PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rural Advantage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazuushi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Advantage comes to the cage accompanied by Drain the Blood. Sakuraba has chosen Wax Tailor feat. The Others as his entrance music. Rural Advantage had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Advantage
vs
Sakuraba

180 cm
24
172 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

175 cm
24
180 lbs
8 - 10 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Dangerous GnP
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rural Advantage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazuushi Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Sano and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Sakuraba, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Advantage as he avoids it easily.
Advantage lands with a good body shot.
Advantage takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Advantage is looking to clinch but Sakuraba is avoiding it.
Advantage looks to score with a jab to the body but Sakuraba is just out of range.
Sakuraba defending well as Advantage loads up on a big left hand.
Advantage with a nice cross.
Sakuraba keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sakuraba throws the kick towards the body but Advantage avoids it.
Sakuraba thows a body shot but no joy.
Sakuraba dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Advantage. That did some damage!
Sakuraba tries to score with a low kick but Advantage moves his leg out of the way.
Sakuraba throws a head kick but Advantage moves out of range.
Sakuraba avoids the body shot from Advantage.
Sakuraba lands with a kick to the temple. Advantage shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Advantage avoids the head kick by Sakuraba.
Advantage swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sakuraba misses with a two punch combination.
Sakuraba throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good exchange - Advantage coming out on top.
Advantage thows a body shot but no joy.
Advantage catches Sakuraba with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Sakuraba throws a lazy right hand but Advantage sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Advantage looks to land a combination but Sakuraba avoids it well.
Advantage ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sakuraba moves away.
Sakuraba throws a sloppy body shot
and Advantage counters with a two punch combo.
Sakuraba throws a combination. Advantage tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakuraba misses with a low kick.
Rural Advantage is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Sakuraba shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sakuraba showed some decent athleticism there.

Sakuraba is working for a submission of some sort.
Sakuraba thows a huge punch but Advantage dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Advantage pushes Sakuraba off looking to stand but Sakuraba dives back in and keeps control.
Advantage avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Advantage avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sakuraba slips a nice elbow through Advantage's hands, connecting with Advantage's forehead.
Advantage is refusing to be controlled, as Sakuraba sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Advantage won't allow Sakuraba to pass to mount.
Sakuraba thows a huge punch but Advantage dodges it nicely.
Sakuraba landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Still in half guard, Sakuraba seems content to control.
Sakuraba has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Advantage is defending against the submission attempts here by Sakuraba.
Advantage is looking to control Sakuraba's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Advantage avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Sakuraba is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakuraba thows a huge punch but Advantage dodges it nicely.
Sakuraba scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Sakuraba trying to pass the guard but Advantage defending well.
Sakuraba moves nicely into side control.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Advantage wants to get back to his feet but Sakuraba drags him back down.
Advantage struggling a bit here.
Advantage wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Advantage is not content to let Sakuraba control the position.
Sakuraba misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Advantage is looking to reverse the position.

Sakuraba decides to stand back up.
Advantage lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Sakuraba cracks Advantage with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Advantage smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Advantage misses with a wild combination.
Sakuraba misses with a body shot.
Sakuraba takes a swing at Advantage's ribcage but misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakuraba lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Advantage throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Advantage throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Sakuraba on the side of the head.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Advantage checks a leg kick.
Sakuraba throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Advantage takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Some wild striking there from Advantage.
Advantage connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Sakuraba throws a head kick that misses.
Sakuraba lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Sakuraba scores with a kick to the midsection.
Sakuraba changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Advantage tries to avoid it but Sakuraba manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Advantage to the ground. Advantage escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Advantage misses with a body shot.
Sakuraba takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Sakuraba shoots for a double leg takedown but Advantage sprawls well. He's pushed Sakuraba's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rural Advantage has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kazuushi Sakuraba.
Sakuraba throws a nice inside leg kick.
Advantage is looking to wear down Sakuraba with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Sakuraba throws a body punch but Advantage moves out of range.
Advantage looks to score with a jab to the body but Sakuraba is just out of range.
Sakuraba connects with a solid leg kick.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Advantage moves out of range of the leg kick from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
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!
Advantage is looking to clinch.
Advantage misses with a wild combination.
Advantage scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Sakuraba lands with a slapping head kick.
Advantage checks the leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Advantage. Sakuraba does a little dance to reset his feet.
Advantage displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sakuraba throws out the jab.
Advantage misses with a two punch combination.
Sakuraba rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Advantage moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Advantage scores with a decent looking hook.
Sakuraba throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Advantage throws a big shot that misses.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba misses with a low kick.
Advantage's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Advantage duly obliges.
Sakuraba throws a sloppy head kick and Advantage moves out of range easily.
Advantage lands a jab.
Sakuraba takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Advantage is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Sakuraba looks gassed!
Advantage tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sakuraba manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Advantage throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Sakuraba counters with a solid body kick.
Advantage is looking to clinch but Sakuraba is avoiding it.
Sakuraba keeps the fight on the outside.
Sakuraba connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakuraba motions for Advantage to come forward. Sakuraba throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Advantage ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sakuraba moves away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sakuraba tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sakuraba misses with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rural Advantage will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Advantage misses with a hook.
Sakuraba throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Advantage works Sakuraba's body with a nice hook.
Sakuraba throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rural Advantage is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sakuraba throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Sakuraba throws a combination that misses
enabling Advantage to counter with a crisp jab.
Nice uppercut lands for Advantage. That snapped Sakuraba's head back.
Advantage closes the distance and lands a one-two.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakuraba circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sakuraba avoids a punch combination nicely.
Advantage tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sakuraba manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A looping hook to the body misses from Advantage. Sakuraba does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rural Advantage is winning the standup battle so far.
Advantage throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sakuraba tries a head kick but it misses.
Sakuraba wants to slow Advantage down by chopping away at his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Advantage tries to clinch but Sakuraba moves out of range.
Sakuraba scores with a head kick.
Sakuraba goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Advantage steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Sakuraba. That one must have hurt.
Sakuraba is breathing heavily.
Sakuraba tries a head kick but it misses.
Advantage lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sakuraba circles away quickly and effectively.
Advantage blocks a head kick by Sakuraba.
Advantage chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sakuraba can pounce on him.
Advantage tries to close the distance and clinch but Sakuraba swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sakuraba lands with an overhand left.
Advantage avoids the head kick by Sakuraba.
Advantage uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Advantage tries to clinch but Sakuraba is having none of it.
Advantage lands with a good body shot.
Sakuraba drops his hands momentarily and Advantage takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
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!
Advantage misses the jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Advantage digs a good body shot into Sakuraba's ribs.

Sakuraba gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Advantage is trying to force a seperation but Sakuraba has the dominant position.
Sakuraba stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A right hand to the body from Advantage.
A frustrated look appears on Advantage's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Sakuraba has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sakuraba is trying to drag Advantage to the mat but Advantage just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Advantage is trying to break the clinch but Sakuraba is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba pulls Advantage into guard.
Advantage wants to get up but he can't break Sakuraba's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Advantage trying to control but Sakuraba is working from the bottom.
Sakuraba not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Sakuraba pushes Advantage off and gets back to his feet.
Sakuraba is looking to land body kicks.
Advantage looks to score with a jab to the body but Sakuraba is just out of range.
Advantage swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sakuraba dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Advantage thows a body shot but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Advantage is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Danga de danga de dang - Advantage scores with a four punch combination!
Advantage takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Sakuraba shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Advantage is trying to defend but Sakuraba finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Sakuraba prevents Advantage from standing back up.
Sakuraba is keen to just control but Advantage is a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Advantage desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Advantage is looking to improve his position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba wants to control but Advantage is keeping him busy.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Kazuushi Sakuraba.
Sakuraba lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Advantage throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Sakuraba drives through with a takedown into Advantage's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Sakuraba throws an elbow that misses. Advantage uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sakuraba's guard. Nice move by Advantage!

Sakuraba escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Advantage gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sakuraba is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba wants to hit a switch here but Advantage passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Sakuraba there!
Sakuraba is squirming around, avoiding Advantage's attempts to control the action.
Sakuraba tries to hold on but Advantage postures up.
Advantage trying to control but Sakuraba is having none of it.
Sakuraba is looking to improve his position but Advantage isn't that keen on the idea.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Advantage wants to control the pace but Sakuraba is squirming around nicely.
Sakuraba can't escape the position.
Sakuraba sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Sakuraba makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sakuraba.
Sakuraba wants to sweep here but Advantage controlling him for the moment.
Advantage trying to stand up but can't free himself from Sakuraba's guard.
Sakuraba is trying to control the position but Advantage postures up.
Sakuraba is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Advantage manages to get himself to full guard.
Sakuraba throwing strikes but missing.
Advantage wants to stand and escape but Sakuraba is having none of it.
Sakuraba lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Sakuraba trying to control but Advantage is working from the bottom.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Advantage tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Advantage keeping full guard, as Sakuraba tries to pass.
Advantage not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sakuraba pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Advantage is keeping the position for now.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Advantage has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Sakuraba.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakuraba throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Advantage lands a jab to Sakuraba's midsection.
A looping hook to the body misses from Advantage. Sakuraba does a little dance to reset his feet.
Advantage has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Sakuraba.

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 Rural Advantage.
I think Advantage 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Kazuushi Sakuraba!
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight for Rural Advantage!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight as a draw!

The fight ends as a draw!