PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ishiihara Sakuraba (ranked 1734 p4p, 182 weight class) and Vang Poulsen (ranked 1805 p4p, 188 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Sakuraba
vs
Poulsen

165 cm
28
145 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

162 cm
29
152 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
Counter fighter
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

HGH Nutrients Q160 Tycoons Best Quality supps

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ishiihara Sakuraba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vang Poulsen!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Ian Loll and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba throws a body punch but Poulsen moves out of range.
Poulsen misses with a looping right.
Sakuraba with a poor takedown
and Poulsen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sakuraba shoots in looking for a takedown. Poulsen tries to sprawl out of it but Sakuraba keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Poulsen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Poulsen punishes Sakuraba's body with a nice straight punch.
Sakuraba misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Poulsen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vang Poulsen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakuraba displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Poulsen throws out the jab.
Sakuraba shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ishiihara Sakuraba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakuraba misses the shot to the body.
Sakuraba shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Poulsen counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulsen lands a right hook to the body.
Poulsen cracks Sakuraba with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Vang Poulsen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sakuraba tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Poulsen defends well and Sakuraba ends up having to push Poulsen into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Poulsen has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Sakuraba is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Jab by Sakuraba.
Poulsen looks to score with a jab to the body but Sakuraba is just out of range.
Sakuraba feinted with a counter takedown.
Poulsen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Poulsen misses with an uppercut. Sakuraba saw that one coming.
Poulsen jabs at Sakuraba's body.
Poulsen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Poulsen misses with an uppercut.

Sakuraba looking to score a takedown here. Poulsen is defending well but Sakuraba drives through and ends up in Poulsen's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakuraba trying to control but Poulsen is working from the bottom.
Sakuraba throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poulsen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sakuraba stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Poulsen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sakuraba working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sakuraba stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Poulsen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sakuraba is working Poulsen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sakuraba's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Poulsen controlling the position.
Sakuraba stands up over Poulsen, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Poulsen looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Sakuraba postures up in Poulsen's guard and throws a big left but Poulsen blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sakuraba missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Poulsen working a defensive guard here.

Poulsen is looking for a triangle but Sakuraba pushes his legs off easily.
Sakuraba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sakuraba has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Sakuraba trying to control but Poulsen is working from the bottom.

Poulsen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Poulsen controls Sakuraba momentarily but Sakuraba frees himself.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

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.
Sakuraba wants to control from the top but Poulsen keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Poulsen lands a slapping body shot.
Nice sprawl there from Poulsen as Sakuraba shoots in.
Poulsen looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Poulsen misses with an uppercut.
Poulsen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sakuraba.
Poulsen looks to throw the jab but Sakuraba is out of range.
Poulsen misses with a straight left.
Sakuraba shoots in and drives through. Poulsen sprawls well.
Sakuraba walks into a left hand.
A nice leg kick lands there from Poulsen.
Poulsen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sakuraba.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vang Poulsen dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sakuraba throws a head kick that misses.
Poulsen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Sakuraba on the side of the head.
Poulsen misses the shot to the body.
Sakuraba keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Poulsen.
Sakuraba half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Sakuraba moves away from the strike by Poulsen.
Sakuraba attempts a counter takedown but Poulsen avoids it well and moves away.
Poulsen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Poulsen lands a body shot.
Poulsen misses with an attempted mid kick.
Sakuraba ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poulsen misses with a straight left.
Poulsen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sakuraba.
Nice jab there from Poulsen.
Sakuraba shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Poulsen pinned against the cage. Poulsen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
It seemed like Poulsen was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Poulsen cracks a nice hook into Sakuraba's ribs.
Sakuraba uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Poulsen.
Poulsen misses with a hook. Sakuraba ducked under it nicely.
A looping hook to the body misses from Poulsen. Sakuraba does a little dance to reset his feet.
A looping hook to the body misses from Poulsen. Sakuraba does a little dance to reset his feet.
Poulsen connects with a body shot.
Sakuraba misses with a takedown attempt - Poulsen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Poulsen appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Sakuraba takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba throws a body punch but Poulsen moves out of range.
Poulsen lands a right hook to the body.
Poulsen looks to throw the jab but Sakuraba is out of range.
Poulsen looks to score with a jab to the body but Sakuraba is just out of range.
Sakuraba tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Poulsen swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ishiihara Sakuraba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Poulsen slips under a jab from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba dives in for a single leg takedown but Poulsen sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Sakuraba drives through with a takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sakuraba postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sakuraba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sakuraba accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Sakuraba got a little sloppy there for a moment and Poulsen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sakuraba has managed to get both his arms back between Poulsen's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Poulsen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sakuraba missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sakuraba works over Poulsen with some ground and pound from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poulsen is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Ishiihara Sakuraba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Poulsen controls Sakuraba momentarily but Sakuraba frees himself.
Sakuraba trying to control but Poulsen is working from the bottom.
Sakuraba postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sakuraba sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Poulsen's guard.
Poulsen works his way to full guard. Good work.
Poulsen being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poulsen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sakuraba is one step ahead there.
Sakuraba throws a big elbow that misses.
Sakuraba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Poulsen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Poulsen can't keep his opponent in guard - Sakuraba advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Poulsen holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Sakuraba trying to pass the guard but Poulsen defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vang Poulsen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Poulsen clobbers Sakuraba with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Poulsen just misses with a punch to the body.

Sakuraba shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Poulsen is trying to defend but Sakuraba finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Sakuraba tries to pass the half guard into mount. Poulsen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Poulsen is trying to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poulsen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sakuraba.
Poulsen is not content to let Sakuraba control the position.
Poulsen keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulsen trying to hold on to Sakuraba's head to control him but Sakuraba postures up.
Sakuraba is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Sakuraba lands strikes from half guard.
Poulsen is refusing to be controlled, as Sakuraba sits in half guard.
Still in half guard, Sakuraba seems content to control.

Sakuraba is trying to work for a kimura but Poulsen is defending well.
Sakuraba trying to control from half guard but Poulsen is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poulsen wants to control but Sakuraba is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Sakuraba wants to work for an arm triangle but Poulsen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Sakuraba not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sakuraba is trying to control. Poulsen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Sakuraba scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Sakuraba lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Sakuraba throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sakuraba landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Poulsen is holding on to half guard well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sakuraba missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Sakuraba is looking for a kimura but Poulsen is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sakuraba to get the leverage.
Sakuraba lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Poulsen keeping hold of Sakuraba's head, controlling as best he can.
Sakuraba wants to pass the guard but Poulsen is defending well.
Poulsen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba works his foot free and advances to mount.
Sakuraba lands a big shot there that rocks Poulsen but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba landing strikes, looking to finish!
Poulsen regains half guard.
Sakuraba trying to pass the guard but Poulsen defending well.
Poulsen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sakuraba winds up and cracks Poulsen with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Poulsen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sakuraba moves nicely into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ishiihara Sakuraba showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Poulsen 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vang Poulsen!
Vang Poulsen decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.