PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Willie Garvin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hiro Sakurai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Garvin
vs
Sakurai

186 cm
22
206 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

185 cm
24
203 lbs
14 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Convicted Trap House

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Willie Garvin!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hiro Sakurai!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice leg kick lands there from Garvin.
Garvin lands with a kick to the ribs.
Sakurai moves out of range of the body kick.
Garvin feints and then cracks Sakurai's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sakurai down.
Garvin wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Garvin scores with a crisp jab that stopped Sakurai in his tracks.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Garvin uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Garvin clinches with his opponent.
Sakurai misses with the head strike.
Garvin slowing the pace effectively.
Garvin seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Sakurai takes a shot to the head.
Sakurai being controlled against the cage.
Garvin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sakurai.
Garvin controlling the action here for a moment.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Willie Garvin.
Sakurai throws an overhand right that lands on Garvin's shoulder, as Garvin tries to avoid the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garvin is looking to land body kicks.
Garvin just misses with a punch to the body.
Sakurai moves out of range as Garvin throws a body kick.
Garvin throws a nice inside leg kick.
Garvin throws a leg kick but Sakurai moved away.
Sakurai walks into a jab.
The fighters circling - Sakurai throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Garvin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sakurai.
A nice inside leg kick there by Garvin. That's going to slow Sakurai down.
Garvin listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Sakurai looks to land a left hand but Garvin moved out of range nicely.
Garvin attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Garvin cracks the inside of Sakurai's front leg.
Sakurai looks gassed!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sakurai swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garvin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sakurai swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sakurai misses the jab.
Sakurai misses with the combination.
Sakurai ducks under a wild hook from Garvin.
Garvin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sakurai moves away.
Garvin throws the kick towards the body but Sakurai avoids it.
A good leg kick by Garvin.
Garvin doesn't manage to clinch there - Sakurai circles away.
Garvin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sakurai.
Garvin just misses with a punch to the body.
Garvin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sakurai.
Sakurai takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Both fighters circling a little - Garvin finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Sakurai slips a jab from Garvin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garvin throws a sloppy body shot
and Sakurai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sakurai steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Garvin. That one must have hurt.
Garvin throws a head kick that misses.
Sakurai throws a lazy head kick
and Garvin counters with a nice body shot.
Garvin connects with a solid leg kick.
Garvin buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Garvin with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Garvin connects with a leg kick. Sakurai looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garvin misses the shot to the body.
Sakurai avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Garvin throws a sloppy head kick and Sakurai moves out of range easily.
Garvin is looking to wear down Sakurai with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Nice body kick there by Garvin.
Sakurai's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Garvin wants to slow Sakurai down by chopping away at his legs.
Garvin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hiro Sakurai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Garvin.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Sakurai crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Garvin - the referee stops the clock and Sakurai gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Garvin. Sakurai manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Garvin throws a nice outside leg kick.
Garvin wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Garvin turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Garvin.
Garvin lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Garvin.

Garvin forces Sakurai back against the cage and clinches.

Garvin manages to break the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sakurai misses with an uppercut. Garvin saw that one coming.
Sakurai uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Garvin.
Sakurai misses with a body shot
and Garvin counters with a left to the body.
Garvin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sakurai sees it coming and avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Willie Garvin dominated that 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.

Garvin throws a hook but Sakurai blocks it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Garvin.
Sakurai looks to land a left hand but Garvin moved out of range nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Sakurai misses the target.
Garvin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sakurai throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Garvin makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Garvin has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Garvin there as he acknowledges the shot.
Garvin throws a body punch but Sakurai moves out of range.
Garvin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sakurai moves out of range of the body kick from Garvin.
Garvin buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Sakurai has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Garvin.
Sakurai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sakurai is breathing heavily.
Sakurai uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Garvin.
Garvin slips under a jab from Sakurai.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai lands with an overhand left.
Garvin keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sakurai.
Willie Garvin is winning the standup battle so far.
Garvin throws a lazy right hand but Sakurai sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Garvin connects with the punch.
Sakurai misses the jab.
Garvin throws a head kick that misses.
Garvin looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Sakurai checks a leg kick nicely.
Sakurai misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Garvin counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Garvin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Garvin cracks Sakurai with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Garvin.
Sakurai takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Sakurai takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garvin moves out of range as Sakurai strikes.
Garvin ducks under a wild hook from Sakurai.
Sakurai moves out of range of the body kick from Garvin.
Sakurai thows a body shot but no joy.
Garvin looks to land a right hand but Sakurai moved out of range.

Sakurai rushes Garvin and presses him up against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Garvin trying to land knees to the body.
Garvin lands a knee to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garvin trying to land knees to the body.

Garvin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sakurai throws a series of punches but Garvin moves out of range.
Garvin throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Garvin scores with a nice body kick.
Garvin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sakurai manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Garvin, right into the meat.
Sakurai misses with a shot to the body
and Garvin counters with a head kick. That will keep Sakurai thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Sakurai on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Sakurai misses with a hook. Garvin ducked under it nicely.
Sakurai wants to clinch
and Garvin counters with a left to the body.
Sakurai takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Garvin lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Garvin fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Garvin throws a leg kick which misses Sakurai's front leg but catches the back leg as Sakurai tries to avoid it.
Garvin thumps Sakurai with a low kick.
Garvin connects with a good right hand that stumbles Sakurai. Sakurai circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Garvin stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Sakurai misses.
Garvin tries to score with a low kick but Sakurai moves his leg out of the way.
Sakurai throws a body kick the misses
and Garvin counters with a body kick that stops Sakurai in his tracks momentarily.
Garvin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sakurai paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Some bone on bone action there as Sakurai checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Garvin with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
That kick from Garvin tenderised Sakurai's leg. Sakurai is trying to keep his angry face on.
Garvin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sakurai.
Garvin throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Sakurai moves into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sakurai tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Garvin working Sakurai over with knees to the body.
Garvin lands a body punch in the clinch.
Garvin stalling against the cage.
Garvin gets through Sakurai's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Willie Garvin dominated that second 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.

Garvin lands with a good body shot.
A left lands for Sakurai.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sakurai looking to stall.
Sakurai wants to break free but Garvin has control.
Garvin working Sakurai over with knees to the body.
Garvin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Garvin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Garvin slowing the pace effectively.
Garvin stalling in the clinch but Sakurai improves position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Garvin pushes Sakurai back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sakurai lands with a light punch inside.
Sakurai misses with a hook from the clinch.
Garvin comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sakurai.
Garvin stalling in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai blocks an elbow strike from Garvin.
Garvin blocking some punches.
Sakurai looking to slow down the pace here.
Garvin lands a good knee to the midsection. Sakurai won't want to take too many of those.
Sakurai is trying to stall.
Stalling in the clinch from Garvin.
Garvin lands an elbow inside that Sakurai shrugs off.
Sakurai takes an elbow to the forehead.
Garvin trying to land knees to the body.
Garvin lands an elbow just above Sakurai 's eye.
Garvin is stalling here.
Garvin blocking some punches.

Garvin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Garvin thows a leg kick but Sakurai checks it
and Sakurai counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Garvin misses with a leg kick.
Garvin keeps Sakurai at a distance using the push kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai slips a jab from Garvin.
Sakurai scores with a jab.
Garvin slips a jab and a cross from Sakurai.
Garvin scores with a leg kick.
Garvin digs a good hook to Sakurai's body.
Sakurai throws a head kick that misses
and Garvin counters with a nice uppercut.
Garvin scores with a kick to the body.
Garvin jabs Sakurai to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Garvin throws a wild body kick that Sakurai sees coming a mile off.
A telegraphed right hand from Sakurai misses the target.
Garvin lands with a hook. Sakurai tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Garvin thumps Sakurai with a low kick.
Garvin scores with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garvin throws a jab but it's blocked by Sakurai.
Sakurai thows a leg kick but Garvin checks it
and Garvin counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Garvin, right into the meat.
Garvin lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A chopping leg kick lands by Garvin.
Garvin pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Sakurai throws a jab when Garvin was well out of range.
Sakurai avoids the body shot from Garvin.
Garvin slips a jab from Sakurai.
Garvin throws a sloppy head kick and Sakurai moves out of range easily.
Garvin throws a head kick that misses.
Garvin takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Sakurai bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Garvin's head backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai wants to clinch
and Garvin counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A big right from Sakurai misses.
A head kick misses from Garvin.
Garvin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sakurai cracks Garvin with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Garvin lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Garvin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sakurai can do to turn this around?
Sakurai lands the left hand.
Sakurai throws a predictable looking body shot
and Garvin counters with a nice leg kick.
Sakurai blocks a head kick by Garvin.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Garvin throws a solid leg kick but Sakurai takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Garvin.
Sakurai throws a right hand that Garvin ducks under and follows up with a left that Garvin also avoids with ease.
Sakurai lands with a nice body punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Willie Garvin clearly takes that round.
That's time! Garvin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sakurai has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Garvin.
Sakurai throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Garvin throws out a leg kick but Sakurai moves out of range and Garvin only half commits.
Sakurai is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A jab from Sakurai misses.
Sakurai avoids the head kick by Garvin.
Garvin tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Sakurai counters with a nice body shot.
Garvin shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A low kick from Sakurai misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Garvin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Sakurai thows a left - swing and a miss!
Garvin throws a solid leg kick but Sakurai takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Garvin.
Sakurai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Garvin moves away.
Sakurai scores with a head kick. Garvin tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Garvin throws a body kick that misses.
Garvin lands a nice looking body kick.
Sakurai wants to clinch but Garvin slips to the side
and Garvin counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Sakurai is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Sakurai checks a leg kick nicely.
A slow jab from Garvin misses its intended target.
Garvin throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Garvin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Some wild striking there from Sakurai.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Garvin.
Garvin throws a lazy head kick
and Garvin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Garvin takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Sakurai digs a good hook to Garvin's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Garvin there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Garvin circles away from the clinch attempt
and Garvin makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Sakurai swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Garvin pivots, looking for a leg kick but Sakurai is out of range and Garvin settles back down.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sakurai, as that shot connected.
Decent striking displayed by Sakurai there.
The fighters circling - Garvin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Sakurai clinches with his opponent.
Garvin lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Sakurai manages to break the clinch.
Garvin is looking to land body kicks.

Sakurai moves into range and clinches up with Garvin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai misses with the head strike.
Garvin landing some nice looking knees to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Sakurai.
Garvin blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Sakurai breaks from the clinch.
Sakurai is looking to clinch but Garvin is avoiding it.
Garvin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Garvin chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Sakurai moves forwards but Garvin connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Sakurai missing with a left hand there. Garvin was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sakurai on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Garvin. Garvin obviously looking to wear him down.
Garvin looks to land a right hand but Sakurai moved out of range.
Jab by Sakurai.
Garvin throws the kick towards the body but Sakurai avoids it.
Garvin connects with an inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai lunges at Garvin with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Garvin's hand.
A swing and a miss from Sakurai.
Sakurai misses with a two punch combination.
Garvin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Garvin pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Garvin throws a leg kick that is checked
and Garvin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Garvin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Garvin misses with a body shot
and Sakurai counters with a straight right hand.
Garvin takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Sakurai cracks Garvin with an open hand slap.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sakurai misses with a wild combination.
Garvin looks to land a body kick but Sakurai moved away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiro Sakurai dominated that fourth round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Garvin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sakurai takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Garvin is looking to land body kicks.
Sakurai misses with a few strikes there.
Garvin slips a straight right by Sakurai.
Garvin lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Garvin clinches up with Sakurai and pushes him back against the cage.
Garvin landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Garvin lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Sakurai backwards.
Garvin manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Knees to the body from Garvin.
Garvin stalling.
A short uppercut from Garvin.
Sakurai is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Sakurai wants to break the clinch but can't.
Garvin slowing the pace effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai blocks the elbow strike.
Sakurai lands a nice uppercut.

Garvin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Garvin tries to clinch there but Sakurai circles away.
Garvin turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Sakurai throws a shot from downtown. Garvin moves away and avoids it.
Jab by Garvin.
Garvin keeps the fight on the outside.
Sakurai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Garvin was well out of range. Poor timing from Sakurai.
Garvin ducks right into an uppercut from Sakurai.
Garvin throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Sakurai stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Garvin lands a nice looking kick to the body. Sakurai takes a step back to recover.
Garvin connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Sakurai momentarily.
Garvin scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garvin thumps Sakurai with a low kick.
Garvin closes the distance and lands a one-two.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakurai keeps the fight on the outside.
Garvin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sakurai falls off balance throwing a combination
and Garvin counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Garvin throws a series of punches but Sakurai avoids them all with ease.
Sakurai sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Sakurai looks to land a right hand but Garvin moved out of range.
Sakurai scores with a jab to the head.
Garvin throws a body kick that misses.
Sakurai misses with the combination.
Sakurai tries to clinch up
enabling Garvin to counter with a crisp jab.
Hiro Sakurai has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garvin buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Sakurai fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Garvin lands with a thumping leg kick.
Garvin misses the body punch
and Sakurai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Garvin lands a body shot.
Garvin punishes Sakurai's body with a nice straight punch.
Sakurai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Garvin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Garvin connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Sakurai fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Garvin moves away from the strike by Sakurai.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garvin connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A slow jab from Garvin misses its intended target.
Sakurai closes the distance but Garvin moves to the side
and Garvin counters with a good low kick that Sakurai was not able to check.
Garvin takes a swing at Sakurai's ribcage but misses.
Sakurai throws a body punch but Garvin moves out of range.
Sakurai scores with a crisp jab that stopped Garvin in his tracks.
Garvin thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nice body kick there by Garvin.
Garvin looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Garvin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sakurai tries a body shot but Garvin blocks it.
Sakurai pushes Garvin back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Sakurai working aggressively here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Willie Garvin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Garvin 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 49:45
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 49:45
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 49:45

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Willie Garvin!
Willie Garvin is the new light heavyweight champion!