PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hanamichi Sakuragi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sakuragi
vs
Rua

200 cm
24
170 lbs
4 - 11 - 0

187 cm
31
177 lbs
9 - 10 - 1

Good wrestling
Brawler
Experienced

ADCC Champion
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 4 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hanamichi Sakuragi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rafael Rua!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuragi swings widly with a right hand
and Rua counters with a stiff right hand.
Rua lands with a slapping head kick.
Rua misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sakuragi throws a combination that misses
and Rua counters with a nice body kick.
Sakuragi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sakuragi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sakuragi tries a head kick but it misses.
Sakuragi misses the shot to the body.
Sakuragi falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rua counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakuragi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sakuragi throws a right hand that misses
and Rua counters with a straight right hand.
Sakuragi misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Rua counters with a thumping low kick.
Rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sakuragi walks into a jab.
Rua digs a good hook to Sakuragi's body.
Rua pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Sakuragi back to the cage. Rua follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

Sakuragi is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuragi misses with a leg kick
and Rua counters with a leg kick.
Rua with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sakuragi is breathing heavily.
Sakuragi throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Rua to counter with a crisp jab.
Whack! Rua lands a heavy head kick that drops Sakuragi. The ref tackles Rua to stop the fight - a great save by the referee because Sakuragi was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:22 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Head Kick). Rafael Rua!