PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Choi Hong Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wiang Kwai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hong Sakuraba
vs
Kwai

182 cm
23
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

176 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Choi Hong Sakuraba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Wiang Kwai!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba closes the distance and clinches up with Kwai, looking for a takedown. Sakuraba pushes Kwai against the ropes but Kwai circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sakuraba with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Kwai to score with a decent uppercut.

It looks like Choi Hong Sakuraba has been cut.
Sakuraba moves out of range of the body kick.
Sakuraba fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sakuraba shoots in looking for a takedown. Kwai tries to sprawl out of it but Sakuraba keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Kwai manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kwai looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kwai throws a body kick that misses.
Sakuraba darts in trying to clinch
and Kwai counters with a good, hard body kick but Sakuraba shrugs it off.
Sakuraba is breathing heavily.

Kwai rushes Sakuraba and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sakuraba blocks the elbow strike.
Kwai misses with a knee strike.
Kwai has a couple of punches blocked by Sakuraba.
Kwai scores a nice knee to the body.
Kwai using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Kwai just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sakuraba's brow.
Kwai stalling in the clinch but Sakuraba improves position.
Sakuraba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kwai tries a knee to the head but Sakuraba blocks it.
Kwai using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kwai looking to throw knees to the head but Sakuraba is blocking nicely.
Sakuraba managing to block the knees to the body from Kwai.
Kwai lands an elbow inside that Sakuraba shrugs off.
Kwai misses with an elbow over the top.
Kwai has a couple of punches blocked by Sakuraba.
Kwai tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kwai crunches a lovely knee into Sakuraba's ribcage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kwai obliges.
Kwai throws an elbow but it misses.
A right hook to the body lands for Kwai.
Kwai tries to land knees in the clinch but Sakuraba avoids the damage to the body.
Kwai lands a knee to the head.
Kwai trying to control the position but instead, Sakuraba has worked for underhooks and has pushed Kwai into the ropes.
Sakuraba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kwai with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kwai with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kwai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba avoids the elbow strike from Kwai, against the ropes.
Sakuraba tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Choi Hong Sakuraba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakuraba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba avoiding damage as Kwai throws knees to the body.
Sakuraba misses with a knee to the head.
Kwai unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sakuraba lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Kwai is trying to maintain a safe position but Sakuraba gets an underhook and turns Kwai into the ropes.
Sakuraba avoiding damage as Kwai throws knees to the body.
Kwai lands with a left to the head.
Kwai tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sakuraba avoids it.
Sakuraba avoiding damage as Kwai throws knees to the body.
Kwai works on Sakuraba's body with a couple of short punches.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kwai obliges.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kwai stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Kwai tries a knee to the head but Sakuraba blocks it.
Kwai using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sakuraba has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kwai throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Sakuraba blocking some punches.
Sakuraba misses with a knee strike.
Kwai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sakuraba.
Kwai has Sakuraba pushed against the ropes.
Sakuraba has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kwai is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kwai tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sakuraba avoids it.
Kwai misses with a knee strike.

Sakuraba pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sakuraba fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Kwai tries to clinch but Sakuraba moves away
and Sakuraba counters with a big head kick but Kwai shrugs it off.
Kwai lands a nice looking body shot.
A punch lands to the side of Sakuraba 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Sakuraba takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sakuraba takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Sakuraba circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sakuraba swats away the attempt to clinch by Kwai.
Wiang Kwai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kwai pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Sakuraba tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kwai counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kwai tries to clinch but Sakuraba is having none of it.

Kwai closes the distance and clinches.
Sakuraba is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Kwai stalling.
Kwai misses with a knee to the head.
Kwai looking to throw knees to the head but Sakuraba is blocking nicely.
Kwai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kwai connects with a knee to the head.
Kwai trying to land knees to the body.
Kwai trying to land knees to the body.
Sakuraba blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kwai throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kwai prevents Sakuraba from breaking the clinch.
Sakuraba looking for a takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kwai lands a good knee to the midsection. Sakuraba won't want to take too many of those.
Kwai trying to control the position but instead, Sakuraba has worked for underhooks and has pushed Kwai into the ropes.
Kwai using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wiang Kwai dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Choi Hong Sakuraba's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kwai lands an overhand right.
Sakuraba wants to clinch but Kwai slips to the side
letting Kwai counter with a right hand.

Sakuraba closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Sakuraba lands a takedown into guard.
Sakuraba with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sakuraba trying to control the position from guard on top but Kwai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kwai wants to get back to his feet but Sakuraba is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sakuraba throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba throwing strikes but missing.
Sakuraba throws a big right hand that misses.
Sakuraba wants to pass the guard but Kwai is keeping the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Kwai rushes Sakuraba and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Kwai using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sakuraba has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Kwai just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sakuraba's brow.
Kwai creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
A right handed body shot lands from Kwai.
Knees to the body from Kwai.
A head punch on the inside from Kwai fails to land.
Kwai crunches a lovely knee into Sakuraba's ribcage.
Kwai putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Sakuraba in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Kwai stalling in the clinch but Sakuraba improves position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kwai lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Kwai.
Sakuraba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kwai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kwai tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sakuraba takes a knee right on the jaw!
Sakuraba has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kwai is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
A right hook to the body lands for Kwai.
Kwai throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Kwai is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Sakuraba throws an elbow that misses.
Kwai landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kwai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sakuraba.
Kwai tries to land knees in the clinch but Sakuraba avoids the damage to the body.
Kwai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sakuraba avoiding damage as Kwai throws knees to the body.
Kwai misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kwai with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sakuraba tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Sakuraba tries for a takedown. No joy.
Kwai tries to land knees in the clinch but Sakuraba avoids the damage to the body.
Kwai tries to land knees in the clinch but Sakuraba avoids the damage to the body.
Kwai missing with knees to the body.
Sakuraba dodges an elbow strike from Kwai.
Sakuraba prevents a body shot from Kwai.
Kwai using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sakuraba has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sakuraba with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kwai blocks the elbow strike.
Sakuraba avoiding damage as Kwai throws knees to the body.
Sakuraba tries to stall but Kwai uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kwai scores with a nice hook to the head.
Kwai tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sakuraba avoids it.
Sakuraba drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Choi Hong Sakuraba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakuraba avoiding damage as Kwai throws knees to the body.
Sakuraba lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
With the fighters up against the ropes, Kwai throws an elbow but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Still in the clinch, Kwai scores with a nice short uppercut.
Sakuraba avoids the elbow strike from Kwai, against the ropes.
Sakuraba scores with a knee to the head.
Sakuraba pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Kwai is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sakuraba is defending well for now.
Kwai trying to land knees to the body.
Kwai gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Sakuraba gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Kwai blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sakuraba 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.
Sakuraba thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sakuraba throwing shots but Kwai is blocking nicely.
Kwai really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sakuraba. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kwai is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Wiang Kwai will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Choi Hong Sakuraba's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Kwai closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Sakuraba is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kwai pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Kwai trying to land knees to the body.
Kwai pushes off an throws an elbow but Sakuraba leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Kwai creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Kwai lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Kwai lands a body punch in the clinch.
Kwai is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sakuraba is defending well for now.
Kwai comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Sakuraba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sakuraba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sakuraba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Sakuraba as Kwai tries to tie him up.
Sakuraba misses with a knee to the head.
Kwai tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kwai lands an elbow inside that Sakuraba shrugs off.
Sakuraba managing to block the knees to the body from Kwai.
Sakuraba lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Sakuraba is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Sakuraba as Kwai tries to tie him up.
Kwai avoids a wild elbow strike from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba has had enough of the clinch but Kwai keeps him there for the moment.
Kwai misses with a body punch.
Kwai misses with an elbow strike.
Kwai pressing his opponent against the ropes.

Sakuraba escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kwai lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kwai throws a push kick but Sakuraba slaps the foot to one side.

Sakuraba drives through and clinches with Kwai against the ropes.
Kwai throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sakuraba misses with a knee to the head.
Kwai trying to land knees to the body.
Sakuraba trying to land knees to the body.
Kwai goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kwai manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

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.
Sakuraba comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kwai obliges.
Kwai lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Kwai slowing the pace effectively.

Sakuraba breaks the clinch.
Kwai clinches but Sakuraba breaks the clinch

and Sakuraba counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Kwai is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sakuraba not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sakuraba is looking to work some ground and pound but Kwai has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kwai keeping moving, preventing Sakuraba from controlling successfully.
Sakuraba advances to half guard.
Kwai blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sakuraba.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Sakuraba is looking for a kimura here.
Sakuraba wants to take a breather but Kwai is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Sakuraba is looking for a kimura here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Kwai moves into the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Kwai.
Choi Hong Sakuraba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kwai trying to land knees to the body.
Kwai connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sakuraba's face.
Kwai lands an elbow that stopped Sakuraba in his tracks for a moment.
Kwai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sakuraba.
Kwai taking a breather.
Wiang Kwai is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kwai lands a good knee to the midsection. Sakuraba won't want to take too many of those.

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 Choi Hong Sakuraba.
I think Kwai has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wiang Kwai!