PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kazuo Misaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hayato Sakurai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Misaki
vs
Sakurai

179 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
22
172 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Dark Storm Performance

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazuo Misaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hayato Sakurai!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shirou Masuda and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakurai throws a head kick that misses.

Misaki tries to keep at a distance but Sakurai has taken the fight into the clinch.
Misaki prevents a takedown attempt there.

Sakurai gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Misaki gets back to full guard.
Sakurai is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Misaki keeping full guard, as Sakurai tries to pass.
Sakurai trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sakurai postures up.
Misaki pulls Sakurai in close to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sakurai accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sakurai slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Sakurai landing a few strikes.
Misaki is looking for a sweep.
Sakurai sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Misaki is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Sakurai throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Sakurai throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Misaki is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Misaki wants to get back to his feet.
Misaki is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sakurai misses with the ground and pound.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Misaki swats away the attempt to clinch by Sakurai.
Sakurai tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kazuo Misaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sakurai tries to clinch but Misaki is having none of it.
Sakurai avoids a punch combination nicely.
Misaki lands with a right hand.
Sakurai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sakurai avoids a punch combination nicely.
Misaki throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kazuo Misaki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Misaki tries to score with a low kick but Sakurai moves his leg out of the way.
Sakurai scores with a kick to the midsection.
Sakurai tries to close the distance and clinch but Misaki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Sakurai shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Misaki's guard.
Sakurai wants to control from the top but Misaki keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sakurai accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Misaki working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sakurai.
Sakurai is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Sakurai is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sakurai trying to control the position from guard on top but Misaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Misaki is trying to keep Sakurai in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Misaki keeping moving, preventing Sakurai from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sakurai tries to close the distance and clinch but Misaki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Misaki moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Sakurai connects with a high kick.
Misaki tries a head kick but it misses.
Sakurai takes one on the button.
Misaki misses with a hook. Sakurai ducked under it nicely.
Sakurai showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Misaki.
Misaki misses with a head kick.
Misaki misses with a head kick.
Misaki lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sakurai is looking to clinch but Misaki is avoiding it.
Sakurai shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Misaki as he jumps to the side.

Sakurai moves into the clinch.

Sakurai manages to break the clinch.
Misaki with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Misaki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
No joy there for Misaki, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Misaki misses with a body kick.
Misaki throws a head kick that misses

and Sakurai decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Misaki's guard.
Sakurai is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Misaki is trying to control the position but Sakurai postures up.
Misaki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Misaki keeping moving, preventing Sakurai from controlling successfully.
Sakurai wants to stand but Misaki has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai postures up in Misaki's guard and throws a big left but Misaki blocks it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Misaki is on top in guard.
Sakurai is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Misaki preventing the sweep.
Misaki wants to control from the top but Sakurai keeps moving.
Sakurai has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Misaki has passed into side control.
Sakurai is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sakurai is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Sakurai is looking for a sweep.
Misaki trying to control the action but Sakurai is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sakurai moves away from the strike by Misaki.
Misaki tries a head kick but it misses.
Sakurai blocks a head kick by Misaki.
Misaki throws a head kick that misses.
Misaki throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Misaki takes a swing at Sakurai's ribcage but misses.
Misaki just misses with a punch to the body.
Misaki throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sakurai.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Misaki lands a slapping body shot.
Misaki misses with a few strikes there.
Some wild striking there from Misaki.
Sakurai is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Misaki looks to land a combination but Sakurai avoids it well.
Misaki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sakurai.
Sakurai checks a low kick from Misaki.
Misaki just misses with a punch to the body.

Sakurai has Misaki up against the cage in a clinch.
Sakurai drops down looking for an ankle pick but Misaki pulls his leg out and moves away.
Sakurai dodges the punch combination from Misaki.
Sakurai tries to clinch up.

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.
Misaki looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
No joy there for Misaki, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Misaki walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Sakurai checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Misaki misses with a few strikes there.
Sakurai tries to clinch but Misaki moves out of range.
A good leg kick by Sakurai.
Misaki misses with a body shot.
Sakurai is looking to clinch.
Sakurai avoids a punch combination nicely.
Misaki throws a right and a left that Sakurai avoids nicely.

Sakurai rushes Misaki and presses him up against the cage.
Sakurai lands a nice knee to the body.
Misaki prevents the takedown attempt.
Kazuo Misaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hayato Sakurai.

Sakurai escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Misaki misses with a two punch combination.
Misaki throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Misaki misses with a jab, cross combination.
Left hook, right uppercut from Misaki.
Misaki avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Misaki throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Misaki swings for the body but Sakurai moves out of range.
Misaki throws a head kick but Sakurai moves out of range.
Misaki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Misaki throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Sakurai counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Misaki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Misaki throws a series of punches but Sakurai moves out of range.
Misaki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sakurai.
Sakurai tries a head kick but it misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Misaki pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Misaki pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Misaki will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Misaki on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Sakurai. Sakurai obviously looking to wear him down.

Sakurai forces Misaki back against the cage and clinches.
Misaki tries to break the clinch but Sakurai is controlling the position.
Sakurai looking to slow down the pace here.
Sakurai tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Misaki just stands there and leans against the cage.
Misaki wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Sakurai breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Misaki tests Sakurai's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A combination from Misaki does no damage.
Misaki lands with a nice combination. Sakurai backs away looking to recover.
Misaki throws a right and a left that Sakurai avoids nicely.
Sakurai fails in his attempt to clinch.
Misaki tries a head kick but it misses.
Some wild striking there from Misaki.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Misaki slow jab from Sakurai misses its intended target.
Misaki misses with a head kick.
Misaki scores with a head kick.
Misaki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Misaki throws a right hand that Sakurai ducks under and follows up with a left that Sakurai also avoids with ease.
Sakurai is looking to clinch.
Sakurai tries to clinch but Misaki is having none of it.
Sakurai tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Misaki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A head kick misses from Misaki.
Misaki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sakurai throws a head kick that Misaki semi-blocks.
Sakurai is looking to clinch.
Misaki loads up on a big right hand but Sakurai slips the punch.
Some wild striking there from Misaki.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sakurai scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kazuo Misaki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sakurai is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sakurai wants to clinch up but Misaki keeps it at a distance.
Misaki misses with a body shot.
Sakurai slips a jab and a cross from Misaki.
Sakurai slips a jab and a cross from Misaki.
Sakurai is looking to clinch.
A solid leg kick lands there for Misaki.
Sakurai tries to clinch but Misaki is having none of it.
Misaki lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Misaki lands with a kick to the temple. Sakurai shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Sakurai checks a leg kick.
Misaki fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sakurai manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Misaki swings widly with a right hand

and Sakurai moves into the clinch.
Sakurai tries for a takedown. No joy.
Misaki wants to get back to striking at distance but Sakurai won't allow it.
Sakurai has Misaki pushed against the cage.
Misaki prevents a takedown attempt there.
Kazuo Misaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hayato Sakurai.
Sakurai tries to land a knee to the head but Misaki blocks with his arms.
Misaki stops a takedown attempt from Sakurai.
Sakurai tries to stall but Misaki uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Misaki wants to break the clinch but can't.

Misaki breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sakurai wants to clinch.
Misaki throws a nice looking combination but Sakurai bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kazuo Misaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sakurai avoids a punch combination nicely.
Misaki throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

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 Kazuo Misaki.
I think Sakurai 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hayato Sakurai!