PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sam Samuels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazushi Yamazaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Samuels
vs
Yamazaki

188 cm
25
212 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

186 cm
25
215 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sam Samuels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazushi Yamazaki!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Samuels ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Yamazaki moves away.
Kazushi Yamazaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yamazaki lands a body shot.
Samuels misses with a takedown attempt - Yamazaki sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Samuels showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Yamazaki.
Yamazaki ducks under a wild hook from Samuels.
Samuels shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Yamazaki as he jumps to the side.
Samuels ducks under a wild hook from Yamazaki.
Yamazaki ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Yamazaki misses with a jab, cross combination.
Samuels looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sam Samuels. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yamazaki steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Samuels.
Samuels dodges the punch combination from Yamazaki.
Yamazaki misses with a two punch combination.
Samuels pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Yamazaki throws a series of punches but Samuels moves out of range.
Samuels avoids a punch combination nicely.
Samuels fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamazaki tries to bum rush Samuels with a series of wild strikes but Samuels uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Yamazaki stalks Samuels and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Samuels's face. Samuels staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Sam Samuels has been cut.

Samuels shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Yamazaki's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Samuels wants to control from the top but Yamazaki keeps moving.
Samuels won't allow Yamazaki to get back to his feet.
Samuels trying to control but Yamazaki is working from the bottom.
Samuels stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yamazaki swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Samuels drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Samuels jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Yamazaki wants to sweep here but Samuels controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samuels wants to pass the guard but Yamazaki is keeping the position.
Samuels trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Yamazaki slips under a jab.
Yamazaki throws a series of punches but Samuels avoids them all with ease.
Yamazaki throws a series of punches but Samuels avoids them all with ease.
Samuels jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Yamazaki throws a combination. Samuels tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Samuels thows a left - swing and a miss!
Yamazaki lands with a nice combination. Samuels backs away looking to recover.
Nice cross by Yamazaki.

Sam Samuels's cut is getting worse.
Samuels shoots in but Yamazaki avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Samuels is breathing heavily.
It's a brutal combination of punches from Yamazaki! Samuels is backing up but he can't get away as Yamazaki lands with one final shot to the jaw that drops Samuels and ends the fight. Great knockout.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Kazushi Yamazaki!