PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Shin Sakimura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akira Murakami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shin Sakimura could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Akira Murakami's chin.

Sakimura
vs
Murakami

162 cm
22
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
23
142 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shin Sakimura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akira Murakami!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shigeki Sano and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murakami looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sakimura is fending him off so far but Murakami persists. Nope, Sakimura circles away and we're back to standing.

Murakami gets the takedown into side control.
Sakimura is not content to let Murakami control the position.

Murakami tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Murakami is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sakimura is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sakimura is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Murakami off and has taken his back!
Sakimura throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Murakami!

Sakimura looking for the RNC.
Sakimura is breathing heavily.
Murakami just trying to survive but Sakimura is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Murakami is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Sakimura off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murakami controlling his opponent's hands, preventing the submission attempt.
Murakami tries to escape the position.
Even with his hooks in, Sakimura manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Murakami rolls, trying to escape but Sakimura keeps control of the position.
Sakimura has Murakami flattened out and is raining down punches.
Sakimura is not going to allow Murakami to sit and survive in this position.
Sakimura misses with a punch to the head.
Sakimura lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Sakimura has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Murakami trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Sakimura lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Sakimura working for a choke but Murakami is defending well.
Murakami rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Sakimura missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Murakami gets back to full guard.

Murakami working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sakimura doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sakimura manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Sakimura avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Murakami working for a triangle but Sakimura defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakimura stopping the sweep attempt from Murakami.
Murakami working a defensive guard here.
Murakami looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sakimura is one step ahead there.

Murakami is looking for a triangle but Sakimura pushes his legs off easily.
Sakimura stopping the sweep attempt from Murakami.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Murakami is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Murakami looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sakimura shoots and misses

and Murakami counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Sakimura had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Murakami is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Sakimura Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Murakami's back instead.
Murakami tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Sakimura stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Murakami with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sakimura counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sakimura.
Sakimura throws a big right hand that misses.
Murakami is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Akira Murakami will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sakimura doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Murakami decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sakimura's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murakami slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Murakami tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Murakami has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Sakimura throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Sakimura is not content to let Murakami control the position.
Sakimura is trying to improve his position.
Sakimura is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murakami has an Americana. Sakimura didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Murakami is delighted and gyrates infront of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Murakami hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:22 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Akira Murakami!