PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hanamichi Sakuragi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cory Minor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cory Minor has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Hanamichi Sakuragi's chin.

Sakuragi
vs
Minor

200 cm
27
170 lbs
5 - 19 - 0

180 cm
26
170 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 5 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hanamichi Sakuragi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cory Minor!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Minor tries to clinch up.
Sakuragi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Minor as he jumps to the side.

Sakuragi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sakuragi lands a nice short elbow.
Minor looks like he's trying to stand up.
Sakuragi thows a huge punch but Minor dodges it nicely.
Minor wants to get back to full guard.
Sakuragi is thwarting Minor's attempts to control the position.
Minor misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Sakuragi drops an elbow to the side of Minor's head.
Sakuragi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Minor on the ground.
Sakuragi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Minor is trying to control but can't.
Minor is not content to let Sakuragi control the position.
Minor wants to get back to full guard.
Sakuragi will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sakuragi working the head and body with strikes.
Sakuragi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuragi wants to take a breather but Minor is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Minor is trying to get back to full guard.
Minor is looking to escape.
Sakuragi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sakuragi really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Minor manages to get to full guard.
Minor tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sakuragi working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Minor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sakuragi.
Sakuragi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Minor swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sakuragi throws a big elbow that misses.
Sakuragi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Minor works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sakuragi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Minor kicks Sakuragi off and gets to his feet.
Sakuragi fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Minor avoids it really well and circles away.
Hanamichi Sakuragi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Minor gets caught napping as Sakuragi dives in and scores a takedown. Minor manages to retain guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakuragi distracts Minor with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sakuragi chips away with some ground and pound.
Minor trying to keep a closed guard but Sakuragi is proving a slippery customer.

Minor scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Minor scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Minor looks winded!
Sakuragi shoots in for a takedown but Minor shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hanamichi Sakuragi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakuragi shoots in but no luck this time.
A punch combination from Minor misses.
Minor defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sakuragi.
Minor keeps Sakuragi at a distance using the push kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi shoots for a takedown but Minor saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sakuragi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Minor defends it nicely.
Minor displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sakuragi.
Minor lands a jab to the head.
Minor cracks Sakuragi with a right hand to the side of the head.
Sakuragi shoots in but Minor avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Minor lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Sakuragi shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Minor's guard.
Sakuragi connects with a couple of short punches.
Minor trying to keep a closed guard but Sakuragi is proving a slippery customer.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Minor is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sakuragi looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Minor looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sakuragi is one step ahead there.
Minor manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sakuragi manages to get himself to full guard.
Minor advances to half guard.

Minor is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Sakuragi flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sakuragi punching from the bottom.
Minor blocks the strikes from Sakuragi.
Minor trying to control the action but Sakuragi is working from the bottom.
Sakuragi misses with some strikes from the bottom.
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 Hanamichi Sakuragi will probably get the nod.
That's time! Sakuragi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Minor will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Minor cracks a nice hook into Sakuragi's ribs.

Sakuragi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Minor sprawls well initially but Sakuragi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Sakuragi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Minor wants to get back to his feet.
Minor slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sakuragi with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sakuragi lands a couple of elbows.
Sakuragi throwing strikes from guard but Minor blocks nicely.
Sakuragi cracks Minor with a solid left hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakuragi looking to pass the guard.
Sakuragi working some strikes from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuragi with a nice head shot there.
Sakuragi lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Sakuragi controlling from the top position.
Sakuragi prevents Minor from getting back to his feet.
Minor is breathing heavily.
Sakuragi throws a big right hand that misses.
Sakuragi distracts Minor with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Minor keeping moving, preventing Sakuragi from controlling successfully.
Sakuragi is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sakuragi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi stopping the sweep attempt from Minor.
Sakuragi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Minor has momentary wrist control but Sakuragi slips an elbow through the middle.

Minor is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sakuragi connects with a couple of short punches.
Minor is still in real trouble! Can Sakuragi finish him?
Sakuragi gets to his feet and stands over Minor, holding his ankles. He dives in with a big left hand that connects! Minor felt that one! Sakuragi unloads more punches and elbows and this one is over! The ref has dived in to save Minor from any more punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hanamichi Sakuragi!