PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazuushi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by Born To Win. Sakuraba has chosen Wax Tailor feat. The Others "Walk The Line" as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Gracie
vs
Sakuraba

175 cm
24
175 lbs
21 - 27 - 0

175 cm
21
177 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite 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 21 - 27 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryan Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazuushi Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shirou Masuda and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Sakuraba throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sakuraba tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Sakuraba throws a front kick that sends Gracie stumbling back into the cage.
Sakuraba connects with a high kick.

Sakuraba feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sakuraba looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sakuraba pushes Gracie off and scrambles back to his feet.
Danga de danga de dang - Gracie scores with a four punch combination!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sloppy strikes from Sakuraba. Those never looked like landing.
Gracie moves away from the strike by Sakuraba.

Gracie shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sakuraba manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Gracie won't allow Sakuraba to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gracie tries to stand but Sakuraba is controlling from the bottom.

Gracie stands up and waves to Sakuraba to follow him.
That kick from Sakuraba tenderised Gracie's leg. Gracie is trying to keep his angry face on.
Sakuraba lands a leg kick that knocks Gracie off balance momentarily.
Both fighters circling a little - Sakuraba finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
A head kick misses from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba tries to clinch up.
Sakuraba explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Sakuraba tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba misses with a head kick.
Sakuraba uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gracie.
Gracie takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Sakuraba fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie misses with a jab to the body
and Sakuraba counters with a low kick, right behind Gracie 's knee.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Sakuraba goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sakuraba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gracie lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sakuraba backs up against the cage.
Sakuraba throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Sakuraba moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
Gracie misses with a series of wild punches.

Sakuraba feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sakuraba forces his way into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Sakuraba sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Still in half guard, Sakuraba seems content to control.
Sakuraba thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gracie's head.
Sakuraba lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Sakuraba is looking to advance position but Gracie won't allow it.
Sakuraba works his way into side control.
Sakuraba working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sakuraba trying to control the position but Gracie is working away.
Gracie is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Sakuraba has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Gracie trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Sakuraba working the body and head with strikes.
Gracie is not content to let Sakuraba control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie is trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazuushi 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 ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gracie throws a jab when Sakuraba was well out of range.
Nice uppercut there from Sakuraba.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Sakuraba.

Sakuraba closes the distance and clinches.
A knee to the head by Sakuraba.

It looks like Ryan Gracie has been cut.
Sakuraba jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Gracie walks away with a smile on his face. Sakuraba gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Sakuraba was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gracie shoots and misses

and Sakuraba counters with a takedown into side control.
Sakuraba wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.
Gracie bucks up and tries to throw Sakuraba off but instead Sakuraba has got his back!
Gracie is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba punishes Gracie with strikes from the back mount.
Sakuraba trying to control.
Sakuraba is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Sakuraba gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Sakuraba gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Sakuraba apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Sakuraba.
A head kick misses from Sakuraba.
Nice body kick there by Sakuraba.
Gracie takes a kick to the side of the head.
Sakuraba lands a two punch combo.
Sakuraba throws a head kick that Gracie semi-blocks.
The fighters circle momentarily. Gracie darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Sakuraba closes the distance and pushes Gracie back into the cage.
Sakuraba jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Gracie walks away with a smile on his face. Sakuraba gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Sakuraba rushes Gracie and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gracie's efforts to push away.
Sakuraba stalls.
Sakuraba receives a warning from the referee for stalling.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Sakuraba clinches.
Sakuraba tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gracie avoids it.
Gracie is trying to force a seperation but Sakuraba has the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Gracie has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A short body shot lands from Sakuraba as the two fighters clinch.
Sakuraba scores a nice knee to the body.
Sakuraba misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gracie.
Sakuraba lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Gracie manages to break the clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Gracie. Those never looked like landing.
Sakuraba misses with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Gracie falls off balance throwing a combination

and Sakuraba counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Gracie's guard now.
Sakuraba wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Sakuraba not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sakuraba prevents Gracie from getting back to his feet.
Sakuraba is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sakuraba wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sakuraba trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sakuraba controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazuushi Sakuraba showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ryan Gracie's cut.
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. And we move into the final round!

Sloppy strikes from Sakuraba. Those never looked like landing.
Sakuraba throws a head kick that misses.
Sakuraba fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Sakuraba moves away from the strike by Gracie.
Sakuraba misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sakuraba tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
Gracie misses with a low kick.
Sakuraba tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Both fighters circling a little - Sakuraba finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Gracie falls off balance throwing a combination

and Sakuraba counters by moving into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie letting Sakuraba take a breather here.
Gracie dodges an elbow strike from Sakuraba.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba taking a breather.
Gracie blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sakuraba is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gracie gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Gracie gets underhooks to prevent Sakuraba's takedown attempt.
Sakuraba takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sakuraba misses with an elbow strike.
Sakuraba tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gracie smiles and moves away.
Ryan Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kazuushi Sakuraba.
Gracie shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Sakuraba eats them both and turns towards Gracie to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Gracie jabs Sakuraba to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Kazuushi Sakuraba seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sakuraba is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.
Sakuraba misses with a double jab.
Gracie misses with an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba throws a nice looking combination but Gracie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Sakuraba.
Sakuraba moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gracie throws out a powerful jab.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Gracie drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Sakuraba dives on top into guard.

Gracie has his feet on Sakuraba's thighs here. He's pushed Sakuraba off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Sakuraba screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ryan Gracie!