PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between AW Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joshua Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stevens's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, The Root Beer Song by Joeshmauer. Stevens has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. The key to victory for AW Stevens has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Stevens
vs
Sakuraba

185 cm
24
185 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

183 cm
22
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, AW Stevens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joshua Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Sakuraba tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stevens catches Sakuraba with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Sakuraba scores a takedown into full mount!
Sakuraba is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Sakuraba controlling from the full mount.
Stevens is looking to improve his position but Sakuraba isn't that keen on the idea.
Sakuraba trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Stevens keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sakuraba controlling the position easily from mount.
Sakuraba wants to control the pace but Stevens is squirming around nicely.
Stevens is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Sakuraba has taken his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sakuraba controlling well, preventing Stevens from escaping the position.

Sakuraba looking for the choke from the back.

Stevens showing good submission defense here.
Sakuraba really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Stevens.
Sakuraba looks gassed!

Stevens is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Sakuraba gets his way!
Sakuraba slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens prevents Sakuraba from getting a body triangle.

Despite being in the dominant position, Joshua Sakuraba just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stevens connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Sakuraba has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Sakuraba there as he acknowledges the shot.
Stevens sizes up Sakuraba with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Stevens throws a right and a left that Sakuraba avoids nicely.

Sakuraba looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Sakuraba wants to control from the top but Stevens keeps moving.

Stevens throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens wants to stand but Sakuraba is controlling the position.
Stevens keeping moving, preventing Sakuraba from controlling successfully.
Stevens throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Sakuraba controlling from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stevens throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Sakuraba trying to control the position from guard on top but Stevens is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joshua Sakuraba 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.

Sakuraba is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Stevens.

Sakuraba changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Stevens looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Stevens tries to bench press Sakuraba off him but Sakuraba keeps the position.
The ground and pound from Sakuraba seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Stevens striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Sakuraba postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Sakuraba trying to control the action but Stevens is working from the bottom.
Sakuraba looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Stevens is avoiding damage well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stevens tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sakuraba misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sakuraba misses with a few strikes there.

Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Stevens trying to control from the bottom.

Sakuraba is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Stevens is just riding it out for now. Sakuraba eventually gives up the hold.
Sakuraba is looking to advance position but Stevens won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stevens's head.

Sakuraba stands up from half guard.
Sakuraba throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Stevens with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sakuraba tries to move into range but Stevens moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Sakuraba takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Stevens listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Sakuraba takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Sakuraba fails to land the takedown.
Sakuraba tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Stevens paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Good standup being displayed there by Stevens as he connects with a hook.
Sakuraba throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Stevens's waist but Stevens gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sakuraba off to one side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Joshua Sakuraba is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fighters circle momentarily. Stevens darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Stevens connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Sakuraba momentarily.
Stevens looks to land a left hand but Sakuraba moved out of range nicely.
Stevens moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Sakuraba scores with a takedown into Stevens's guard.
Sakuraba advances position into side control!
An elbow from Sakuraba crashes against the mat.
Stevens manages to work his way to half guard, despite Sakuraba's best efforts.
Stevens pushes Sakuraba off looking to stand but Sakuraba dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba controlling the pace.
Stevens is refusing to be controlled, as Sakuraba sits in half guard.
Stevens is trying to control but Sakuraba passes into side control!

Sakuraba is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Stevens knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Stevens wants to control but Sakuraba postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joshua Sakuraba showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Stevens misses with a head kick.
AW Stevens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Stevens tries to keep at a distance but Sakuraba has taken the fight into the clinch.
Stevens tries to break the clinch but Sakuraba is controlling the position.
Sakuraba jumps guard but Stevens stands there with Sakuraba around his waist. Sakuraba gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Sakuraba has Stevens pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Sakuraba pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Stevens tumbling to the mat - Sakuraba dives into Stevens's guard.
Sakuraba controls from within his opponent's guard.
Stevens can't keep his opponent in guard - Sakuraba advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sakuraba wants to take a breather but Stevens is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Stevens regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sakuraba trying to control but Stevens is working from the bottom.
Sakuraba is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Sakuraba trying to control but Stevens is working from the bottom.
Joshua Sakuraba has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stevens looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sakuraba is one step ahead there.
Sakuraba trying to control but Stevens is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stevens tries to strike from the bottom.

Sakuraba thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Stevens is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sakuraba takes one to the side of the head.
Stevens swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sakuraba pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Sakuraba darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba uses his free foot to push down on Stevens's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Stevens.
Stevens knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sakuraba on the ground.
Stevens is working to get back to half guard.
Stevens is trying to escape the mount but Sakuraba keeps good control and instead manages to take Stevens's back.
Stevens manages to reverse the position and now he's in Sakuraba's guard. Nice work there by Stevens.
Stevens pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sakuraba is keeping the position for now.
Sakuraba is pulling down on Stevens's head. It's preventing any offense from Stevens, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sakuraba is trying to control the position but Stevens postures up.
Stevens wants to pass the guard but Sakuraba is keeping the position.
Sakuraba looking to hit a scissor sweep but Stevens is one step ahead there.
Stevens trying to control but Sakuraba is working from the bottom.
AW Stevens has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Stevens drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Stevens jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joshua Sakuraba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sakuraba winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joshua Sakuraba!