easily.
Sumitani chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sumitani throws a low kick but it's checked well by Tiger.
No joy there for Sumitani, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sumitani throws a leg kick that misses.
Good shot there by Tiger.
Tiger fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sumitani has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Sumitani throws a right hand that misses
letting Tiger counter with a right hand.
Sumitani keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

Tiger has taken the fight to the clinch.
Tiger lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sumitani backwards.
Tiger misses with a knee strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tiger has Sumitani pushed against the cage.

Tiger breaks from the clinch.
Tiger walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Sumitani checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Sumitani avoids a kick to the body.
A head kick by Sumitani misses
and Tiger counters with a nice leg kick.
Tiger avoids the body shot from Sumitani.
A chopping leg kick lands by Sumitani.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sumitani checks a low kick from Tiger.
Sumitani takes one on the chin but seems OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Masaki Sumitani will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Tiger darts in and clinches Sumitani up against the cage.
Tiger tries to circle away but Sumitani has him pinned against the cage.
Tiger misses with a knee to the head.
Tiger is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sumitani is defending well for now.
Sumitani has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sumitani is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Tiger throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sumitani blocks it with crossed arms.
Tiger content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Tiger throws a knee to the head but misses.

Sumitani pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tiger looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Masaki Sumitani seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tiger uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sumitani.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sumitani pivots, looking for a leg kick but Tiger is out of range and Sumitani settles back down.
Tiger avoids the body shot from Sumitani.
Sumitani keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Sumitani misses with a double jab.
A head kick misses from Sumitani.
Tiger takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Sumitani tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tiger throws a lazy head kick
and Sumitani counters with a low kick, right behind Tiger 's knee.
A clash of legs there as Sumitani blocks the low kick.
Sumitani throws a head kick but Tiger moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sumitani throws a leg kick
and Tiger counters with a thumping low kick.
Sumitani avoids a kick to the body.
Tiger misses with a low kick.
Tiger throws an overhand right that lands on Sumitani's shoulder, as Sumitani tries to avoid the shot.

Tiger closes the distance and clinches.
Sumitani's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Sumitani is looking to break free of the clinch but Tiger has double underhooks.

Tiger breaks from the clinch.
Sumitani lands the left hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tiger avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sumitani thows a leg kick but Tiger checks it
and Tiger counters with a slapping leg kick.
Sumitani misses the shot to the body.
Jab from Tiger.
Tiger lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sumitani's sensitive parts.
Sumitani thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tiger lands a body shot.
Sumitani misses with a few strikes there.

Tiger moves into range and clinches up with Sumitani.
Tiger is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sumitani is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tiger pressing his opponent against the cage.
Tiger missing with knees to the body.
Tiger lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Tiger obliges.
Tiger is stalling here.

Tiger manages to break the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
That kick from Tiger tenderised Sumitani's leg. Sumitani is trying to keep his angry face on.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sumitani feints and then cracks Tiger's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Tiger down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hickson Tiger dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Tiger misses with a low kick.
Sumitani misses with a body shot
and Tiger counters with a nice leg kick.
Sumitani thows a body shot but no joy.
Tiger with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Tiger throws a low kick but it's checked well by Sumitani.
Tiger wants to clinch.
Sumitani misses the body punch
and Tiger counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
No joy there for Sumitani, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sumitani misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tiger blocks a head kick by Sumitani.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tiger moves in looking to clinch but Sumitani pushes him off.
Tiger is looking to clinch but Sumitani is avoiding it.
Tiger misses with a hook to the body
and Sumitani cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sumitani scores with a body shot.
Sumitani is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Tiger rather than just go for the knockout.
Tiger misses with a two punch combination.
Sumitani throws a nice outside leg kick.
Tiger looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Tiger thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tiger swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Sumitani counters with an outside leg kick.
Sumitani fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sumitani takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Sumitani misses with a low kick.
Sumitani tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sumitani punishes Tiger's body with a nice straight punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sumitani fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Sumitani blocks a jab.
Sumitani lands with a slapping head kick.
A head kick misses from Sumitani.
Sumitani looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sumitani will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tiger blocks a head kick by Sumitani.
A left lands for Tiger.
Tiger feints and then cracks Sumitani's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sumitani down.
Sumitani attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Tiger misses with a left hand
and Sumitani counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Tiger is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Tiger tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sumitani swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Tiger clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sumitani blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Tiger lands a hook that snaps the head of Sumitani backwards.
Tiger tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sumitani's elbow.
Tiger goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Sumitani's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sumitani misses with a low kick.
Tiger throws a leg kick which misses Sumitani's front leg but catches the back leg as Sumitani tries to avoid it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sumitani keeps the fight on the outside.
Sumitani jabs Tiger right on the nose. Tiger blinks but takes it well.
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!
Sumitani misses with a leg kick
and Tiger counters with a good low kick that Sumitani was not able to check.

And that's the end of the fight!
Masaki Sumitani comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sumitani 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Masaki Sumitani!