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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tsukune Shiba (ranked 1977 p4p, 235 weight class) and Steve Butabi (ranked 1924 p4p, 227 weight class). Shiba's entrance music is Fall Out Boy - The Phoenix. A fine choice. On his way into the cage it seems that Tsukune Shiba has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Tsukune Shiba seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?
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| 190 cm
24
193 lbs
7 - 5 - 0 |
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180 cm
24
180 lbs
17 - 9 - 0 |
Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin |
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Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin |
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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
7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tsukune Shiba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve Butabi!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shiba pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Butabi throws out a loose jab but Shiba uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shiba appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Shiba connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Shiba staying out of range there.
Butabi misses with a straight right.
Shiba takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Butabi doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Shiba takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Shiba looks to land a right hand but Butabi moved out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shiba misses with an uppercut.
A combination from Butabi does no damage.
Butabi misses with a straight left.
Butabi scores with a jab to the head.
A decent looking cross lands there for Butabi.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Butabi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Shiba.
Shiba connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Butabi's hands.
Shiba scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Shiba has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Butabi scores with a jab to the jaw.
Butabi looks to land a right hand but Shiba moved out of range.
A little feinted left hand from Shiba on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Nice defenses there by Butabi.
Butabi swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Butabi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Shiba counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Shiba displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Butabi throws out the jab.
Butabi drives through with a takedown into guard.
Butabi throws a strike but Shiba rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shiba wants to get up but he can't break Butabi's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Shiba scoring with punches to the head and body.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butabi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Shiba throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Shiba wants to control from the top but Butabi keeps moving.
Shiba throws a big elbow that misses.
Butabi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Shiba trying to control but Butabi is working from the bottom.
Butabi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Butabi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shiba throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shiba pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Butabi is keeping the position for now.
Butabi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Butabi keeping moving, preventing Shiba from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shiba decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Butabi staying out of range there.
Butabi looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A slow jab from Butabi misses its intended target.
Butabi might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Butabi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shiba ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Butabi moves away.
Shiba swings for the body but Butabi moves out of range.
Butabi takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Shiba keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Butabi.
A jab lands there for Butabi.
Butabi misses with a hook. Shiba ducked under it nicely.
Steve Butabi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shiba misses with a hook
and Butabi counters with a stiff right hand.
The fighters circle momentarily. Shiba darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Butabi slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Shiba looks to throw the jab but Butabi is out of range.
A big right from Butabi misses.
Shiba swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Butabi misses with an uppercut
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
and Shiba cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close round but I would say that Tsukune Shiba will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.
Butabi digs a good hook to Shiba's body.
Butabi looks to land a left hand but Shiba moved out of range nicely.
Butabi swings for the body but Shiba moves out of range.
Shiba takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Butabi misses with a right hand
and Shiba counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Butabi thinking.
Butabi throws a body shot but no joy.
Butabi misses the body punch
and Shiba counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Butabi moves out of range of the strikes.
Butabi misses with a body shot
and Shiba counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butabi blocks a jab.
Butabi throws a combination that misses
and Shiba counters with a stiff right hand.
Shiba uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Butabi.
Shiba avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Shiba misses with the combination.
Butabi lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Shiba at a distance.
Butabi ducks under a wild hook from Shiba.
Butabi lands a right hook to the body.
Good exchange - Shiba coming out on top.
Butabi takes a swing at Shiba's ribcage but misses.
Butabi fails to land the takedown.
A big right from Butabi misses.
Butabi just misses with a punch to the body.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Shiba.
Nice body punch from Shiba.
Shiba uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Butabi.
Butabi ducks under a wild hook from Shiba.
Butabi lands with an uppercut that bounces Shiba off the cage and back into range.
Tsukune Shiba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Butabi throws a shot from downtown. Shiba moves away and avoids it.
Butabi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shiba on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Shiba misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Shiba takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Shiba lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Butabi fails with a takedown attempt.
Tsukune Shiba is winning the standup battle so far.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shiba walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Shiba bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Shiba drops his hands momentarily and Butabi takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Butabi avoids the body shot from Shiba.
Butabi throws out a loose jab but Shiba uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shiba misses the shot to the body.
A jab from Shiba misses.
Butabi throws out a counter right but Shiba avoids it with no problem.
Shiba slips a straight right by Butabi.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shiba looks to score with a jab to the body but Butabi is just out of range.
Butabi appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Shiba takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Butabi fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Shiba looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Shiba throws a jab but it's blocked by Butabi.
A nice side step and Butabi releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Butabi staying out of range there.
Butabi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Shiba doesn't seem bothered though.
Shiba misses with a left hand
and Butabi counters with a shoot takedown. Shiba fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Butabi trying to control but Shiba is working from the bottom.
Butabi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Butabi stops Shiba from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Steve Butabi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!
Butabi misses with a straight right.
Butabi misses with a straight right.
Shiba showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Butabi.
Shiba throwing a counter right hand but Butabi manages to avoid it.
Butabi takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Shiba shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A combination from Butabi does no damage.
Shiba throws a body punch but Butabi moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shiba misses with a lunging right hand
and Butabi counters with a nice uppercut.
Shiba swings for the body but Butabi moves out of range.
Shiba misses with an uppercut
and Butabi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Butabi scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Butabi shoots in but no luck this time.
Butabi throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Butabi slips under a jab from Shiba.
Shiba missing with a left hand there. Butabi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Shiba misses the jab.
Butabi doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Shiba scores with a decent looking hook.
Butabi throws a lazy uppercut
and Shiba connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Butabi scores with a nice head shot.
Shiba takes a jab right on the kisser.
Butabi lands a body shot.
Shiba changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butabi misses the shot to the body.
Shiba tries to move into range but Butabi moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Butabi misses with a wild body shot.
Butabi takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Shiba throws a shot from downtown. Butabi moves away and avoids it.
Shiba misses with a straight left.
Shiba ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Butabi moves away.
Butabi jabs Shiba right on the nose. Shiba blinks but takes it well.
Butabi lands a head shot.
Shiba lands a nice looking body shot.
Shiba moves out of range of the strikes.
Shiba defending well as Butabi loads up on a big left hand.
Shiba was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butabi stalks Shiba and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Shiba's face. Shiba staggers backwards, shaken.
Shiba misses with a hook. Butabi ducked under it nicely.
Butabi misses with the combination.
Butabi lands with a shot to the body.
Butabi lands a nice shot to the body.
Shiba looks to land a left hand but Butabi moved out of range nicely.
Butabi connects with a good right hand that stumbles Shiba. Shiba circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Shiba takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Butabi lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butabi bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Shiba's head backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Butabi misses with a hook
and Shiba counters with a straight right hand.
Butabi throws a right hand that Shiba ducks under and follows up with a left that Shiba also avoids with ease.
Shiba looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Butabi misses with a jab to the body
and Shiba counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A big right from Shiba misses.
Butabi lands with a hook. Shiba tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Butabi scores with a sloppy right hand. Shiba should have avoided that one.
Shiba swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Butabi lands a slapping body shot.
Butabi lands a nice looking body shot.
Shiba takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Butabi misses with a body shot
and Butabi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Butabi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Butabi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Steve Butabi!
Steve Butabi thanked the fans post fight for their support.
Tsukune Shiba spoke after the fight, saying 'If anything, you know, I think losing makes me even more motivated.'.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
59% |
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