PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Legionarivs Sakara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and How Long (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakara's entrance music is The Rise of Sakara. A fine choice. Long has chosen The Anthem by Onra as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sakara
vs
Long

185 cm
37
200 lbs
27 - 17 - 1

191 cm
35
205 lbs
25 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Legionarivs Sakara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, How Long!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Francis DeMontford and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Long throws a sloppy head kick and Sakara moves out of range easily.
No joy there for Sakara, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sakara throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Long moves out of range of the strikes.
Long wants to clinch up but Sakara keeps it at a distance.
A chopping leg kick lands by Long.
Sakara misses with a straight right.
Long tries to counter by closing the distance.
Long misses with a hook.
Sakara misses with a double jab.
Long lands with a thumping leg kick.
That kick from Long tenderised Sakara's leg. Sakara is trying to keep his angry face on.
Long takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sakara, as that shot connected.
Sakara throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Long ducks under a wild hook from Sakara.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sakara throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Long is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Sakara.
Legionarivs Sakara is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sakara throws a lazy right hand but Long sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Jab, jab by Long - just one landing.
Long thows a left - swing and a miss!
An attempted straight right counter from Sakara misses the target.
Long ducks under a wild hook from Sakara.
Long tried to score with a low kick but Sakara checks it.
A little feinted left hand from Sakara on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Long connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sakara throws a series of strikes that have Long backpedaling.
Long is looking to clinch.
Sakara swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Long tries to score with a low kick but Sakara moves his leg out of the way.

Long moves into the clinch.
Long scores with a shoulder strike.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sakara lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Long tries to throw a body punch but Sakara avoids it by throwing Long back against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Long creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakara blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sakara swings wildly with an uppercut but Long uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sakara.

Sakara is fighting off a takedown attempt but Long is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Sakara to the mat. Sakara regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Long showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Let's hope that Long has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Long wants to control from the top but Sakara keeps moving.
Long missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sakara trying to control the position.
Long is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Sakara keeping moving, preventing Long from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Sakara is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Long.
An inside leg kick lands from Long.

Sakara has taken the fight to the clinch.
Sakara misses with the head strike.
Sakara struggles to land a body shot inside as Long controls his hands.
Long blocking some punches.
Long struggles to land a body shot inside as Sakara controls his hands.
A short right from Long on the inside.
Long lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Sakara taking a breather.
Long scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Long has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Sakara seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Long can turn it around.
Sakara blocks an uppercut.
Sakara struggles to land a body shot inside as Long controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Long.
Sakara misses with a punch to the body.
Sakara swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sakara blocking some punches.
Long lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Long working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sakara fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Long is trying to maintain a safe position but Sakara gets an underhook and turns Long into the cage.
Long misses with a hook to the ribs.
Sakara tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Long swings away with an uppercut that misses.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Long creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
I was talking to Sakara's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Long fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sakara is struggling to control the position.
A short right from Long on the inside.
Long lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sakara backwards.
Long slows down the pace here.
Sakara blocking some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

How Long dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Long shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sakara napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sakara takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Sakara is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sakara is working hard here to advance position.
Long working away.
Long misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Long looking to control but instead Sakara has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

Long is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Sakara is concentrating on defense, preventing Long from advancing position.
Sakara is looking to control Long's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sakara avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakara is trying to get back to full guard.
Sakara is staying active underneath Long, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Long landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Long is trying to control. Sakara wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Long trying to control the pace.
Sakara is refusing to be controlled, as Long sits in half guard.
Long controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sakara trying to control here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Long throws a leg kick that misses.
Legionarivs Sakara seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sakara connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
A big left from Long misses.
Long loads up on a big right hand but Sakara slips the punch.
A counter left hand to the body from Sakara misses its target.
Long throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sakara fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Sakara tries a head kick but it misses.
Long with a hook.
Long moves away from the strike by Sakara.
A jab from Long finds it's way through Sakara's defenses.
Long lands with a slapping head kick.
Sakara jabs Long to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sakara.
Long checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Sakara takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Sakara goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sakara misses with an uppercut.
Long throws a leg kick but Sakara moved away.
Long feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Sakara's calf.
Long throws a push kick but Sakara slaps the foot to one side.
Long lets loose with a powerful body kick. Sakara will feel that in the morning.
Sakara scores with a nice right hand.

It looks like How Long has been cut.
Sakara works Long's body with a nice hook.
Long lands a jab to Sakara's midsection.
Long cracks a nice hook into Sakara's ribs.
Long getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice body punch from Sakara.
Sakara misses with a wild body shot.
Long chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A swing and a miss from Sakara.
Long cracks Sakara with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Sakara throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sakara fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Long manages to avoid it.
Sakara misses with a hook

and Long counters by moving into the clinch.
Sakara blocking some punches.
Long throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Sakara swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sakara misses with a punch on the inside.
Long misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Sakara fails to land.
Long blocks a body shot from Sakara.
Sakara is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

How Long showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on How Long's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Long.
A slow jab from Sakara misses its intended target.
Sakara stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Sakara loads up on a big right hand but Long slips the punch.
Long tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Long fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Sakara checks it well.
Long misses with an attempted mid kick.
Sakara getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Sakara scores with a sloppy right hand. Long should have avoided that one.
Sakara misses with a hook.
Sakara showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Long.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Long throws a leg kick which misses Sakara's front leg but catches the back leg as Sakara tries to avoid it.
Sakara swings for the body but Long moves out of range.
Sakara is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakara moves forwards but Long connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Sakara looks to score with a jab to the body but Long is just out of range.
Long has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Long fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sakara throwing a counter right hand but Long manages to avoid it.
A lazy left from Long finds it's target.
Long scores with a sloppy right hand. Sakara should have avoided that one.
Long goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Sakara swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sakara fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Long forces Sakara back against the cage and clinches.
Sakara goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Long throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Sakaras head.
Long leaning against his opponent.
Long blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
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!
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Long tries to work over Sakara's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sakara misses with a body punch.
Long misses with a punch on the inside.
Legionarivs Sakara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
How Long is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakara misses with some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Sakara fails to land.
Sakara working aggressively here.
Long blocking some punches.
Sakara is trying to stall.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Sakara swings wildly with an uppercut but Long uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Long.
A head punch on the inside from Sakara fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakara misses with the head strike.
Sakara looking to stall.
Sakara fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sakara fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sakara misses with the head strike.
Long being controlled against the cage.
Sakara misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sakara has a couple of punches blocked by Long.
Sakara has a couple of punches blocked by Long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakara's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Sakara has a couple of punches blocked by Long.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Long creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Long as the two fighters clinch.
Long swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sakara misses with the head strike.
Sakara misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sakara tries to stall but Long uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Sakara lands a right hand that snaps the head of Long backwards.
Sakara tries to throw a body punch but Long avoids it by throwing Sakara back against the cage.
Sakara misses with a short punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Legionarivs Sakara.
Well Long has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... How Long!
A relieved looking How Long thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.