PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Takeya Sanada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fabrici Gorfal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sanada kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is zetsubou billy by maximum the hormone. Takeya Sanada could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Fabrici Gorfal's chin.

Sanada
vs
Gorfal

171 cm
25
156 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

KAISER

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takeya Sanada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fabrici Gorfal!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Sanada.
Sanada shoots in but Gorfal avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sanada will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A right-left combo lands from Sanada.
Sanada will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sanada wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Sanada throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gorfal stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
No joy there for Sanada, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Gorfal instigates a clinch.
Sanada is trying to break free.

Sanada escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gorfal tries to clinch up but Sanada circles away and keeps his distance.
Sanada throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gorfal darts in looking for a takedown but Sanada gets double underhooks and turns Gorfal into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gorfal manages to pull guard.

Sanada stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Sanada throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gorfal.
Gorfal takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Sanada slaps away a takedown attempt from Gorfal, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gorfal dives in for a single leg takedown but Sanada sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Takeya Sanada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fabrici Gorfal.
Sanada is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Gorfal tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Sanada pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sanada misses with a double jab.
Gorfal tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sanada swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sanada cracks Gorfal with an open hand slap.
Sanada definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Gorfal shoots in but no luck this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gorfal tries to clinch up but Sanada circles away and keeps his distance.
Gorfal has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gorfal there as he acknowledges the shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sanada rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gorfal moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Gorfal closes the distance and clinches.
Gorfal is looking to take this one to the mat.

Sanada manages to break the clinch.
Gorfal shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sanada sprawls well. Sanada wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gorfal gets slowly back to his feet.

Gorfal shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sanada napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Gorfal trying to control the action but Sanada is working from the bottom.
Gorfal might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sanada haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Sanada knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gorfal on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Gorfal seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Sanada is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Gorfal controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Gorfal tries to advance to mount but Sanada denies him.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sanada dodges the ground and pound from Gorfal.
Sanada managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Gorfal.
Gorfal controls the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gorfal's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Sanada is not content to let Gorfal control the position.
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 Takeya Sanada will probably get the nod.
That's time! Sanada's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gorfal fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sanada avoids it really well and circles away.
Gorfal throws a right hand that Sanada ducks under and follows up with a left that Sanada also avoids with ease.
Takeya Sanada is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gorfal misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sanada connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Gorfal momentarily.

Gorfal closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Gorfal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sanada keeps working.
You can see the frustration on Sanada's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gorfal is trying to ground and pound but Sanada uses the momentary lack of control by Gorfal to regain half guard.
Gorfal is controlling the pace.
Sanada looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gorfal is looking for a kimura but Sanada is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gorfal to get the leverage.

Gorfal is trying to work for a kimura but Sanada is defending well.

Gorfal is working for a kimura but Sanada is defending it quite comfortably.

Gorfal is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanada is trying to escape back to his feet but Gorfal uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Fabrici Gorfal has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gorfal trying to control the action but Sanada is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gorfal working the ground and pound but Sanada is defending the strikes.
Gorfal taking a breather here.

Gorfal tries for a kimura but Sanada is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fabrici Gorfal showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Sanada tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sanada looks to score with a jab to the body but Gorfal is just out of range.
Sanada scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Sanada throws a nice looking combination but Gorfal bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sanada tries to clinch but Gorfal is having none of it.
Gorfal throws a nice looking combination but Sanada bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Takeya Sanada seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanada keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Good exchange - Sanada coming out on top.
Sanada avoids a kick to the body.
Sanada bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Gorfal's head backwards.
Sanada lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gorfal circles away quickly and effectively.
Sanada avoids the head kick by Gorfal.
Gorfal wants to clinch up but Sanada keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gorfal shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sanada pinned against the cage. Sanada gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sanada fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gorfal walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Sanada checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Gorfal throws a low kick but Sanada avoids it.
A swing and a miss from Gorfal.
Sanada misses with a double jab.
Sanada rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gorfal moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sanada misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gorfal shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sanada sprawls well. Sanada wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gorfal gets slowly back to his feet.
Takeya Sanada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fabrici Gorfal.
Sanada throws a combination. Gorfal tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanada throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gorfal is looking to clinch.
A punch combination from Gorfal misses.
Sanada throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gorfal misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sanada jabs Gorfal right on the nose. Gorfal blinks but takes it well.
Sanada rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gorfal moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gorfal shoots in for a takedown but Sanada shows good takedown defense.
Sanada avoids the head kick by Gorfal.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gorfal is defended easily by Sanada.
Sanada throws a series of punches but Gorfal avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gorfal shoots in for a takedown but Sanada shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Gorfal throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sanada lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gorfal circles away quickly and effectively.
Sanada moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Sanada misses with a wild combination.
Sanada lands a jab-cross combination.
Gorfal looks for the body kick but Sanada saw that one coming.
Gorfal tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sanada swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sanada works Gorfal's body with a nice hook.
Sanada throws a series of punches but Gorfal avoids them all with ease.
Gorfal fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gorfal fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sanada avoids it really well and circles away.
Gorfal throws a series of punches but Sanada moves out of range.
A combination from Sanada does no damage.
Gorfal avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gorfal slips a jab and a cross from Sanada.
Gorfal closes the distance and clinches up with Sanada, looking for a takedown. Gorfal pushes Sanada against the cage but Sanada circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gorfal takes one to the chin there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gorfal shoots in looking for a takedown. Sanada tries to sprawl out of it but Gorfal keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sanada manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sanada throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takeya Sanada showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sanada 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Takeya Sanada!
After winning the bout, Takeya Sanada thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.