PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Pawel Szulkowski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takeshi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Szulkowski comes to the ring accompanied by Turn! Turn! Turn!. Sakuraba has chosen YLHCSD - Softer Cell as his entrance music. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Szulkowski
vs
Sakuraba

202 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
199 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pawel Szulkowski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Takeshi Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Steve Montenegro and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Szulkowski just misses with a punch to the body.
Szulkowski really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Sakuraba moves into the clinch.
Szulkowski using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sakuraba has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Szulkowski tries to land a knee to the head but Sakuraba blocks with his arms.
Szulkowski tries a knee to the head but Sakuraba blocks it.
Szulkowski misses with a knee to the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Szulkowski.
Sakuraba takes an elbow to the temple.
Szulkowski tries to land a knee to the head but Sakuraba blocks with his arms.
Szulkowski misses with a knee strike.
Sakuraba has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Szulkowski avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Szulkowski misses with a knee strike.
Sakuraba is working for takedown but Szulkowski is calmly controlling the position for now.
Szulkowski looking to throw knees to the head but Sakuraba is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szulkowski working Sakuraba over with knees to the body.
Szulkowski gets underhooks to prevent Sakuraba's takedown attempt.
Pawel Szulkowski has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Takeshi Sakuraba.
Szulkowski gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Sakuraba tries for a takedown. No joy.
Szulkowski tries to land knees in the clinch but Sakuraba avoids the damage to the body.
Szulkowski lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Sakuraba goes for a takedown attempt but Szulkowski pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Szulkowski dips to his left and cracks Sakuraba with an uppercut!
Szulkowski connects with a leg kick. Sakuraba looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Szulkowski as he jumps to the side.
Pawel Szulkowski is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sakuraba looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Sakuraba has managed to clinch.
Szulkowski throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Szulkowski scores with a knee to the head.
Szulkowski with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sakuraba has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Szulkowski is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Szulkowski with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Szulkowski with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Szulkowski tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Szulkowski misses with a knee to the head.
Sakuraba is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Szulkowski gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Szulkowski gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szulkowski with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Szulkowski with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Szulkowski with a knee to the head.
Sakuraba managing to block the knees to the body from Szulkowski.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Szulkowski just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sakuraba's brow.
Szulkowski pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Szulkowski pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Szulkowski misses with a knee to the head.
Szulkowski comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Sakuraba managing to block the knees to the body from Szulkowski.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szulkowski misses with a knee to the head.
Szulkowski throws an elbow that misses.
Sakuraba takes an elbow to the temple.
Szulkowski throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Sakuraba has hold of one of Szulkowski's legs. Szulkowski is fighting the takedown attempt but Sakuraba gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Sakuraba controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakuraba throwing strikes from guard but Szulkowski blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pawel Szulkowski dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sakuraba pushes Szulkowski up against the ropes in a clinch.
Sakuraba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Szulkowski is pressed up against the ropes. Sakuraba has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Szulkowski down to the mat. Szulkowski avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Szulkowski closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Szulkowski lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Szulkowski tries to land a knee to the head but Sakuraba blocks with his arms.
Szulkowski lands an elbow just above Sakuraba 's eye.
Sakuraba avoids the elbow strike from Szulkowski, against the ropes.
Szulkowski throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sakuraba blocks it with crossed arms.
Szulkowski throws a knee to the head but misses.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Szulkowski looking to throw knees to the head but Sakuraba is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szulkowski putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Sakuraba in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Sakuraba can't get the takedown.
Szulkowski landing knees to the head.
Szulkowski using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sakuraba has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Szulkowski tries a knee to the head but Sakuraba blocks it.

Sakuraba has Szulkowski pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Sakuraba pulls back from the ropes and twists to the side, sending Szulkowski tumbling to the mat - Sakuraba dives into Szulkowski's guard.
Sakuraba has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sakuraba sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Szulkowski's guard.
Sakuraba has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szulkowski can't escape the position.
Szulkowski knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sakuraba on the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sakuraba breaks from Szulkowski's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Sakuraba controlling from mount.
Sakuraba looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Szulkowski looks a forlorn figure.
Szulkowski is trying to escape the mount.
Szulkowski tries to hold on but Sakuraba pushes him away.
Sakuraba trying to control but Szulkowski is having none of it.
Sakuraba raining down shots from the mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Sakuraba in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sakuraba with the ground and pound from mount.
Sakuraba trying to control but Szulkowski is having none of it.
Szulkowski taking shots to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Szulkowski is in a horrible position here. Sakuraba smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeshi Sakuraba showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sakuraba gets a clinch.

It looks like Pawel Szulkowski has been cut.
Szulkowski is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sakuraba is defending well for now.
Szulkowski throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Sakuraba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Szulkowski with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Szulkowski misses with an elbow over the top.
Szulkowski landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Szulkowski tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Szulkowski looking to throw knees to the head but Sakuraba is blocking nicely.
Szulkowski throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sakuraba blocks the elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szulkowski misses with a knee to the head.
Szulkowski misses with a knee strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Szulkowski tries to land knees in the clinch but Sakuraba avoids the damage to the body.
Szulkowski missing with knees to the body.
Sakuraba is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Szulkowski gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba managing to block the knees to the body from Szulkowski.
Szulkowski tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sakuraba wants a takedown but no success here.
Pawel Szulkowski has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Takeshi Sakuraba.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szulkowski is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sakuraba is defending well for now.
Szulkowski looking to throw knees to the head but Sakuraba is blocking nicely.
Sakuraba is working for takedown but Szulkowski is calmly controlling the position for now.

Sakuraba turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Sakuraba is looking to take a break and control but Szulkowski is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sakuraba working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is looking to take a break and control but Szulkowski is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sakuraba moves into full mount!
Sakuraba putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sakuraba trying to control but Szulkowski is having none of it.
Sakuraba tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba working Szulkowski over with strikes here.
Sakuraba in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Pawel Szulkowski's cut is getting worse.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakuraba landing strikes, looking to finish!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Sakuraba cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Sakuraba can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Szulkowski is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takeshi Sakuraba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sakuraba has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight for Takeshi Sakuraba!
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight for Takeshi Sakuraba!
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight for Takeshi Sakuraba!

Takeshi Sakuraba wins by unanimous decision!