PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hizukiro Sakarai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danny Delphine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Danny Delphine will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Sakarai
vs
Delphine

164 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hizukiro Sakarai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Danny Delphine!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Ren Mimura and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Delphine shoots in looking for a takedown. Sakarai tries to sprawl out of it but Delphine keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sakarai manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Sakarai bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakarai trying to control the action but Delphine is working from the bottom.
Delphine is looking for a sweep.
Sakarai tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

Sakarai wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Delphine, who protects the arm well.
Delphine is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Sakarai wants to control but Delphine is keeping him busy.
Delphine sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Sakarai passes to side control.
Delphine tries to bench press Sakarai off him but Sakarai keeps the position.
Delphine manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Delphine tries to kick Sakarai off but Sakarai keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Sakarai is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakarai wants to lay and pray for a moment but Delphine keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Delphine actively working from the bottom here.
Sakarai could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Sakarai thows a huge punch but Delphine dodges it nicely.

Delphine looking for submissions off his back.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Sakarai shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Sakarai is breathing heavily.
Sakarai is thwarting Delphine's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Delphine is trying to get back to full guard.
Sakarai content to control rather than advance.
Delphine regains full guard. Nicely done.
Delphine is trying to keep Sakarai in close.
Sakarai advances position into side control!

Sakarai decides to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sakarai shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Delphine's guard.
Sakarai forces his way into half guard.
Delphine is not content to let Sakarai control the position.

Delphine looking for submissions off his back.
Delphine landing small, sideways elbows.
Sakarai is thwarting Delphine's attempts to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hizukiro Sakarai dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sakarai with a lazy takedown attempt

and Delphine counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sakarai is staying active underneath Delphine, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Delphine is trying to work for a kimura but Sakarai is defending well.
Sakarai slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Delphine wants to control from the top but Sakarai keeps moving.
Sakarai looking for a sweep. Not yet Sakarai, not yet.
Delphine pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sakarai is keeping the position for now.
Sakarai seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Delphine gets to his feet - Sakarai follows without any prompting.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Sakarai clinches up with Delphine and pushes him back against the cage.

Sakarai's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hizukiro Sakarai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sakarai tries to clinch up.
Sakarai shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Delphine counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Delphine wants to pass the guard but Sakarai is keeping the position.
Delphine slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakarai can't do much from the bottom here.
Sakarai might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Delphine tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Delphine has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Sakarai throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Delphine is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Delphine wants to control for a moment but Sakarai uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Sakarai is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakarai flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Delphine wants to control but Sakarai is keeping him busy.
Sakarai is trying to stand.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Sakarai looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Sakarai looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Delphine looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sakarai seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakarai's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Delphine has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sakarai is working away from the top position though.
Sakarai passes to side control.
Delphine struggling a bit here.
Sakarai staying calm.
Sakarai gets to mount! Delphine was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danny Delphine showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Sakarai drives through with a takedown into guard.
Delphine is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sakarai wants to control from the top but Delphine keeps moving.
Delphine keeping full guard, as Sakarai tries to pass.

Delphine has his foot on Sakarai's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sakarai works his way back into a safe position though.
Sakarai is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Delphine throws his legs up looking for a submission but Sakarai uses it to pass to side control.
Delphine pushes Sakarai away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Sakarai gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Delphine is trying to get back to half guard.
Delphine seems a little lost for a moment, as Sakarai dominates the positioning.
Delphine tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Sakarai easily slips into full mount!
Sakarai tries to control but Delphine wriggling away.

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.

Sakarai has hold of Delphine's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Delphine manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Delphine is trying to stand.
Sakarai lands a heavy elbow.
Delphine tries to improve his position but instead Sakarai has taken his back!
Sakarai punishes Delphine with strikes from the back mount.
Delphine trying to control the action but Sakarai just sinks the hooks in.
Delphine tries to escape the position.
Hizukiro Sakarai overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Sakarai.
Sakarai scores with punches from the back.
Delphine tries to escape the position.
Sakarai is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Delphine is keeping busy.

Sakarai looking for the choke but no joy.
Delphine manages to reverse the position and now he's in Sakarai's guard. Nice work there by Delphine.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sakarai not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sakarai wants to get back to his feet but Delphine is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Delphine stands up and waves to Sakarai to follow him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sakarai throws a head kick but Delphine moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hizukiro Sakarai showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sakarai has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hizukiro Sakarai!