PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hayatoshi Sakutara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shinya Imanari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Imanari has chosen Era - Ameno as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sakutara
vs
Imanari

193 cm
23
265 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

175 cm
22
245 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

MMA's Best Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hayatoshi Sakutara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinya Imanari!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Sosuke Kotani and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Imanari shoots in for a double leg but Sakutara sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sakutara with a lazy takedown attempt

and Imanari counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Imanari trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakutara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sakutara tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Imanari passes Sakutara's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Imanari is looking for a kimura here.

Imanari looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Imanari is looking to take a break and control but Sakutara is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Imanari has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari wants to take his opponent's back but Sakutara doesn't allow it.
Imanari wants to control the pace but Sakutara is squirming around nicely.
Imanari controlling the position easily from mount.
Sakutara tries to reverse the position but Imanari maintains control.
A nice elbow there by Imanari.
Imanari can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sakutara is looking to escape.
Sakutara is breathing heavily.
A nice elbow there by Imanari.

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.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Imanari looking to secure an arm triangle but Sakutara defends it well.
Imanari with a couple of short strikes.
Sakutara keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Imanari in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Imanari postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Sakutara looks a forlorn figure.
Imanari raining down shots from the mount!
Imanari is landing with some decent strikes but Sakutara is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Imanari wants to control the pace but Sakutara is squirming around nicely.
Sakutara regains half guard.
Sakutara wants to improve his position but Imanari is controlling well.
Sakutara is pressing down on Imanari's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakutara keeping full guard, as Imanari tries to pass.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Imanari thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Sakutara keeping full guard, as Imanari tries to pass.
Imanari throwing strikes from guard but Sakutara blocks nicely.
Imanari is pushing down on Sakutara's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sakutara is fighting to maintain full guard but Imanari has managed to sneak the leg through.
Imanari is looking to advance position but Sakutara won't allow it.
Sakutara moves into full guard.
Imanari pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sakutara is keeping the position for now.

Sakutara had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Imanari is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Sakutara Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Imanari's back instead.
Sakutara is trying to stick to Imanari's back but Imanari is turning into Sakutara. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Sakutara's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Imanari.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Imanari wants to pass the guard but Sakutara is keeping the position.
Sakutara is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Imanari drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Imanari jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Imanari avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Imanari trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakutara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Imanari pushes down on Sakutara's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Imanari is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Imanari seems to be working for a kimura but Sakutara defends the submission attempt.
Sakutara is staying active underneath Imanari, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Imanari is looking for a kimura here.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Sakutara tries to get to full guard but Imanari has control of the leg.
Imanari seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Imanari is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Imanari trying to control the pace.

Imanari is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sakutara defends it well.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Imanari looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Sakutara wants to improve his position but Imanari is controlling well.
Imanari trying to mount his opponent but Sakutara defends it.

Imanari is working for a kimura but Sakutara is defending it quite comfortably.

Imanari is working for a submission of some sort.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Sakutara is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Imanari pulls his head out easily.
Imanari is tying to control. Sakutara wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Sakutara wants to improve his position but Imanari is controlling well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Imanari has his takedown stuffed

and Sakutara counters with a takedown into side control.
Sakutara trying to control the position but Imanari is working away.
Imanari sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Imanari gets full guard.
Imanari trying to keep a closed guard but Sakutara is proving a slippery customer.

Imanari has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sakutara can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Sakutara trying to control but Imanari is working from the bottom.

Imanari is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a tringle but Sakutara frees his head nicely. Oh but Imanari has switched to an armbar! Sakutara is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 8:30 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Shinya Imanari!