PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jayson Mckee (ranked 5153 p4p, 4188 weight class) and Hanamichi Sakuragi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mckee is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Mckee
vs
Sakuragi

197 cm
18
265
0 - 1 - 0

197 cm
18
265
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jayson Mckee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Hanamichi Sakuragi!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Damien Edna and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuragi closes the distance and clinches up with Mckee, looking for a takedown. Sakuragi pushes Mckee against the cage but Mckee circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Sakuragi clinches.

Mckee escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mckee is breathing heavily.
Sakuragi shoots in for a takedown but Mckee shows good takedown defense.
Mckee lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sakuragi circles away quickly and effectively.
Sakuragi fails with a takedown attempt.
Jayson Mckee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hanamichi Sakuragi.
Sakuragi slips a straight right by Mckee.
Sakuragi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mckee.
Mckee misses with a two punch combination.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sakuragi is defended easily by Mckee.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sakuragi has Mckee up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mckee wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mckee can't break the clinch.
Mckee wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Sakuragi manages to break the clinch.
Mckee throws a body shot but no joy.
Sakuragi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mckee swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Sakuragi is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mckee sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sakuragi just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromMckee.
Sakuragi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mckee throws out the jab.
Sakuragi throws a body kick that misses.
Sakuragi shoots for a double leg takedown but Mckee sprawls well. He's pushed Sakuragi's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jayson Mckee is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sakuragi shoots in for a takedown but Mckee shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A head kick misses from Sakuragi.
A jab from Mckee misses.
Sakuragi lands a lovely overhand right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sakuragi.

Sakuragi tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sakuragi has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A lull in the action here.

Sakuragi thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Sakuragi has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi fails to land the takedown.
Sakuragi shoots in looking for a takedown. Mckee tries to sprawl out of it but Sakuragi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mckee manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sakuragi just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromMckee.
Sakuragi avoids the head kick by Mckee.

Sakuragi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mckee, pushing him back against the cage.
Sakuragi jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mckee walks away with a smile on his face. Sakuragi gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Sakuragi shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Mckee sprawls well. Mckee wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sakuragi gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mckee takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Sakuragi misses with an attempted mid kick.
Mckee stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mckee wants it to stay on the feet.
A head kick misses from Mckee.
Sakuragi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mckee swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Sakuragi scores with a punch to the head.
Sakuragi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Mckee tries to keep at a distance but Sakuragi has taken the fight into the clinch.
Mckee wants to break free but Sakuragi has control.

Sakuragi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sakuragi goes for a double leg but Mckee avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mckee continues to drive forward.
Mckee misses with a straight left.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hanamichi Sakuragi will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Mckee misses with a combination
and Sakuragi counters with a one-two to the body.
Mckee blocks a head kick by Sakuragi.
A head kick misses from Mckee.
Sakuragi drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mckee defends it well.
Sakuragi throws a head kick but Mckee moves out of range.
Mckee defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sakuragi.
Mckee quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Jayson Mckee is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Horrible takedown attempt by Sakuragi or perhaps it was just good defense by Mckee, which made it look bad.

Sakuragi moves into range and clinches up with Mckee.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sakuragi manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Sakuragi throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mckee prevents Sakuragi from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mckee stopping the sweep attempt from Sakuragi.
Mckee wants to get up but he can't break Sakuragi's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sakuragi wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Sakuragi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Sakuragi holds on and takes a little breather.
Sakuragi working a defensive guard here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Mckee avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jayson Mckee seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A combination from Mckee does no damage.
Sakuragi tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mckee defends well and Sakuragi ends up having to push Mckee into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Jayson Mckee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hanamichi Sakuragi.
Sakuragi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mckee as he jumps to the side.
Sakuragi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mckee swats away the attempt to clinch by Sakuragi.
Mckee stuffs the takedown.
Sakuragi is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Mckee.
Sakuragi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mckee swivels and escapes.
Sakuragi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi shoots for a double leg takedown but Mckee sprawls well. He's pushed Sakuragi's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mckee went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Nice cross by Mckee.
Jayson Mckee is winning the standup battle so far.
Sakuragi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mckee.
A leg kick checked by Mckee.
Mckee looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sakuragi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mckee tries to avoid it but Sakuragi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mckee to the ground. Mckee escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sakuragi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mckee.
Sakuragi shoots in and drives through. Mckee sprawls well.
Decent striking displayed by Mckee there.
Sakuragi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mckee.
Sakuragi feints the counter takedown.
Sakuragi misses with a takedown attempt - Mckee sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mckee misses with a head kick.
Sakuragi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mckee paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mckee throwing a counter right hand but Sakuragi manages to avoid it.
Mckee misses with a body kick.

Sakuragi darts in and clinches Mckee up against the cage.

Sakuragi breaks from the clinch.
Mckee avoids a kick to the body.
Sakuragi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sakuragi needs to keep his hands up - Mckee had a free shot at his head there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sakuragi moves in looking to clinch but Mckee pushes him off.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Sakuragi manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jayson Mckee dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Mckee gets caught napping as Sakuragi dives in and scores a takedown. Mckee manages to retain guard.
Mckee wants to stand but Sakuragi is controlling the position.
Sakuragi is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mckee is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sakuragi is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mckee being controlled here, momentarily.
Sakuragi pushing down on Mckee's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Sakuragi stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Sakuragi dives in and grabs Mckee's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mckee pushes down on Sakuragi's head and hops out.
Mckee jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Mckee tries a head kick but it misses.

Sakuragi closes the distance and pushes Mckee back into the cage.

Sakuragi breaks from the clinch.
Mckee throws a body shot but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Mckee defends it nicely.
Sakuragi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mckee's waist but Mckee gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sakuragi off to one side.
Jayson Mckee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hanamichi Sakuragi.
The fighters circling - Mckee throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sakuragi is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sakuragi.
Mckee pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sakuragi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sakuragi dives in and grabs Mckee's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mckee pushes down on Sakuragi's head and hops out.
Mckee feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Sakuragis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Mckee misses with a double jab.
Mckee misses with a shot to the body

and Sakuragi moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakuragi breaks the clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sakuragi.
Mckee is looking to land body kicks.
A combination from Mckee does no damage.

Sakuragi gets a clinch.
Come on Sakuragi - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Sakuragi has Mckee pressed against the cage.

Mckee escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mckee misses with an uppercut.
Sakuragi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mckee tries to avoid it but Sakuragi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mckee to the ground. Mckee escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mckee circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sakuragi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Mckee checks a leg kick nicely.
A swing and a miss from Mckee.
Sakuragi goes for a double leg but Mckee avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mckee continues to drive forward.
Mckee throws the left hand but Sakuragi avoids the punch easily.
Sakuragi is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Mckee throws a hook to the side of Sakuragi's head but Sakuragi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sakuragi tries to pull guard but Mckee won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sakuragi fails to pull guard.
Sakuragi tries for a takedown. No joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jayson Mckee.
I think Mckee has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jayson Mckee!