PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bobby Morino (ranked 2030 p4p, 3715 weight class) and Nissho Sakurai (ranked 260 p4p, 454 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Morino
vs
Sakurai

200 cm
24
184
5 - 2 - 0

176 cm
21
171
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Bobby Morino!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Nissho Sakurai!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Cecil Peabody and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakurai on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Morino is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Sakurai with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Morino fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sakurai manages to avoid it.
Morino cracks Sakurai with an open hand slap.
Sakurai throws a leg kick that misses.
Morino looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Sakurai has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Morino finds it's way round the side to connect with Sakurai's head.
Sakurai tries a head kick but it misses.
Sakurai takes a jab right on the kisser.
Morino lands a really nice looking cross but Sakurai seems unphased.
Morino fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sakurai manages to avoid it.
Morino lands with a straight right. Sakurai didn't see that one coming.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Sakurai moves into the clinch.

Morino's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Morino is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Sakurai takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Sakurai gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Morino on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Morino avoiding damage as Sakurai throws knees to the body.
Sakurai goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morino scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Morino makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Morino on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sakurai throws an elbow but it misses.

Morino breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sakurai slips a straight right by Morino.
A jab lands there for Morino.
Morino rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sakurai moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Morino is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Morino jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sakurai looks to land a body kick but Morino moved away.
Morino punishes Sakurai's body with a nice straight punch.
Sakurai pivots, looking for a leg kick but Morino is out of range and Sakurai settles back down.
Morino throwing a counter right hand but Sakurai manages to avoid it.
Sakurai's coach down at Gym Goroshi London was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Sakurai's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Morino throws a lazy right hand but Sakurai sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Morino is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Sakurai slips under a jab.
Morino swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Morino takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
An attempted straight right counter from Morino misses the target.
Morino lands a two punch combo.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Morino fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sakurai, pushing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai takes a shot to the head.
Sakurai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Morino.
Morino throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Sakurai with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A short left from Morino.
Morino lands with a right to the head.
Morino lands a nice uppercut.
Morino lands a hook to the side of the head.
A nice left hand lands by Morino.
Sakurai misses with a knee to the head.
A shot in the inside from Morino.
Morino stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Morino working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Morino avoiding damage as Sakurai throws knees to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Morino.
Sakurai tries to work over Morino's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Morino pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sakurai displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morino throws out the jab.
Sakurai tries to counter with a clinch but Morino shakes him off and moves away.
Good exchange - Morino coming out on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morino connects with a looping right hand.
Sakurai pivots, looking for a leg kick but Morino is out of range and Sakurai settles back down.
Morino throws a jab when Sakurai was well out of range.
Nice jab there from Morino.
Morino tests Sakurai's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Morino cracks a nice hook into Sakurai's ribs.
Morino misses with a straight left.
Morino really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Morino closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Sakurai closes the distance and clinches.
Morino lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sakurai backwards.
Morino avoiding damage as Sakurai throws knees to the body.
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!
Morino'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.
Sakurai is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Morino is defending well for now.
Morino works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morino blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Morino lands a left hand.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Morino creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Sakurai trying to land knees to the body.
Morino lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nice body punch from Morino - that landed with a thud.
Morino throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Sakurais head.
Morino lands a right hand.
Morino lands a nice uppercut.
Morino lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sakurai lands a left hand that snaps the head of Morino backwards.
Sakurai lands a body shot in the clinch.
Morino lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sakurai backwards.
Morino is stalling here.
Morino slowing the pace effectively.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakurai with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Morino on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sakurai with a knee to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Morino dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sakurai throws out a leg kick but Morino moves out of range and Sakurai only half commits.
Sakurai's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Morino connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sakurai scrambles back to his feet.
Sakurai takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Morino moves out of range of the body kick from Sakurai.
Morino is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sakurai can do to turn this around?
Morino fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sakurai manages to avoid it.
Morino pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Sakurai back to the cage. Morino follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Sakurai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sakurai misses with a low kick.
Sakurai throws a wild body kick that Morino sees coming a mile off.
A looping hook to the body misses from Morino. Sakurai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Morino scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

Morino forces Sakurai back against the cage and clinches.
A short left from Morino.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morino lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sakurai backwards.
Morino manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Knees in the clinch landing for Sakurai.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morino content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Sakurai tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Morino lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Sakurai tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Morino avoids it.
Bobby Morino has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Morino misses with a punch to the body.
Morino blocks the elbow strike.

Morino breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Morino fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
A jab lands there for Morino.
Sakurai uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Morino.
Morino is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Sakurai defending well as Morino loads up on a big left hand.
Morino scores with a sloppy right hand. Sakurai should have avoided that one.
Sakurai rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Morino connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Morino lands with an overhand left.

Sakurai rushes Morino and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Morino lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morino's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Morino missing with a left hand there. Sakurai was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sakurai wants to counter with a clinch but Morino pushes him away.
Sakurai looks for the body kick but Morino saw that one coming.
Morino takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Sakurai throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Sakurai has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Morino misses with a double jab.
Sakurai displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morino throws out the jab.
Morino throws a shot from downtown. Sakurai moves away and avoids it.
Sakurai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sakurai looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bobby Morino seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sakurai walks into a jab.

Morino tries to keep at a distance but Sakurai has taken the fight into the clinch.
Morino on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Morino lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Morino lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Sakurai tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morino lands a shoulder strike.
Morino taking a breather.
Sakurai landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sakurai misses with a short punch on the inside.
Morino digs a right hand underneath Sakurai's ribcage. Sakurai let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Sakurai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Morino.
Morino lands with a right to the head.
Morino avoiding damage.
Sakurai with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Morino.
Morino avoids the elbow strike from Sakurai, against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Morino.
Morino gets through Sakurai's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A right hand to the body from Morino.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Morino.
Morino makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai unloads a knee to the mid-section.
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!
Morino scores with a nice hook to the head.
Morino softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Morino breaks from the clinch.
Morino scores with a decent looking hook.
Morino blocks the body kick.
Morino fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sakurai manages to avoid it.

Sakurai fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Morino, pushing him back against the cage.
Sakurai misses with a hook to the ribs.
Morino lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Morino lands a right hand.
Morino lands a shot to the body.
Sakurai missing with knees to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Morino makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A nice left hand lands by Morino.
A short uppercut from Morino.

Sakurai is rocked!
Morino lands a hook that snaps the head of Sakurai backwards.
Sakurai is still on wobbly legs! Can Morino finish him?
Morino lands with a short shot to the head.
Morino makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Morino dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

and Morino counters with a massive uppercut that badly hurts Sakurai! He's just covering up as Morino starts to tee off till the referee steps in and stops the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Bobby Morino!