PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Emilio Todd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hanamichi Sakuragi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Todd
vs
Sakuragi

156 cm
19
193 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
24
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 Tokyo, Emilio Todd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hanamichi Sakuragi!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Shirou Masuda and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Todd wants to clinch
and Sakuragi counters with a straight right hand.
Sakuragi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Sakuragi gets a clinch.
Todd tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sakuragi just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sakuragi displaying some good clinch control by pressing Todd up against the cage.
Todd is trying to drag Sakuragi to the mat but Sakuragi just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Sakuragi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Todd could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Todd wants to clinch up but Sakuragi keeps it at a distance.
Todd moves to clinch but Sakuragi breaks away
and Sakuragi counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Emilio Todd has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sakuragi moves into range and clinches up with Todd.
Sakuragi stalling.
Todd fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emilio Todd. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sakuragi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Todd tries to clinch
and Sakuragi counters with a straight right hand.

Todd is rocked!
Todd wants to clinch

and Sakuragi counters by clinching up.

Sakuragi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Sakuragi lands a huge takedown. Todd is out but the ref is slow to react and Sakuragi lands 3 more undefended punches before the fight is stopped. Brutal finish. Todd lies on the canvas for a good minute before the doctors bring him round. Good to see he's OK.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hanamichi Sakuragi!