PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Suzaku Kururugi (ranked 2871 p4p, 3090 weight class) and Daniel Sanninen (ranked 375 p4p, 404 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Kururugi
vs
Sanninen

187 cm
24
185
4 - 4 - 0

190 cm
24
191
6 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

Urban Fighter

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Suzaku Kururugi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Sanninen!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Radbod Blank and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kururugi misses with a hook. Sanninen ducked under it nicely.
Sanninen is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Sanninen shoots and misses
and Kururugi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Daniel Sanninen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanninen throws a body punch but Kururugi moves out of range.
Sanninen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sanninen misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Kururugi counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kururugi takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Sanninen throws a body punch but Kururugi moves out of range.
We've been hearing reports that Kururugi has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Sanninen takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Sanninen throws a head kick that misses
and Kururugi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Sanninen tries a head kick but it misses.
Kururugi looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Sanninen throws a body punch but Kururugi moves out of range.
Jab by Kururugi.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kururugi stuffs the takedown attempt from Sanninen. Sanninen gets slowly back to his feet.
An attempted straight right counter from Kururugi misses the target.
Kururugi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kururugi gets caught flat footed, as Sanninen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Sanninen throws an elbow that misses. Kururugi uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sanninen's guard. Nice move by Kururugi!

Sanninen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kururugi is one step ahead there.

Sanninen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kururugi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sanninen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kururugi manages to get himself to full guard.

Kururugi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sanninen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kururugi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sanninen wants to control from the top but Kururugi keeps moving.
Sanninen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanninen is looking to advance position but Kururugi has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Sanninen can't escape the position.
Sanninen regains half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sanninen works his way to full guard. Good work.
Sanninen has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Kururugi has passed into side control.

Kururugi is trying to get an arm triangle but Sanninen is defending well.
Sanninen is trying to get back to half guard.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kururugi is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sanninen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanninen looks to move to half guard but instead Kururugi has passed into mount! Damn!
Sanninen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Kururugi looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Sanninen is just holding on here. Kururugi manages to take his back.
Sanninen is trying to break free.
Kururugi doesn't have the hooks in and Sanninen manages to turn into his guard.
Sanninen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanninen looking to pass the guard.
Sanninen keeps trying to improve his position.
Sanninen sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Kururugi trying to control the position here.
Sanninen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kururugi is keeping the position for now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Suzaku Kururugi will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sanninen wants to clinch.
As Sanninen backs away, Kururugi returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Sanninen slips a jab from Kururugi.
Kururugi scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Suzaku Kururugi is winning the standup battle so far.
Sanninen swings for the body but Kururugi moves out of range.
Sanninen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kururugi circles away quickly and effectively.
Kururugi is looking to counter with a body kick.

Sanninen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Sanninen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kururugi is keeping the position for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kururugi is on top in guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sanninen isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Kururugi stacks Sanninen on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Kururugi!
Sanninen manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kururugi is looking for a kimura here.
Sanninen is trying to get back to full guard.
Sanninen works his way to full guard. Good work.
Sanninen 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.
Sanninen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kururugi manages to get himself to full guard.

Kururugi has his hands on Sanninen's head, controlling the position.
Sanninen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kururugi is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanninen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kururugi is on top in guard.

Sanninen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sanninen is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Kururugi is just riding it out for now. Sanninen eventually gives up the hold.
Daniel Sanninen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kururugi keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanninen throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Kururugi to regain full guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Sanninen working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Kururugi is pulling down on Sanninen's head. It's preventing any offense from Sanninen, at least for the moment.
Sanninen wants to control from the top but Kururugi keeps moving.
Sanninen sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Kururugi is adopting a defensive guard.
Kururugi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sanninen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sanninen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sanninen trying to move into half guard but instead Kururugi has managed to sweep!

Sanninen wants to sweep here but Kururugi controlling him for the moment.

Sanninen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kururugi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kururugi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sanninen working a defensive guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sanninen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kururugi manages to get himself to full guard.

Kururugi keeping full guard, as Sanninen tries to pass.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Sanninen 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! This is the final round!

Kururugi throws a hook to the side of Sanninen's head but Sanninen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Daniel Sanninen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sanninen tries a head kick but it misses.
Kururugi lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sanninen's sensitive parts.
Sanninen fails with the takedown
enabling Kururugi to counter with a crisp jab.

Sanninen drives through with a takedown into guard.

Sanninen drops back, looking for a kneebar! Kururugi looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Kururugi looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Kururugi!

Sanninen tries to bench press Kururugi off him but Kururugi keeps the position.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kururugi tries for a kimura but Sanninen is defending well.
Sanninen sneaks back into half guard.

Kururugi has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Sanninen defend it? Kururugi steps over the head and cranks it - Sanninen is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Kururugi!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Suzaku Kururugi!
A very excited looking Suzaku Kururugi rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.