PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tokugawa Hattori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hanamichi Sakuragi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hanamichi Sakuragi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hattori
vs
Sakuragi

183 cm
23
185 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

190 cm
30
194 lbs
9 - 15 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tokugawa Hattori!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hanamichi Sakuragi!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hattori misses with a double jab.
Hattori fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sakuragi avoids it really well and circles away.
Hattori gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Sakuragi counters with a nice uppercut.

It looks like Tokugawa Hattori has been cut.
Nice defenses there by Hattori.

Hattori tries to sprawl but Sakuragi drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Hattori is trying to stand up here but Sakuragi is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hattori is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sakuragi scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sakuragi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hattori defending well though.
Sakuragi lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Sakuragi looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
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!
Sakuragi lands with a punch from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hattori blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sakuragi.
Hattori trying to hold on to Sakuragi's head to control him but Sakuragi postures up.

Hattori actively working from the bottom here.
Sakuragi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hattori punching from the bottom.
Sakuragi scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Sakuragi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hattori. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hattori blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sakuragi.
Sakuragi working over Hattori with some ground and pound. Hattori looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Sakuragi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sakuragi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hattori missing with punches from the bottom.
Sakuragi lands with a punch from half guard.
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!

Hattori actively working from the bottom here.
Sakuragi winds up and cracks Hattori with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hattori works his way to full guard. Good work.
Hattori wants to get back to his feet but Sakuragi is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sakuragi is working Hattori over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Hattori throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sakuragi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hattori preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sakuragi distracts Hattori with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Hattori is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sakuragi is aware though and is defending well.

Hattori has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sakuragi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Hattori is breathing heavily.
Hattori has momentary wrist control but Sakuragi slips an elbow through the middle.
Sakuragi is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Hattori throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sakuragi connects with a couple of short punches.
Sakuragi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hattori utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakuragi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Hattori had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sakuragi defends it easily.
Sakuragi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sakuragi throws a big right hand that misses.

Hattori looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sakuragi landing some decent shots from guard.
Sakuragi postures up in Hattori's guard and throws a big left but Hattori blocks it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hattori wants to stand up but Sakuragi is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi landing with the ground and pound.
Sakuragi distracts Hattori with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Sakuragi avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sakuragi working some strikes from top position.
Sakuragi postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hattori looking to control.
Sakuragi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sakuragi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hattori works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sakuragi throws a big elbow that misses.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sakuragi throws an elbow that misses. Hattori uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sakuragi's guard. Nice move by Hattori!
Sakuragi wants to stand and escape but Hattori is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hanamichi Sakuragi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tokugawa Hattori's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hattori with a poor takedown
and Sakuragi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sakuragi misses with an uppercut. Hattori saw that one coming.
Sakuragi throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Hattori missing with a left hand there. Sakuragi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hattori fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hattori misses with a takedown attempt
and Sakuragi counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tokugawa Hattori. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sakuragi gets the takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuragi landing a few strikes.

Hattori is rocked!
Sakuragi working the head and body with strikes.
Oh Hattori is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sakuragi cracks Hattori with a big elbow. Oh, he's hurt! Sakuragi immediately mounts and start dropping bombs! Hattori is done! The referee jumps in and saves him from any more punishment - a quick and decisive finish by Sakuragi!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hanamichi Sakuragi!