PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Lawry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takeshi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakuraba has chosen YLHCSD - Softer Cell as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lawry
vs
Sakuraba

188 cm
22
192 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

182 cm
26
199 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

BioPharm Nutrition

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 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Lawry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Takeshi Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Bruno Lombardi and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Sakuraba was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sakuraba lands a big shot there that rocks Lawry but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Lawry is trying to stand up.
Lawry is looking to improve his position but Sakuraba isn't that keen on the idea.
Lawry is squirming around, avoiding Sakuraba's attempts to control the action.
Sakuraba with the ground and pound from mount.
Sakuraba controlling the pace for now.
Lawry is trying to escape the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba unloading with bombs!
Sakuraba with a couple of short strikes.
Sakuraba looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Sakuraba controlling his opponent.
BOOM! Sakuraba connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lawry is trying to escape the mount.
Lawry is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Sakuraba connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sakuraba content just to control the position here.
Sakuraba working the ground and pound effectively.
Lawry can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba looking to finish Lawry with some ground and pound. This is bad for Lawry!
Sakuraba unloads with some shots from mount but Lawry bucks and avoids them well.
Sakuraba is landing with some decent strikes but Lawry is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Lawry is desperately trying to improve his position but Sakuraba has a good base and remains in mount.
Sakuraba takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Lawry is looking to improve his position but Sakuraba isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakuraba with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba controlling the pace for now.
Lawry is squirming around, avoiding Sakuraba's attempts to control the action.
Lawry tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sakuraba controlling the pace for now.
Sakuraba wants to control the pace but Lawry is squirming around nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
BOOM! Sakuraba connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeshi Sakuraba 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.

Lawry displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sakuraba.
Lawry throws a combination. Sakuraba tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Lawry tries to bum rush Sakuraba with a series of wild strikes but Sakuraba uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lawry throws a nice looking combination but Sakuraba bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lawry misses with a jab, cross combination.

Sakuraba closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakuraba is pressing down on Lawry's thigh, looking to free his foot. Lawry is holding on for now.
Lawry is trying to stand back up but Sakuraba is controlling him
Lawry landing small, sideways elbows.
Lawry pushes Sakuraba off looking to stand but Sakuraba dives back in and keeps control.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba with the ground and pound but Lawry uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Sakuraba is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Sakuraba trying to control but Lawry is working from the bottom.
Lawry is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sakuraba is controlling him.
Sakuraba wants to pass the guard but Lawry is keeping the position.
Sakuraba passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is looking to take a break and control but Lawry is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lawry tries to escape but Sakuraba is in control.
Sakuraba landing strikes.
Sakuraba is looking to take a break and control but Lawry is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lawry is pushing Sakuraba's head away, looking to escape. Sakuraba manages to hold on to the position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba trying to control the action but Lawry is working from the bottom.
Sakuraba working the head with strikes.
Lawry is not content to let Sakuraba control the position.
Lawry is trying to control Sakuraba's posture but Sakuraba avoids it.
Sakuraba fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Lawry's face as Sakuraba controls the position.
Sakuraba trying to control the position but Lawry is working away.
Sakuraba working the ground and pound.
Lawry is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Sakuraba asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
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! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Lawry throws a right hand that Sakuraba ducks under and follows up with a left that Sakuraba also avoids with ease.
Sakuraba wants to land a leg kick but Lawry is out of range.
Lawry's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Lawry duly obliges.
Lawry misses with a two punch combination.
Sakuraba tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lawry sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sakuraba somewhat.

Sakuraba fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Lawry sprawls well initially but Sakuraba persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Lawry wants to get back to his feet.
Sakuraba not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sakuraba has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawry is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Lawry is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
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 has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Lawry's face.
Sakuraba scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Sakuraba cracks Lawry with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lawry taking shots to the head.
The referee warns Lawry that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Lawry really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sakuraba wants to control the pace but Lawry is squirming around nicely.
Lawry is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Sakuraba is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Lawry can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Sakuraba tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba dominating with strikes here.
Sakuraba postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Lawry looks a forlorn figure.
Sakuraba can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lawry is looking to escape.
Sakuraba with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba controlling from the full mount.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mike Lawry has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sakuraba postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Lawry looks a forlorn figure.
Lawry in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Lawry is trying to escape the mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takeshi Sakuraba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sakuraba 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takeshi Sakuraba!
A less than humble Takeshi Sakuraba misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.