PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Santana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazahiro Murakami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Santana
vs
Murakami

182 cm
22
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bruno Santana!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazahiro Murakami!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Hirohito Nitta and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A clash of legs there as Santana blocks the low kick.
Murakami throws a shot to the body.
Santana fails with a takedown attempt.
Santana ducks under a wild hook from Murakami.
Murakami throws a low kick but Santana avoids it.
A leg kick checked by Santana.

Murakami gets a clinch.
Murakami tries to land knees in the clinch but Santana avoids the damage to the body.
Murakami misses with a knee strike.

Murakami turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Murakami stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Santana.
Santana in side control, just content to control the action for now.

Santana tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Santana has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santana in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Santana throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Murakami can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santana fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Murakami sneaks out the side door and pushes Santana away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Santana steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Murakami.
Santana chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Murakami can pounce on him.
Santana defending well as Murakami loads up on a big left hand.
Murakami tries to close the distance and clinch but Santana swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Murakami throws a right and a left that Santana avoids nicely.
A big right from Murakami misses.
Murakami throws a hook to the side of Santana's head but Santana sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Santana fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Murakami misses with the combination.
Murakami misses with a looping left.
Kazahiro Murakami is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Santana decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Santana is looking to take a break and control but Murakami is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santana is working for a submission of some sort.
Murakami is not content to let Santana control the position.

Santana is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Murakami sees it coming and defends easily.
Santana passes the guard and advances to mount!
Murakami is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Santana sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Santana controlling from mount.
Murakami tries to lock up and control but Santana gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Murakami is desperately trying to improve his position but Santana has a good base and remains in mount.
Santana punching from mount but Murakami doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Santana looking to control but Murakami is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Santana pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kazahiro Murakami 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.

Santana fails to land the takedown.
Murakami blocks a low kick nicely.
Murakami connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Murakami is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Santana.
Murakami misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Santana.
Murakami turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Murakami misses with a body kick.
Murakami with a jab.
Santana shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Murakami but Murakami pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Murakami lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Murakami throws a chopping leg kick but Santana manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Murakami slaps away a takedown attempt from Santana, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruno Santana. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murakami fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Santana checks a low kick from Murakami.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murakami displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Santana.
Murakami rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Santana moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Murakami is looking to score with low kicks.
Santana missing with a left hand there. Murakami was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Murakami tries to work over Santana's front leg with a kick but Santana checks it.
Murakami lands a nice leg kick that just misses Santana's sensitive parts.
Murakami throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Santana on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Murakami. Murakami obviously looking to wear him down.
Murakami tries to bum rush Santana with a series of wild strikes but Santana uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Murakami lands a right hook to the body.

Murakami moves into the clinch successfully.
Santana looking for a takedown.
Murakami misses with a knee strike.
Murakami throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Murakami connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Bruno Santana has been cut.

Murakami lands a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murakami is looking to stand up but Santana won't let him.
Santana bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Murakami's guard.
Santana tries to free his leg and advance position but Murakami is retaining full guard.
Santana advances to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santana is trying to control. Murakami wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Santana not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Murakami is staying active underneath Santana, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Murakami is looking to improve his position.
Santana is trying to control. Murakami wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Murakami is looking to escape.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Some wild striking there from Murakami.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murakami cracks Santana with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Santana closes the distance and clinches up with Murakami, looking for a takedown. Santana pushes Murakami against the cage but Murakami circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Bruno Santana is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Santana shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Santana prevents Murakami from standing back up.
Murakami is staying active underneath Santana, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Santana is looking for a kimura here.
Murakami is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murakami won't allow Santana to pass to mount.
Murakami is trying to stand back up but Santana is controlling him
Santana trying to control the action but Murakami is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Murakami is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Santana.
Murakami throws a leg kick but Santana sees it coming and moves out of range.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses.
Good exchange - Murakami coming out on top.
Santana shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Murakami but Murakami pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A looping hook to the body misses from Murakami. Santana does a little dance to reset his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazahiro Murakami showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bruno Santana's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Murakami throws a series of punches but Santana avoids them all with ease.
Murakami fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Santana is out of range.
Santana shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Murakami defends it nicely.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Santana.
Murakami shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Santana tries for a takedown but Murakami sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruno Santana. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murakami misses with a wild combination.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murakami throws a big shot that misses.
Murakami is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Murakami chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murakami pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Murakami clinches up against the cage.
Murakami lands an uppercut.

Murakami wants the takedown. Santana is fighting it off but Murakami persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Santana's guard against the cage.
Santana controls Murakami momentarily but Murakami frees himself.
Murakami wants to stand but Santana has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Santana working for a triangle but Murakami defends it easily.
Murakami really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Santana. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Murakami wants to stand but Santana has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Murakami stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Nice straight punches there by Murakami. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Murakami.
Santana on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Santana chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Murakami can pounce on him.
Santana bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Murakami throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Murakami is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Santana.
Murakami is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Santana looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Murakami keeps Santana at a distance using the push kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Murakami lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Santana has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Santana and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Murakami.
Murakami connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Santana shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Murakami sprawls well. Murakami wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Santana gets slowly back to his feet.
Santana moves out of range of the leg kick from Murakami.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Murakami.
Santana shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Murakami defends it nicely.
Santana is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Murakami leaves Santana with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Santana avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Santana blocks a leg kick.
Murakami scores with a crisp jab that stopped Santana in his tracks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Santana slips a jab from Murakami.
Murakami throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Santana takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Murakami throws a nice outside leg kick.
Bruno Santana has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Murakami throws out a powerful jab.
Murakami looks to land a left hand but Santana moved out of range nicely.
Murakami throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Murakami throws a hook to the side of Santana's head but Santana sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Murakami misses with a hook.
Murakami stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Murakami wants it to stay on the feet.
Santana shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Murakami pinned against the cage. Murakami gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Murakami tries to clinch but Santana moves out of range.
Kazahiro Murakami is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Murakami throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Santana.
Good exchange - Murakami coming out on top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kazahiro Murakami comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Murakami winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kazahiro Murakami!