PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between King Diamond (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hideo Sakurai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Sakurai's choice of entrance music: Freestyle - Don't Stop The Rock. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Diamond
vs
Sakurai

167 cm
29
165 lbs
12 - 10 - 1

173 cm
25
166 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Decent wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 10 - 1, fighting out of New York, King Diamond!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hideo Sakurai!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diamond throws an off balance right hand
and Sakurai counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like King Diamond has been cut.
Sakurai misses with a lunging right hand
and Diamond counters with a nice uppercut.
Diamond lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Diamond just misses with a punch to the body.
Diamond misses with a hook
and Sakurai counters with a stiff right hand.
Diamond looks to land a right hand but Sakurai moved out of range.

Diamond forces Sakurai back against the cage and clinches.
Sakurai is trying to break the clinch but Diamond has him pressed against the cage.
Good body shot from Sakurai.
A short left from Sakurai.
Sakurai tries to break free but Diamond pushes him back against the cage.
Sakurai works on Diamond's body with a couple of short punches.
Sakurai swings wildly with an uppercut but Diamond uses good head movement to avoid it.

Sakurai escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Diamond wants to clinch but Sakurai slips to the side
letting Sakurai counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Diamond looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Diamond works the jab nicely.
Sakurai uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diamond.
As Diamond backs off Sakurai throws a huge counter combo but Diamond manages to avoid it all.
Sakurai takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Hideo Sakurai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sakurai throws a jab when Diamond was well out of range.
Diamond changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Diamond swings away with a body shot that misses
and Sakurai counters with a straight right hand.
Diamond swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Sakurai counters with a straight right hand.
Sakurai has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Diamond fails in his attempt to clinch.

Diamond gets a clinch.
Diamond tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Sakurai's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Diamond bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Diamond catches Sakurai with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

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!
Diamond tries to clinch
and Sakurai counters with a nice uppercut.

Diamond has taken the fight to the clinch.
Sakurai lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Diamond wants a takedown.
Sakurai is pressed up against the cage. Diamond has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Sakurai down to the mat. Sakurai avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for King Diamond. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diamond misses the shot to the body.
Sakurai takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Sakurai keeps the fight on the outside.
Sakurai takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Diamond scores with a nice head shot.
Diamond swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
As Diamond backs off Sakurai throws a huge counter combo but Diamond manages to avoid it all.
Diamond throws a body punch but Sakurai moves out of range.
Diamond takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Diamond throws a right hand that misses
enabling Sakurai to counter with a crisp jab.

King Diamond's cut is getting worse.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Diamond at a distance.
Sakurai throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Diamond keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sakurai.
Diamond tries for a takedown but Sakurai circles away easily
and Sakurai counters with a stiff right hand.
Sakurai looks to land a left hand but Diamond moved out of range nicely.
Diamond throws a right and a left that both miss.
A countering left hand to the body from Sakurai misses.
Sakurai connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Diamond avoids the body shot from Sakurai.
Diamond is looking to clinch.

Oooooh!!! Sakurai has knocked Diamond down with a huge combo! Sakurai steps away and waves a wobbly Diamond back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Diamond is rocked!
Sakurai is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Diamond had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Diamond throws a right hand that misses
and Sakurai makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Oh Diamond is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diamond takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Sakurai fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Diamond to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Diamond looks to clinch but Sakurai throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Diamond taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:09 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Hideo Sakurai!
A relieved looking Hideo Sakurai thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
The defeated King Diamond had this to say: 'Thanks to all the fans, I'll be back!!'.