PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mitsuomi Sakata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Boredom Eternal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakata comes to the cage accompanied by Ketsunoke vs Shirinoke by Gintama OST. Eternal is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Pelageya & Darya Moroz-Oy, da ne vecher (russian folk music). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Sakata
vs
Eternal

183 cm
26
210 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

188 cm
32
220 lbs
21 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mitsuomi Sakata!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Boredom Eternal!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakata lands a glancing blow to the side of Eternal's head.
A cross from Eternal lands.
Sakata showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Eternal.
Sakata thuds his right hand into Eternal's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Sakata will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Eternal slips a straight right by Sakata.
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!
Eternal avoids the body shot from Sakata.
Sakata throws the left hand but Eternal avoids the punch easily.
Sakata throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Eternal keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sakata cracks Eternal with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Mitsuomi Sakata seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Eternal misses with a head kick.
Sakata takes a swing at Eternal's ribcage but misses.
Eternal throws a head kick that misses.
Eternal throws a nice looking combination but Sakata bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Eternal slips a straight right by Sakata.
Sakata throws a head kick but Eternal moves out of range.
Sakata just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eternal tries for a takedown but Sakata sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Eternal feints and as Sakata raises his hands in defense, Eternal changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Eternal showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Eternal's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Eternal forces his way into half guard.
Eternal performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Eternal is pressing down on Sakata's thigh, looking to free his foot. Sakata is holding on for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eternal not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sakata wants to control but Eternal is keeping busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sakata throws a body punch but Eternal moves out of range.
Eternal moves out of range of the body kick.
Sakata throws a head kick that misses.
Sakata fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Sakata gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Eternal pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sakata is keeping the position for now.
Eternal postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eternal passes into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sakata keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sakata wants to control but Eternal is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Eternal throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sakata has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakata has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Eternal is working away from the top position though.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Eternal works his way into full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Boredom Eternal will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sakata looks to throw the jab but Eternal is out of range.
Sakata gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Sakata throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sakata throws a series of punches but Eternal moves out of range.
Sakata misses the shot to the body.
Sakata throws a head kick that misses.
Eternal blocks a jab.
Sakata looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Eternal lands with a cross.
Sakata thows a body shot but no joy.
Sakata thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Eternal if he has to take too many more of those.
Sakata avoids the head kick by Eternal.
A jab from Eternal misses.
Eternal on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Some wild striking there from Eternal.
Eternal doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eternal takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sakata keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Sakata scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Sakata throws a series of strikes that have Eternal backpedaling.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sakata tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Eternal was well out of range. Poor timing from Sakata.
Mitsuomi Sakata is winning the standup battle so far.

Sakata lands a big head kick that sends Eternal tumbling to the mat! Sakata takes a step backwards and waves Eternal back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Eternal is rocked!
Eternal comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Eternal looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sakata is fending him off so far but Eternal persists. Nope, Sakata circles away and we're back to standing.
Sakata jabs at Eternal's body.
Eternal is breathing heavily.
Sakata pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Eternal avoids the body shot from Sakata.
A head kick misses from Sakata.
Sakata showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Eternal.
Sakata pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakata uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Eternal has time to react.
Sakata pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Eternal avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sakata lands with a slapping head kick.
Eternal misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Eternal uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sakata.
Sakata misses with a double jab.
Sakata throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Sakata throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Eternal counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Eternal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sakata keeps working.
Eternal missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eternal winds up and cracks Sakata with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Eternal thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Eternal is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Eternal is keen to just control but Sakata is a slippery customer.
Sakata wants to control but Eternal is keeping busy.
Eternal has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Eternal missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eternal is stalling here. Sakata is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Eternal seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Sakata has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Eternal is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Eternal is trying to buck Sakata off.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sakata content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitsuomi Sakata dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Nice body punch from Sakata.
Sakata tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Eternal connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Eternal uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sakata.
Eternal slips a jab and a cross from Sakata.
Sakata fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Sakata misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sakata throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Eternal keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice jab there from Eternal.
Sakata throws an off balance right hand

and Eternal counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Eternal is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Eternal is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eternal tries to pass the half guard into mount. Sakata knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Eternal thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sakata blocking the ground and pound attempt from Eternal.
Sakata is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Eternal scores with a couple of nice shots.
Eternal trying to control the action but Sakata is working from the bottom.
Eternal trying to control from Sakata's half guard. Sakata has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Eternal throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eternal is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Eternal trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakata is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Boredom Eternal has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Sakata swings for the body but Eternal moves out of range.
Eternal's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Sakata connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Eternal scrambles back to his feet.
Eternal throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Sakata just misses with a punch to the body.
Sakata throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sakata throws the left hand but Eternal avoids the punch easily.
Sakata swings widly with a right hand

and Eternal counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
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!
Eternal looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eternal trying to control from half guard but Sakata is working away.
Eternal not landing any meaningful shots this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Boredom Eternal has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Sakata misses with a low kick as Eternal jumps back.
Eternal displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sakata throws out the jab.
Sakata throws a half hearted mid kick.
Sakata takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Boredom Eternal comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Eternal 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mitsuomi Sakata!
In his post fight interview, Mitsuomi Sakata gave a big smile as he said 'Minnasan, arigatou gozaimasu! Ore wa sugoku ureshii desu! Yatta!'.