PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Satoshi Nagayama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazushi Sakuraba (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.

Nagayama
vs
Sakuraba

184 cm
25
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Satoshi Nagayama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazushi Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Taro Takaoka and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba fails with the takedown
and Nagayama counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Sakuraba tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Nagayama counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nagayama scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakuraba takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sakuraba throws a predictable looking body shot
and Nagayama counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba tries to clinch up
and Nagayama counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A shot to the liver by Nagayama. Beautiful body shot.
Nagayama is looking to wear down Sakuraba with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Nagayama lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Sakuraba at a distance.
Nagayama dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Sakuraba tries for a takedown but Nagayama circles away easily
and Nagayama counters with a straight right hand.

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.
Sakuraba darts in trying to clinch
and Nagayama makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sakuraba misses with a takedown
and Nagayama counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Satoshi Nagayama has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kazushi Sakuraba.
Sakuraba throws a combination that misses
and Nagayama counters with a right hand to the body.
Sakuraba gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Nagayama counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sakuraba thinking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sakuraba takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Sakuraba throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Nagayama counters with an outside leg kick.
Nagayama fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sakuraba looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sakuraba shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Nagayama counters with a nice body shot.
Kazushi Sakuraba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nagayama connects with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nagayama throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sakuraba with a poor takedown
and Nagayama counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sakuraba shoots and misses
and Nagayama connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sakuraba looks gassed!
Sakuraba looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Sakuraba with a poor takedown
and Nagayama counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sakuraba on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sakuraba tries for a takedown but Nagayama circles away easily
and Nagayama counters with a left to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Satoshi Nagayama dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sakuraba doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Sakuraba shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Nagayama counters with a nice uppercut.
Sakuraba moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Nice sprawl there from Nagayama as Sakuraba shoots in.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nagayama displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sakuraba.
Satoshi Nagayama has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kazushi Sakuraba.
Nagayama circles away from the clinch attempt
and Nagayama counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sakuraba thinking.
Sakuraba is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagayama lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Sakuraba wants to clinch but Nagayama slips to the side
and Nagayama counters with a straight right hand.
Nagayama lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Sakuraba at a distance.
Sakuraba shoots and misses
and Nagayama counters with a low kick, right behind Sakuraba 's knee.
Sakuraba tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Nagayama counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kazushi Sakuraba is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Nagayama stuffs the takedown.
Sakuraba wants to clinch but Nagayama slips to the side
and Nagayama counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
No luck for Sakuraba with that takedown attempt.
Nagayama throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sakuraba closes the distance looking to clinch
and Nagayama counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nagayama stuffs the takedown attempt from Sakuraba. Sakuraba gets slowly back to his feet.
Nagayama lands a nice shot to the body.
Sakuraba throws a left and a right that both miss
and Nagayama counters with a straight right hand.
A shot to the liver by Nagayama. Beautiful body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Nagayama defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sakuraba.
Nagayama works the jab nicely.
Nagayama cracks a nice hook into Sakuraba's ribs.
Sakuraba is trying desperately to land a takedown but Nagayama is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Sakuraba.
Nagayama thuds a left hand into Sakuraba's body.
Nagayama fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sakuraba looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Nagayama lands a nice looking body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sakuraba throws a sloppy head kick
and Nagayama counters with a lovely shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Satoshi Nagayama dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A low kick from Nagayama is predictable there
and Sakuraba counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Sakuraba on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
A lazy left from Nagayama finds it's target.
Sakuraba tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sakuraba tries to land a front kick but Nagayama steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakuraba with a poor takedown
and Nagayama counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sakuraba thinking.
Sakuraba takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nagayama turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Nagayama ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Nagayama dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Sakuraba doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Nagayama lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Sakuraba looks for the body kick but Nagayama saw that one coming.
Nagayama fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Sakuraba misses the body punch
and Nagayama counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sakuraba thinking.
Nagayama dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Sakuraba darts in trying to clinch
and Nagayama cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Satoshi Nagayama is winning the standup battle so far.
Nice shot lands for Nagayama.
Nagayama fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Nagayama counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sakuraba thinking.
Sakuraba falls off balance throwing a combination
and Nagayama counters with a nice uppercut.
Sakuraba misses the body punch
letting Nagayama counter with a right hand.
Sakuraba closes the distance but Nagayama moves to the side
enabling Nagayama to counter with a crisp jab.
Sakuraba tries for a takedown but Nagayama circles away easily
and Nagayama counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Satoshi Nagayama is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Sakuraba misses with a takedown
and Nagayama cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Satoshi Nagayama has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kazushi Sakuraba.
Sakuraba tries to clinch
and Nagayama cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nagayama throws a shot to the body.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nagayama changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Kazushi Sakuraba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nagayama throws a chopping leg kick but Sakuraba manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Satoshi Nagayama showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nagayama has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Satoshi Nagayama!