PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Takeshi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eduardo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakuraba comes into the arena with YLHCSD - Softer Cell blaring out of the sound system. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Sakuraba
vs
Gracie

182 cm
26
199 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

183 cm
25
192 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Powerful

Gilop®

[JMFC] Arashi Fighting Nutrition Q160 Recovery

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Takeshi Sakuraba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eduardo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Reed Andrews and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Sakuraba sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sakuraba just misses with a punch to the body.
Sakuraba tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sakuraba blocks a head kick by Gracie.
Gracie throws a sloppy head kick and Sakuraba moves out of range easily.
Sakuraba avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A punch combination from Gracie misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sakuraba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gracie throws a jab when Sakuraba was well out of range.
Sakuraba blocks a head kick by Gracie.

Sakuraba scores with a takedown into Gracie's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Sakuraba from controlling successfully.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Sakuraba throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sakuraba slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Takeshi Sakuraba has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gracie will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gracie swings for the body but Sakuraba moves out of range.
Gracie misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Some wild striking there from Gracie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a body punch but Sakuraba moves out of range.
Sakuraba tries to land a leg kick but Gracie saw it coming and moves away.
Gracie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Takeshi Sakuraba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sakuraba moves away.

Sakuraba drives through and clinches with Gracie against the cage.
Gracie has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Sakuraba gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is trying to control but can't.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gracie manages to get to full guard.
Gracie controls Sakuraba momentarily but Sakuraba frees himself.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sakuraba looking to pass the guard.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is in close to Gracie's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sakuraba sitting in guard here, content to control.
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sakuraba trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeshi Sakuraba dominated that round.
That's time! Sakuraba's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gracie throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Sakuraba pushes Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Sakuraba has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Gracie is trying to keep an underhook but Sakuraba manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Sakuraba wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
Gracie manages to get to full guard.
Sakuraba trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sakuraba wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Sakuraba is working hard here to advance position.
Sakuraba with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sakuraba preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.
Gracie can't keep his opponent in guard - Sakuraba advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Gracie is trying to control but Sakuraba manages to pass to mount!
Sakuraba looking to control but Gracie is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Gracie is looking to get back to full guard here but Sakuraba has managed to pass to side control instead.
Sakuraba in side control, throwing shots but Gracie defends.
Gracie struggling a bit here.
Sakuraba grinds an elbow into Gracie's temple.
Gracie tries to bench press Sakuraba off him but Sakuraba keeps the position.
Gracie gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sakuraba is stalling here. Gracie is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Sakuraba seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Gracie has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Sakuraba is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Gracie trying to control from half guard but Sakuraba is working away.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Sakuraba is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sakuraba is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gracie prevents Sakuraba from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeshi Sakuraba dominated that second round.
That's time! Sakuraba's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Sakuraba is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Sakuraba tries to land a leg kick but Gracie saw it coming and moves away.
Gracie is looking to land body kicks.

Sakuraba closes the distance and clinches.

Sakuraba is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Gracie can't fight it off and eventually Sakuraba manages to take the fight to the floor. Gracie looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Sakuraba is proving a slippery customer.

Gracie has his feet on Sakuraba's thighs here. He's pushed Sakuraba off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Sakuraba screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Eduardo Gracie!
After the big win, Eduardo Gracie made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors [JMFC] Arashi Fighting Nutrition Q160 Recovery and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.