PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kazushi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Helsing (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Sakuraba
vs
Helsing

182 cm
20
183 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

178 cm
25
180 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 - 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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Igor Helsing!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sakuraba gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Helsing pushes Sakuraba off looking to stand but Sakuraba dives back in and keeps control.
Sakuraba trying to pass the guard but Helsing defending well.
Helsing trying to control from the bottom.
Helsing won't allow Sakuraba to pass to mount.
Helsing is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sakuraba trying to mount his opponent but Helsing defends it.
Helsing moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Sakuraba postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Helsing is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Sakuraba, into his guard.
Sakuraba bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Helsing's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sakuraba thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Helsing is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sakuraba regains full guard. Nicely done.
Helsing trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakuraba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sakuraba tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is adopting a defensive guard.
Sakuraba utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sakuraba looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Helsing postures up in Sakuraba's guard and throws a big left but Sakuraba blocks it.
Helsing wants to control from the top but Sakuraba keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Helsing is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Sakuraba working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Sakuraba working away.
Helsing managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Sakuraba.

Sakuraba is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Helsing is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Helsing tries to bench press Sakuraba off him but Sakuraba keeps the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Helsing rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Sakuraba's guard! Nice work there by Helsing!
Helsing trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakuraba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Helsing drops back, looking for a kneebar! Sakuraba looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Sakuraba looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Sakuraba!
Helsing looks gassed!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Helsing is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
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.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sakuraba bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Sakuraba is trying to get an arm triangle but Helsing is defending well.

Sakuraba is trying to get an arm triangle but Helsing is defending well.
Sakuraba works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Helsing gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Sakuraba is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Helsing is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sakuraba advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helsing has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sakuraba is working away from the top position though.

Helsing actively working from the bottom here.
Helsing is breathing heavily.
Sakuraba is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Helsing reverses the position - he's now on top in Sakuraba's guard.
Sakuraba wants to sweep but no luck.
Sakuraba controlling the position.

Sakuraba scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Sakuraba misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba lands with a nice combination. Helsing backs away looking to recover.

Sakuraba shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Helsing's guard.

Helsing has his foot on Sakuraba's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sakuraba works his way back into a safe position though.
Sakuraba forces his way into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakuraba tries to pass the half guard into mount. Helsing knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Helsing wants to get back to full guard but Sakuraba has passed into side control.

Sakuraba tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sakuraba has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Sakuraba is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Helsing knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Helsing, who protects the arm well.

Sakuraba is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Helsing has escaped the position, nice work there.
Kazushi Sakuraba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Sakuraba tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sakuraba has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Helsing tries to bench press Sakuraba off him but Sakuraba keeps the position.
Check out the look on Sakuraba's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Helsing tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sakuraba wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Sakuraba working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Helsing tries to improve position but can't.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazushi Sakuraba dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Helsing misses with a takedown attempt
and Sakuraba counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Helsing thinking.
Sakuraba throws a right and a left that both miss.
Helsing tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sakuraba sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Helsing somewhat.
Helsing attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Sakuraba swinging wildly here.
Sakuraba fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Helsing takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sakuraba cracks Helsing with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Sakuraba fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sakuraba.

Sakuraba is working to tighten is grip on Helsing's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Helsing has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Sakuraba is really squeezing tight and eventually Helsing passes out! Sakuraba breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Kazushi Sakuraba!
Kazushi Sakuraba thanked the fans post fight for their support.