PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sinjo Sakamaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabe Barletta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Gabe Barletta was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Sakamaki
vs
Barletta

178 cm
18
179 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

182 cm
18
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sinjo Sakamaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gabe Barletta!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Anthony Taglia and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barletta shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sakamaki but Sakamaki pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A telegraphed right hand from Sakamaki misses the target.
Sakamaki tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Barletta manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sakamaki misses with a looping left.
Barletta avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sakamaki tries to clinch but Barletta is having none of it.
Sakamaki throws a right and a left that Barletta avoids nicely.
A big left from Barletta misses.

Barletta scores with a takedown into Sakamaki's guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Barletta loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Barletta is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Barletta throwing strikes from guard but Sakamaki blocks nicely.
Sakamaki wants to stand up but Barletta is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barletta lands a couple of elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barletta lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Barletta lands a couple of digs.
Barletta throwing strikes from guard but Sakamaki blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakamaki wants to get back to his feet but Barletta is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sakamaki knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Barletta on the ground.

Barletta decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sakamaki, up you get!
Barletta shoots in looking for a takedown. Sakamaki tries to sprawl out of it but Barletta keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sakamaki manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Barletta closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sakamaki is staying active underneath Barletta, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barletta is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Barletta controlling the action here.
Barletta is trying to control the action in half guard but Sakamaki is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Barletta working the head and body with strikes.
Barletta trying to control the action but Sakamaki is working from the bottom.
Sakamaki tries to roll over but Barletta keeps him under control.
Barletta not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barletta passes the guard and advances to mount!
Barletta dominating with strikes here.
Barletta has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sakamaki can't escape the position.
Barletta is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Sakamaki is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sakamaki is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Barletta is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Sakamaki takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Barletta lands with some strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barletta landing strikes, looking to finish!
Barletta looking to control but Sakamaki is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Barletta lands with some strikes.
Barletta landing strikes, looking to finish!
Barletta landing punches.

It looks like Sinjo Sakamaki has been cut.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Barletta cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Sakamaki really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Barletta looking to control but Sakamaki is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sakamaki in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabe Barletta dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sinjo Sakamaki's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sakamaki tries to clinch up but Barletta circles away and keeps his distance.
Sakamaki tries to clinch but Barletta is having none of it.
Barletta circles away from the clinch attempt.
Barletta avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Barletta checks a leg kick.
Sinjo Sakamaki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sakamaki throws a leg kick but Barletta sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Sakamaki fails with an attempt to clinch.
Barletta avoids a kick to the body.
Sakamaki doesn't manage to clinch there - Barletta circles away.
Sakamaki tries to clinch up but Barletta circles away and keeps his distance.
Sakamaki lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Barletta at a distance.
Sakamaki is looking to clinch.

Sakamaki moves into the clinch successfully.
Barletta is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Sakamaki pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Barletta is trying to drag Sakamaki to the mat but Sakamaki just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Sakamaki using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Barletta tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sakamaki smiles and moves away.
Sinjo Sakamaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gabe Barletta.

Sakamaki closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barletta jumps guard but Sakamaki stands there with Barletta around his waist. Barletta gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Barletta is working for takedown but Sakamaki is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sakamaki unloads a knee to the mid-section. Barletta lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sakamaki unloads a knee to the mid-section. Barletta lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Barletta is breathing heavily.
Sakamaki lands a right hand that snaps the head of Barletta backwards.
Sakamaki lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barletta wants a takedown.
Sakamaki creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barletta's defenses.
Sakamaki with a knee to the head.
Sakamaki lands an elbow inside that Barletta shrugs off.
Sakamaki content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Sakamaki crunches a lovely knee into Barletta's ribcage.
Sakamaki unloads a knee to the mid-section. Barletta lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barletta takes an elbow to the forehead.
Barletta takes an elbow to the forehead.
Nice elbow from Sakamaki.
Sakamaki lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Sakamaki unloads a knee to the mid-section. Barletta lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Barletta takes a knee to the side of the body.
Sakamaki with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Barletta is rocked!
Barletta takes a knee right on the jaw!
Barletta is still on wobbly legs! Can Sakamaki finish him?
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sakamaki.
Sakamaki connects with a knee to the head.
Barletta is trying to drag Sakamaki to the mat but Sakamaki just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Sakamaki putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Barletta in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Sakamaki working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sakamaki lands a knee to the head.
Barletta fails to pull guard.
Sakamaki is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Sakamaki utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Sakamaki landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Sakamaki gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Come on Sakamaki - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Sakamaki lands an elbow inside that Barletta shrugs off.
Sakamaki scores with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barletta takes a knee to the side of the body.
Sakamaki working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Sakamaki landing knees to the body.
Barletta letting Sakamaki take a breather here.
Sakamaki scores with a knee to the head.
Sinjo Sakamaki has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Sakamaki unloads a knee to the mid-section. Barletta lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sakamaki lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sakamaki.
A knee to the head by Sakamaki.
Sakamaki is stalling here.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Sakamaki obliges.
Sakamaki scores with a knee to the head.
Barletta dodges an elbow strike from Sakamaki.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sakamaki.

Barletta turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Barletta trying to control the action but Sakamaki is working from the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakamaki is looking for a sweep.
Sakamaki defending against the ground and pound.
Barletta trying to control the action but Sakamaki is working from the bottom.
Barletta seems to have recovered his senses.
Sakamaki is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barletta working the ground and pound.
Barletta landing a few strikes.
Sakamaki on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sakamaki tries to get out of the position.
Barletta working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Barletta trying to control the position but Sakamaki is working away.
Barletta landing strikes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Barletta has control of an arm but Sakamaki manages to advance to Barletta's back!
Gabe Barletta has got the better of the ground game so far.

Barletta manages to stand up with Sakamaki still on his back. Eventually Sakamaki drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sinjo Sakamaki dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sinjo Sakamaki's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sakamaki tries to clinch up.
Barletta changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sakamaki tries to avoid it but Barletta manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sakamaki to the ground. Sakamaki escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sakamaki stuffs the takedown.

Sakamaki gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sakamaki connects with a nasty looking knee right to Barletta's face.
Sakamaki lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Sakamaki lands a good knee to the midsection. Barletta won't want to take too many of those.
Barletta tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sakamaki avoids it.
Sakamaki connects with a nasty looking knee right to Barletta's face.
Sakamaki working Barletta over with knees to the body.
Barletta lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Sakamaki backwards.
Barletta takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sakamaki gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nice elbow from Sakamaki.
Nice elbow from Sakamaki.
Sakamaki using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Sakamaki lands an elbow inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakamaki gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Barletta.
Sinjo Sakamaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gabe Barletta.
Sakamaki gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Barletta takes an elbow to the forehead.
Sakamaki unloads a knee to the mid-section. Barletta lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sakamaki working Barletta over with knees to the body.
Sakamaki with a knee to the head.
Sakamaki connects with a nasty looking knee right to Barletta's face.
Sakamaki is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Sakamaki landing some nice looking knees to the body.
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!
Sakamaki has Barletta pressed up against the cage in a tight Thai clinch. Barletta is arching his back, trying to avoid the knees but a big one sneaks through from Sakamaki - that's hurt Barletta badly! Oh, another knee lands and Barletta is covering up! The referee steps in to save him - possibly a bit early but Barletta doesn't seem to be complaining.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knees). Sinjo Sakamaki!