PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ginchin Funakoshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazushi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakuraba is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Sakuraba Entrance. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Funakoshi
vs
Sakuraba

185 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

183 cm
20
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Nancy Botwin's Herbal Nutritions

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ginchin Funakoshi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazushi Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Hirohito Nitta and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba fails in his attempt to clinch.
Funakoshi ducks under a wild hook from Sakuraba.
Funakoshi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Funakoshi scores a takedown into full mount!
Sakuraba is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Funakoshi is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Sakuraba can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Sakuraba is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Funakoshi looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Sakuraba wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba looks gassed!

Funakoshi is going olschool here, as he tries to force Sakuraba to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Sakuraba shrugs it off.
Sakuraba's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

Funakoshi looking for a guillotine from mount but Sakuraba is having none of it.
Sakuraba is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

Funakoshi looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Sakuraba should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Sakuraba really wants to buck Funakoshi off and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Funakoshi working for a submission but Sakuraba is keeping him at bay.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Sakuraba somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Sakuraba tries to clinch there but Funakoshi circles away.
A telegraphed right hand from Sakuraba misses the target.
Funakoshi shoots in but Sakuraba avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sakuraba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sakuraba misses with a wild combination.
Funakoshi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
No luck for Funakoshi with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ginchin Funakoshi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Funakoshi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kazushi Sakuraba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sakuraba tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Funakoshi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ginchin Funakoshi dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Funakoshi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sakuraba looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sakuraba tries to clinch up but Funakoshi circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sakuraba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Funakoshi slips a jab and a cross from Sakuraba.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Danga de danga de dang - Sakuraba scores with a four punch combination!

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sakuraba stops a takedown attempt from Funakoshi.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sakuraba.
Sakuraba gets through Funakoshi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sakuraba throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Sakuraba scores with a hook to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sakuraba fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sakuraba working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Funakoshi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sakuraba lands a nice elbow.
Sakuraba prevents a takedown attempt there.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba is working Funakoshi over against the ropes.
Sakuraba lands a shot to the body.
Sakuraba lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Stalling in the clinch from Sakuraba.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba lands a left hand that snaps the head of Funakoshi backwards.
Sakuraba lands with a short head shot on the inside.

It looks like Ginchin Funakoshi has been cut.
Sakuraba digs a right hand into Funakoshi's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Funakoshi's gas tank.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sakuraba presses Funakoshi against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Sakuraba lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short body shot lands from Sakuraba as the two fighters clinch.
Sakuraba tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch on the inside from Sakuraba fails to land.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Sakuraba creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A right hook to the body lands for Sakuraba.
Sakuraba lands an uppercut.
Sakuraba lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Sakuraba misses with a punch on the inside.
Sakuraba lands a shoulder strike.
Sakuraba lands a nice uppercut.
Sakuraba leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Sakuraba lands a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba lands a body shot in the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sakuraba.
Sakuraba softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Sakuraba lands a shoulder strike.
Funakoshi blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sakuraba lands a left hand that snaps the head of Funakoshi backwards.
Sakuraba lands a nice uppercut.
A body shot lands from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba gets through Funakoshi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sakuraba lands a left hand.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sakuraba.
Sakuraba pushes off an throws an elbow but Funakoshi leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
A short right from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Sakuraba gets through Funakoshi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sakuraba lands a left hand that snaps the head of Funakoshi backwards.
Sakuraba scores with a shot to the side of Funakoshi's head.
A hook to the body from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba scores with a shoulder strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba slowing the pace effectively.
Sakuraba lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Sakuraba makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Sakuraba lands a left hand.
Sakuraba creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Funakoshi's defenses.
Sakuraba softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
A nice left hand lands by Sakuraba.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Funakoshi.
Sakuraba scores with a nice hook to the head.
Sakuraba cracks Funakoshi with a nice body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Funakoshi.
Sakuraba lands a damaging elbow.
Sakuraba lands with a light punch inside.
Sakuraba lands with a short shot to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sakuraba lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sakuraba pushes Funakoshi back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Funakoshi wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sakuraba avoids a wild elbow strike from Funakoshi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazushi Sakuraba showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ginchin Funakoshi's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Sakuraba throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sakuraba tries to clinch up but Funakoshi circles away and keeps his distance.
Funakoshi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Funakoshi slips a jab and a cross from Sakuraba.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Funakoshi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba fails in his attempt to clinch.

Sakuraba darts in and clinches Funakoshi up against the ropes.
Sakuraba lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Sakuraba prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ginchin Funakoshi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Funakoshi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short uppercut from Sakuraba.
Funakoshi blocks an uppercut.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sakuraba.
Funakoshi's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Sakuraba lands with a left to the head.
Sakuraba lands with a left to the head.
Sakuraba lands with a right to the head.
Nice elbow from Sakuraba.
Nice elbow from Sakuraba.
Funakoshi being controlled against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba works on Funakoshi's body with a couple of short punches.
A left hand lands to the body for Sakuraba.
Sakuraba pushes Funakoshi back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sakuraba lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Sakuraba lands a body shot in the clinch.
Sakuraba lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Sakuraba gets through Funakoshi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sakuraba scores with a shoulder strike.
A head punch on the inside from Sakuraba fails to land.
Sakuraba lands an elbow just above Funakoshi 's eye.
A right hand to the body from Sakuraba.
Funakoshi takes a shot to the head.
Sakuraba scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kazushi Sakuraba seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Sakuraba lands a left hand that snaps the head of Funakoshi backwards.
Sakuraba lands a right hand.
Sakuraba lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Funakoshi backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba lands with a light punch inside.
Sakuraba softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Sakuraba lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sakuraba doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A shot in the inside from Sakuraba.
Funakoshi wants a takedown but no success here.
Sakuraba doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short body shot lands from Sakuraba as the two fighters clinch.
Sakuraba lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Sakuraba scores with a hook to the body.
Sakuraba lands a body punch in the clinch.
Sakuraba lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
A short right from Sakuraba on the inside.
Sakuraba pushes Funakoshi back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Sakuraba lands a hook that snaps the head of Funakoshi backwards.
Sakuraba misses with the head strike.
Sakuraba softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Sakuraba lands a body punch in the clinch.
Sakuraba misses with the head strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Sakuraba on the inside.
Sakuraba holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
Sakuraba misses with the head strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sakuraba.
Sakuraba slowing the pace effectively.
Funakoshi tries for a takedown but Sakuraba manages to get underhooks.
Sakuraba lands a left hand.
Sakuraba lands a shoulder strike.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sakuraba.
Sakuraba lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Sakuraba gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Funakoshi.
Sakuraba has a couple of punches blocked by Funakoshi.
Sakuraba scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Sakuraba scores with a nice hook to the head.
Sakuraba working aggressively here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kazushi Sakuraba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sakuraba has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kazushi Sakuraba!