PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Maki Damchaigym (ranked 24417 p4p, 5339 weight class) and Yushi Sakura (ranked 214 p4p, 185 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Damchaigym
vs
Sakura

175 cm
24
145
3 - 3 - 0

180 cm
24
152
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Maki Damchaigym!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yushi Sakura!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakura is looking to clinch but Damchaigym is avoiding it.
Damchaigym blocks a head kick by Sakura.
Maki Damchaigym seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Damchaigym gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Damchaigym tries to pull guard but Sakura forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Sakura manages to break the clinch.
Sakura throws a nice head kick!
Horrible takedown attempt by Damchaigym or perhaps it was just good defense by Sakura, which made it look bad.
Damchaigym misses with a body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Damchaigym fails with a takedown attempt.
Sakura raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maki Damchaigym. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Damchaigym.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakura tries to clinch up but Damchaigym circles away and keeps his distance.
Sakura wants to clinch.
Damchaigym half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Sakura keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Damchaigym tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Sakura counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Sakura instigates a clinch.
Sakura misses with a punch on the inside.
Sakura swings wildly with an uppercut but Damchaigym uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch on the inside from Sakura fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sakura escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Damchaigym tries to keep at a distance but Sakura has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sakura misses with the head strike.
Sakura lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Damchaigym backwards.
Damchaigym blocks an uppercut.
Sakura wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Damchaigym has him pressed against the cage.
Damchaigym tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sakura just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sakura tries to circle away but Damchaigym has him pinned against the cage.

Damchaigym breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sakura tries to close the distance and clinch but Damchaigym swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A slapping leg kick lands for Damchaigym.
Damchaigym fails to land the takedown.
Sakura throws a big counter head kick but Damchaigym avoids it with no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damchaigym lands a slapping body shot.

Sakura gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sakura wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Our sources have told us that Damchaigym has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.

Sakura escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sakura blocks a head kick by Damchaigym.
Nice sprawl there from Sakura as Damchaigym shoots in.
Damchaigym tries for a takedown but Sakura circles away easily
and Sakura counters with a series of strikes. Damchaigym will be more careful next time no doubt.

Sakura fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Damchaigym, pushing him back against the cage.
Sakura misses with some punches.
Damchaigym blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Damchaigym.
Damchaigym blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Damchaigym lands a right hand.

Sakura breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Sakura clinches.
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!

Sakura breaks from the clinch.
Damchaigym throws a shot to the body.

Sakura closes the distance and pushes Damchaigym back into the cage.
Sakura wants to get back to striking at distance but Damchaigym won't allow it.
Sakura lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Damchaigym backwards.
Sakura looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sakura tries to work over Damchaigym's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Damchaigym lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Sakura backwards.
Sakura swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Damchaigym takes a shot to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Yushi Sakura dominated that round.
That's time! Damchaigym's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Damchaigym shoots in looking for a takedown but Sakura manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Damchaigym's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Damchaigym throws a push kick but Sakura slaps the foot to one side.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Damchaigym holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Sakura scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Damchaigym blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sakura lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Sakura missing with knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakura scores with a hook to the body.
Sakura tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Damchaigym changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sakura fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Damchaigym gets tackled into the cage by Sakura. Sakura maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damchaigym tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sakura smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maki Damchaigym. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sakura clinches.
Sakura swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sakura scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Damchaigym jumps guard but Sakura turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Sakura misses with the head strike.

Sakura breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Damchaigym throws a left and a right that both miss
and Sakura counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Damchaigym thinking.

Damchaigym gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Sakura in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Sakura wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damchaigym blocks an uppercut.
Damchaigym is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Sakura misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sakura lands a hook to the side of the head.
Damchaigym blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sakura has a couple of punches blocked by Damchaigym.
A nice right hand lands inside from Sakura.
Sakura lands a left hand that snaps the head of Damchaigym backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Damchaigym jumps guard but Sakura stands there with Damchaigym around his waist. Damchaigym gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Damchaigym has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Sakura after a bit of a struggle.

Damchaigym breaks from the clinch.

Sakura gets a clinch.
Yushi Sakura seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A left hand lands to the body for Sakura.
Sakura has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Sakura creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakura misses with the head strike.
Sakura misses with some punches.
Sakura lands a nice uppercut.
Sakura misses with the head strike.
Sakura swings wildly with an uppercut but Damchaigym uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sakura throws a head punch that misses.
Sakura has a couple of punches blocked by Damchaigym.
Sakura swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Damchaigym wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Sakura breaks from the clinch.
Damchaigym with a lazy takedown attempt
and Sakura counters with a stiff right hand.
Yushi Sakura is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Damchaigym tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Sakura defends well and Damchaigym ends up having to push Sakura into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Sakura breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sakura darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Damchaigym there.
Sakura tries to clinch but Damchaigym is having none of it.
Damchaigym appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Sakura closes the distance and clinches.
A short right from Sakura.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Sakura pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Sakura closes the distance and pushes Damchaigym back into the cage.

Sakura manages to break the clinch.
Damchaigym tries for a takedown but Sakura sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sakura throws a counter combo.

Sakura has taken the fight to the clinch.
Sakura lands a right hand.
Damchaigym blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A nice left hand lands by Sakura.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Yushi Sakura showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Damchaigym fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Damchaigym looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sakura is fending him off so far but Damchaigym persists. Nope, Sakura circles away and we're back to standing.
Sakura throws a counter combo.

Sakura has Damchaigym up against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Sakura fails to land.

Sakura manages to break the clinch.
Sakura looks for the body kick but Damchaigym saw that one coming.

Sakura closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakura lands with a left to the head.
Sakura has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sakura misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sakura prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maki Damchaigym. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakura lands a hook that snaps the head of Damchaigym backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Sakura fails to land.

Damchaigym's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Yushi Sakura seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Damchaigym tries to keep at a distance but Sakura has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sakura lands a body shot.
Sakura throws a punch but it's blocked by Damchaigym.
Sakura misses with some punches.

Sakura breaks the clinch.
Maki Damchaigym is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Sakura clinches up with Damchaigym and pushes him back against the cage.
Sakura lands a left hand that snaps the head of Damchaigym backwards.
Sakura struggles to land a body shot inside as Damchaigym controls his hands.
Damchaigym fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Sakura breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Damchaigym.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sakura rushes Damchaigym and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Damchaigym jumps guard.
Sakura controls from within his opponent's guard.
Sakura pushing down on Damchaigym's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sakura looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Sakura wants to work for an arm triangle but Damchaigym is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakura passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Damchaigym!
Damchaigym is in a horrible position here. Sakura smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Sakura sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Damchaigym tries to control Sakura's body but Sakura pushes him off. Damchaigym squirms to his side and now Sakura has his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Damchaigym defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.
Damchaigym won't allow Sakura to sweep him here.
Sakura controlling Damchaigym's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maki Damchaigym has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yushi Sakura is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yushi Sakura comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sakura has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Yushi Sakura!
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for Yushi Sakura!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight for Yushi Sakura!

Yushi Sakura wins by unanimous decision!