PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rob Riggins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hanamichi Sakuragi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rob Riggins could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Hanamichi Sakuragi's chin.

Riggins
vs
Sakuragi

180 cm
28
167 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

200 cm
25
170 lbs
4 - 16 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rob Riggins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hanamichi Sakuragi!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riggins fails with an attempt to clinch.

Sakuragi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Riggins preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Sakuragi throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Riggins to regain full guard.
Sakuragi throwing strikes but missing.
Sakuragi postures up and lands a big shot to Riggins's brow.
Riggins might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Riggins wants to stand and escape but Sakuragi is having none of it.
Sakuragi throws a strike but Riggins rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakuragi wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riggins passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Sakuragi is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Riggins tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sakuragi is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Riggins has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Sakuragi can't escape the position.
Riggins looking to control and managing it successfully.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rob Riggins just wasn't active enough.
Sakuragi looks for a takedown but Riggins sprawls well.
Hanamichi Sakuragi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
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 circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riggins tries to close the distance and clinch but Sakuragi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sakuragi swats away the attempt to clinch by Riggins.
Riggins tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sakuragi manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Riggins tries to clinch there but Sakuragi circles away.
Riggins stuffs the takedown.
Sakuragi shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Riggins sprawls well. Riggins wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sakuragi gets slowly back to his feet.
Rob Riggins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hanamichi Sakuragi.

Riggins gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Sakuragi throws a strike but Riggins rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Riggins decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sakuragi, up you get!
Sakuragi shoots in looking for a takedown. Riggins tries to sprawl out of it but Sakuragi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Riggins manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Riggins stuffs the takedown.
Riggins tries to clinch there but Sakuragi circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi circles away from the clinch attempt.

Sakuragi drives through with a takedown into Riggins's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Sakuragi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Riggins manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sakuragi manages to get himself to full guard.
Riggins lands a couple of elbows.

Riggins gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Sakuragi swats away the attempt to clinch by Riggins.
Rob Riggins is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Riggins wants to clinch.
Riggins stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Riggins wants it to stay on the feet.
Riggins moves in looking to clinch but Sakuragi pushes him off.
Riggins fails with an attempt to clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Riggins is looking to clinch.
Riggins moves in looking to clinch but Sakuragi pushes him off.
Riggins tries to clinch there but Sakuragi circles away.
Riggins stuffs the takedown.
Riggins moves in looking to clinch but Sakuragi pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Riggins dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Riggins tries to close the distance and clinch but Sakuragi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sakuragi keeps the fight on the outside.
Sakuragi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Riggins's waist but Riggins gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sakuragi off to one side.
Riggins keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Riggins tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Riggins tries to clinch up but Sakuragi circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Riggins looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sakuragi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Riggins swivels and escapes.
Rob Riggins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hanamichi Sakuragi.
Riggins is looking to clinch.
Riggins tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sakuragi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sakuragi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sakuragi swats away the attempt to clinch by Riggins.
Sakuragi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sakuragi shoots in but no luck this time.
Riggins tries to clinch up.
Riggins is looking to clinch.
Hanamichi Sakuragi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Riggins is looking to clinch.
Riggins tries to clinch up but Sakuragi circles away and keeps his distance.
Sakuragi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Riggins tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sakuragi swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riggins tries to clinch up but Sakuragi circles away and keeps his distance.
Sakuragi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Riggins is looking to clinch but Sakuragi is avoiding it.
Sakuragi shoots in but Riggins avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Sakuragi dives in and grabs Riggins's left leg, looking for a takedown. Riggins pushes down on Sakuragi's head and hops out.
Riggins fails in his attempt to clinch.
Riggins fails in his attempt to clinch.

Sakuragi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Sakuragi throws a sloppy strike and Riggins has hooked up an armbar on the loose arm! He's turned and extended fully! Sakuragi is forced to tap! Great BJJ from Riggins!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rob Riggins!