PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hanamichi Sakuragi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Claude Van Damme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jean Claude Van Damme has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sakuragi
vs
Claude Van Damme

190 cm
36
194 lbs
17 - 21 - 0

187 cm
29
195 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 21 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hanamichi Sakuragi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jean Claude Van Damme!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Paulsen Ambrosius and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Van Damme misses its intended target.
Sakuragi takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Sakuragi cracks a nice hook into Van Damme's ribs.
Sakuragi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Van Damme is fending him off so far but Sakuragi persists. Nope, Van Damme circles away and we're back to standing.
Sakuragi has a takedown stuffed.
Van Damme feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Sakuragi's calf.
Sakuragi lands a nice shot that snaps Van Damme's head back.

Van Damme gets caught napping as Sakuragi dives in and scores a takedown. Van Damme manages to retain guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Sakuragi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van Damme wants to stand and escape but Sakuragi is having none of it.
Sakuragi postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sakuragi is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sakuragi throwing strikes but missing.
Van Damme is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sakuragi working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Van Damme's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Damme working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sakuragi.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sakuragi's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Sakuragi works over Van Damme with some ground and pound from guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Sakuragi with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Sakuragi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sakuragi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sakuragi postures up and lands a big shot to Van Damme's brow.
Sakuragi postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sakuragi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sakuragi postures up and lands a big shot to Van Damme's brow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Van Damme wants to get back to his feet but Sakuragi is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sakuragi throwing strikes from guard but Van Damme blocks nicely.
Sakuragi content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Van Damme is looking to stand up but Sakuragi isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sakuragi stops Van Damme from standing up.
Sakuragi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sakuragi throwing strikes from guard but Van Damme blocks nicely.
Van Damme wants to stand and escape but Sakuragi is having none of it.
Sakuragi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sakuragi is working Van Damme over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Van Damme preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sakuragi passes Van Damme's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Sakuragi throwing shots but Van Damme is blocking nicely.
Sakuragi is nestled in close to Van Damme, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Sakuragi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sakuragi winds up and cracks Van Damme with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Sakuragi working Van Damme over with strikes.
Sakuragi landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Sakuragi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Van Damme on the ground.
Sakuragi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Sakuragi throws a strike but Van Damme avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Sakuragi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sakuragi with a nice head shot there.
Sakuragi distracts Van Damme with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Van Damme wants to stand up but Sakuragi is controlling him.

Van Damme has his feet on Sakuragi's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakuragi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Van Damme counters with a series of strikes. Sakuragi will be more careful next time no doubt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hanamichi Sakuragi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakuragi stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Sakuragi takes a swing at Van Damme's ribcage but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Van Damme. No joy for Sakuragi on that attempt.
Sakuragi paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sakuragi is defended easily by Van Damme.
Nice sprawl there from Van Damme as Sakuragi shoots in.
Sakuragi is breathing heavily.
Sakuragi on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Van Damme. Van Damme obviously looking to wear him down.
Van Damme showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sakuragi.
Sakuragi misses the shot to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Van Damme swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Van Damme scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Sakuragi has a takedown stuffed.
Sakuragi shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Van Damme as he avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hanamichi Sakuragi 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.

Van Damme lands a jab to the head.
Sakuragi darts in looking for a takedown but Van Damme gets double underhooks and turns Sakuragi into the ropes.

Sakuragi manages to break the clinch.
Sakuragi shoots in and drives through. Van Damme sprawls well.

Sakuragi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Van Damme!
Sakuragi landing strikes.
Hanamichi Sakuragi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sakuragi prevents Van Damme from escaping the position.
Sakuragi working the head with strikes.
Sakuragi lands a decent elbow from side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Van Damme takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Sakuragi connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Van Damme some visible discomfort.
Sakuragi lands a few punches from side control.
Van Damme wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Van Damme throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Van Damme connects with a solid leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Damme throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Sakuragi darts in looking for a takedown but Van Damme gets double underhooks and turns Sakuragi into the ropes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hanamichi Sakuragi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short left from Sakuragi.

Van Damme breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jean Claude Van Damme seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Van Damme looks to score with a jab to the body but Sakuragi is just out of range.
Van Damme misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sakuragi.
A punch combination from Van Damme misses.
Van Damme misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Van Damme is breathing heavily.

Sakuragi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Van Damme avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sakuragi.
Van Damme is trying to stand.
Sakuragi slips a nice elbow through Van Damme's hands, connecting with Van Damme's forehead.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakuragi lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Van Damme tries to kick Sakuragi off but Sakuragi keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Sakuragi connects with a nice short shot to Van Damme's temple.
Sakuragi scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Van Damme wants to get back to his feet.
Sakuragi is nestled in close to Van Damme, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Van Damme wants to get back to his feet.
Sakuragi lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Sakuragi connects with a nice short shot to Van Damme's temple.
Sakuragi takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Van Damme wants to get back to his feet.
Sakuragi is nestled in close to Van Damme, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuragi winds up and cracks Van Damme with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sakuragi scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Sakuragi winds up and cracks Van Damme with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sakuragi is nestled in close to Van Damme, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Van Damme is rocked!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sakuragi lands a nice short elbow.
Van Damme is still in real trouble! Can Sakuragi finish him?
Sakuragi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Van Damme can do to turn this around?
Sakuragi working Van Damme over with strikes.
Ground and pound from Sakuragi.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakuragi is nestled in close to Van Damme, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Sakuragi takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Sakuragi lands a big elbow from half guard. That looks like it's hurt Van Damme quite badly. Van Damme pulls Sakuragi in close trying to recover. Sakuragi postures up and lands two really hard shots that put Van Damme on queer street! The ref takes a look and decides to call an end to the fight! Possibly an early stoppage but Van Damme doesn't seem to be complaining too much.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hanamichi Sakuragi!