PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kazushi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Drew Down (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Down has chosen 50 Cent - I Get Money as his entrance music. Drew Down is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Sakuraba
vs
Down

182 cm
20
183 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

185 cm
20
185 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazushi Sakuraba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Drew Down!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
That kick from Down tenderised Sakuraba's leg. Sakuraba is trying to keep his angry face on.
Sakuraba dodges the punch combination from Down.

Down gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Sakuraba to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Down wants to sweep but no luck.
Down lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sakuraba!
Sakuraba regains half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Sakuraba manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Sakuraba tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Down trying to control but Sakuraba is working from the bottom.
Down throwing strikes but missing.
Down is stalling in the full guard.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Down is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Down got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sakuraba has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Down has managed to get both his arms back between Sakuraba's legs - danger averted.
Down controlling from the top position.
Sakuraba wants to sweep but no luck.
Down sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Down escapes and throws Sakuraba's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Down takes a little break here. Sakuraba wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Sakuraba manages to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Down is working away from the top position though.
Down looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Down prevents Sakuraba from improving his position.
Down looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Down sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sakuraba defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kazushi Sakuraba will probably get the nod.
That's time! Sakuraba's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Good exchange - Down coming out on top.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sakuraba.
Down avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Drew Down seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sakuraba fails with a takedown attempt.
Sakuraba takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Sakuraba throws a shot from downtown. Down moves away and avoids it.
Sakuraba blocks a head kick by Down.
A solid leg kick lands there for Down.
Down misses with a head kick.
Down throws a quick inside leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Down scores with a three punch combo!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Down misses with an uppercut.
Drew Down is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Down scores with a decent looking hook.
Nice takedown defense from Down. No joy for Sakuraba on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kazushi Sakuraba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Down thuds a left hand into Sakuraba's body.
Sakuraba closes the distance and clinches up with Down, looking for a takedown. Sakuraba pushes Down against the cage but Down circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Down lands a jab.
Drew Down seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Down fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sakuraba has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Down digs a good hook to Sakuraba's body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Down scores with the left hand. Sakuraba knows he should have avoided that one.
Sakuraba takes a kick to the side of the head.
Down connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Sakuraba momentarily.
Sakuraba takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Down with a jab.
Sakuraba doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Down explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
A good leg kick by Down.
Sakuraba takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Down.
Sakuraba moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Down scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Down lands with a thumping leg kick.
Down has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Down throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Down keeps Sakuraba at a distance using the push kick.
Down lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Down scores with a spinning back kick!
Down scores with a body shot.
Sakuraba takes one on the button.
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!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Down.
Down throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Down!

Sakuraba is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Oh Sakuraba is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Down moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Sakuraba seems to have got his legs back now.
Sakuraba drops his hands momentarily and Down takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Kazushi Sakuraba is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sakuraba's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Down connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sakuraba scrambles back to his feet.
Down stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Down wants it to stay on the feet.
Down misses with a double jab.
Sakuraba shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Sakuraba moves away from the strike by Down.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Down scores with a sloppy right hand. Sakuraba should have avoided that one.
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Down as he jumps to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Drew Down showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Down works the jab nicely.
Sakuraba doesn't manage to clinch there - Down circles away.
Down tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sakuraba throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Down's waist but Down gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sakuraba off to one side.
Down scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Sakuraba avoids the head kick by Down.
Sakuraba blocks a head kick by Down.
Nice shot by Down.
Down takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Down throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
No joy there for Sakuraba, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Down swings for the body but Sakuraba moves out of range.
A left lands for Down.
Sakuraba looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Down lands a jab to the nose.
A nice inside leg kick there by Down. That's going to slow Sakuraba down.
Sakuraba shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Down pinned against the cage. Down gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Down connects with a body shot.
Down is looking to land body kicks.
Jab by Down.
Sakuraba misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown but Down shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kazushi Sakuraba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakuraba falls off balance throwing a combination
and Down counters with a stiff right hand.
Sakuraba misses with a looping left.
Down scores with a nice head shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sakuraba misses with a few strikes there.
Down moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Good leg kick by Down there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Down looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Down to score with a decent uppercut.
Jab from Down.
Down connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Down displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Down feints and then cracks Sakuraba's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sakuraba down.
Down lands a nice shot that snaps Sakuraba's head back.
Sakuraba is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Sakuraba takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Down throws a lazy right hand but Sakuraba sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Down thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Sakuraba if he has to take too many more of those.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakuraba on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Down scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Down connects with the punch.
Down takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Good leg kick by Down there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Sakuraba needs to keep his hands up - Down had a free shot at his head there.
Down throws a body punch but Sakuraba moves out of range.
Down with a nice cross.
Sakuraba shoots in looking for a takedown. Down tries to sprawl out of it but Sakuraba keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Down manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Down scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Drew Down comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Down 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Drew Down!