PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Takuma Sakazaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sami Kuhr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takuma Sakazaki has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Sakazaki
vs
Kuhr

195 cm
22
235 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

210 cm
20
219 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Takuma Sakazaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sami Kuhr!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kuhr misses with a head kick.
Kuhr avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Sakazaki moves into the clinch.
Sakazaki missing with knees to the body.
Sakazaki lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Sakazaki lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Sakazaki tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Kuhr.
Sakazaki throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kuhr taking some punishment here, with Sakazaki in his half guard.
Kuhr keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kuhr regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sakazaki wants to stand but Kuhr is controlling his posture from full guard.
Sakazaki lands a couple of elbows.
Sakazaki knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kuhr on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuhr has a closed guard, preventing Sakazaki from standing up.
Kuhr wants to stand up but Sakazaki is controlling him.
Kuhr is trying to keep Sakazaki in close.

Kuhr scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Kuhr looks gassed!

Sakazaki moves into range and clinches up with Kuhr.

Sakazaki has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Kuhr uses from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakazaki wants to stand up but Kuhr is controlling him.
Sakazaki can't keep his opponent in guard - Kuhr advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Kuhr wants to take a breather but Sakazaki is having none of it.
Sakazaki is trying to stand back up but Kuhr is controlling him
Sakazaki trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakazaki kicks off Kuhr and gets to his feet.
Sakazaki circles away from the clinch attempt

and Sakazaki counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Kuhr!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sakazaki raining down shots from the mount!
Sakazaki lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kuhr throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Kuhr is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakazaki cracks Kuhr with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Kuhr wants to hold on but Sakazaki pushes him away.
Kuhr keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Kuhr in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Sakazaki blocks Kuhr's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Kuhr is trying to escape the mount.
Sakazaki working the ground and pound effectively.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sakazaki scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sakazaki fails in his attempt to clinch.

Sakazaki darts in and clinches Kuhr up against the cage.
Kuhr tries to score a body lock takedown but Sakazaki shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Kuhr jumps into guard, dragging Sakazaki to the mat.
Sakazaki has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Sakazaki stands up from Kuhr's guard - Sakazaki perhaps looking for a knockout.
Sakazaki tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Kuhr counters with a takedown into side control.
Takuma Sakazaki overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kuhr tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

Sakazaki throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

Sakazaki gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuhr being controlled against the cage.

Sakazaki turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Sakazaki manages to end up in side control.
Sakazaki working the body and head with strikes.
Kuhr is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Sakazaki is controlling him well.

Sakazaki stands up.
Kuhr fails with the takedown

and Sakazaki counters by clinching up.
Sakazaki gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kuhr.
Takuma Sakazaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sami Kuhr.

Sakazaki has Kuhr pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Sakazaki pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Kuhr tumbling to the mat - Sakazaki dives into Kuhr's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakazaki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakazaki connects with a couple of short punches.

Kuhr has his foot on Sakazaki's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sakazaki works his way back into a safe position though.
Sakazaki wanted to stand there but Kuhr had control of the position.
Sakazaki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kuhr swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sakazaki is looking to stand up but Kuhr won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakazaki throwing strikes from guard but Kuhr blocks nicely.
Kuhr is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sakazaki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kuhr is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sakazaki is staying active underneath Kuhr, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sakazaki might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Kuhr seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Sakazaki is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Sami Kuhr!