PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Don Puncharello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takanori Sakurai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Sakurai 's choice of entrance music: number girl syndrome. Don Puncharello is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Puncharello
vs
Sakurai

177 cm
23
148 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

176 cm
25
147 lbs
10 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Good kicks
Powerful

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 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Don Puncharello!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Takanori Sakurai !
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Elvis Blanc and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puncharello connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Sakurai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sakurai shoots in looking for a takedown but Puncharello manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Sakurai 's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sakurai .
Puncharello throws a head kick that misses.
Sakurai misses with a left hand
and Puncharello counters with a left to the body.
Puncharello lands with a right hand.
Sakurai throws a sloppy head kick
and Puncharello counters with a nice kick to the body.
Puncharello throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Sakurai stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Sakurai misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Don Puncharello has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Takanori Sakurai .
Some wild striking there from Sakurai .
Puncharello with a nice cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai throws a lazy head kick
and Puncharello counters with a nice uppercut.
Sakurai misses with a left hand
and Puncharello counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Puncharello closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Puncharello throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A head kick by Sakurai misses
and Sakurai takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sakurai misses with a double jab
enabling Puncharello to counter with a crisp jab.
Takanori Sakurai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Puncharello scores with a nice head shot.
Puncharello slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Sakurai throws a lazy head kick
enabling Puncharello to counter with a crisp jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Puncharello misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai misses with a jab to the body
and Puncharello counters with a two punch combo.
Puncharello throws a jab but it's blocked by Sakurai .
Sakurai throws a combination. Puncharello tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Puncharello displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sakurai throws out the jab.
Sakurai has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Puncharello finds it's way round the side to connect with Sakurai 's head.
Puncharello throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Puncharello is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Sakurai misses with a lunging right hand
and Puncharello counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A jab from Puncharello finds it's way through Sakurai 's defenses.
Sakurai lands an overhand right.
A low kick from Sakurai is predictable there
and Puncharello counters with a lovely shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakurai moves forwards but Puncharello connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Sakurai misses with a lunging right hand
and Puncharello cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Puncharello as he avoids it easily.
Puncharello throws a left and a right that both miss
and Sakurai counters with a body kick.
Sakurai is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Puncharello.
Sakurai throws a lazy head kick
and Sakurai takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sakurai on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Puncharello throws the left hand but Sakurai avoids the punch easily.
Donk. Puncharello catches Sakurai right on the button with a cross.
Sakurai takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Sakurai misses with a straight right.
Puncharello throws out a powerful jab.
Puncharello lands with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puncharello stuffs the takedown attempt from Sakurai . Sakurai gets slowly back to his feet.
Puncharello connects with a high kick.
Puncharello misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Sakurai counters with a head kick.
Don Puncharello is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Puncharello throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sakurai shoots for a double leg takedown but Puncharello sprawls well. He's pushed Sakurai 's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakurai throws a poor cross that misses
and Puncharello counters with a stiff right hand.
Sakurai gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Puncharello scores with a jab to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakurai misses with a combination
and Puncharello counters with a nice uppercut.
Sakurai shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Puncharello sprawls well. Puncharello wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sakurai gets slowly back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Puncharello 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.

Puncharello thuds a left hand into Sakurai 's body.
Sakurai misses with a lunging right hand
and Puncharello counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Puncharello throws a looping overhand right but Sakurai ducks down to avoid it.
Sakurai throws a right hand that misses
and Puncharello connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sakurai throws a poor cross that misses
and Puncharello counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sakurai misses with a left hand
and Puncharello counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Puncharello keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Sakurai lands a head kick. Puncharello smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Puncharello connects with a right hand. Sakurai shakes it off.
Sakurai is trying desperately to land a takedown but Puncharello is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Sakurai .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai moves out of range of the body kick from Puncharello.
Sakurai lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Puncharello scores with a jab.
Sakurai fails with a takedown attempt.
Sakurai misses the body punch
and Puncharello makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sakurai is breathing heavily.
Sakurai throws a sloppy head kick
and Puncharello makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Sakurai really felt that one!
A head kick misses from Puncharello.
Puncharello comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Puncharello lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Sakurai throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sakurai misses with a right hand
and Puncharello counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Puncharello fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sakurai looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sakurai takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Puncharello swinging wildly here.
Puncharello pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Puncharello cracks Sakurai with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sakurai tries to score a power double leg takedown but Puncharello sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sakurai somewhat.
Don Puncharello has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Takanori Sakurai .
Puncharello throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Sakurai on the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai misses with a hook
and Puncharello counters with a right hand to the body.
Sakurai throws a poor cross that misses
and Puncharello counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Puncharello dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice shot lands for Sakurai .
Sakurai throws a poor cross that misses
and Puncharello connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sakurai throws a head kick that misses
and Puncharello counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Donk. Puncharello catches Sakurai right on the button with a cross.
Sakurai slips a jab and a cross from Puncharello.
Puncharello avoids the head kick by Sakurai .
Puncharello throws a head kick but Sakurai moves out of range.
Sakurai pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sakurai throws a sloppy head kick
and Puncharello counters with a solid body kick.
Puncharello digs a good hook to Sakurai 's body.
A shot to the liver by Puncharello. Beautiful body shot.
Sakurai has his takedown stuffed
and Puncharello counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sakurai thinking.
Sakurai has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Sakurai there as he acknowledges the shot.
Puncharello wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Puncharello comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Sakurai takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Puncharello's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Puncharello duly obliges.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Puncharello dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sakurai looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Sakurai throws a sloppy head kick and Puncharello moves out of range easily.
Puncharello throws a right and a left that both miss.
Puncharello scores with a head kick.
Puncharello jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Puncharello misses with a lunging right hand

and Sakurai counters with a takedown into side control.
Puncharello is not content to let Sakurai control the position.
Puncharello regains half guard, as Sakurai was trying to land strikes.
Sakurai takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Puncharello wants to improve his position but Sakurai is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai trying to advance position but Puncharello counters by regaining guard.
Puncharello keeping moving, preventing Sakurai from controlling successfully.
Puncharello knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sakurai on the ground.
Sakurai pushes down on Puncharello's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Sakurai looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Sakurai is pressing down on Puncharello's thigh, looking to free his foot. Puncharello is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Puncharello wants to get back to full guard.
Puncharello wants to get back to his feet.
Sakurai not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Puncharello is staying active underneath Sakurai , who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakurai is working for a kimura but Puncharello is defending it quite comfortably.
Puncharello is refusing to be controlled, as Sakurai sits in half guard.
Puncharello is trying to stand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakurai tries to pass to full mount but Puncharello defends it.
Puncharello is staying active underneath Sakurai , who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sakurai is figuring out what he wants to do next.

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.
Sakurai is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sakurai looking to control but Puncharello is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Puncharello can't escape the position.

Sakurai goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Puncharello is on top in guard.
Puncharello slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takanori Sakurai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Puncharello has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Don Puncharello!