PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Irvin Duran (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liuzzi Sakumi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Liuzzi Sakumi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Duran
vs
Sakumi

166 cm
23
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

192 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Irvin Duran!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Liuzzi Sakumi!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Stewart Dunkirk and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Duran lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Sakumi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Duran to the mat! Duran manages to get full guard.
Sakumi is stalling in the full guard.
Sakumi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Duran wants to stand up but Sakumi is controlling him.
Sakumi slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Sakumi trying to control but Duran is working from the bottom.
Duran knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sakumi on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Liuzzi Sakumi.
Nice sprawl there from Duran as Sakumi shoots in.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Duran closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Sakumi tries to pull guard but Duran holds him up against the cage and eventually Sakumi drops back down to his feet.

Duran breaks from the clinch.
Sakumi tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Duran defends well and Sakumi ends up having to push Duran into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Irvin Duran has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liuzzi Sakumi.
Duran tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sakumi's elbow.

Duran breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sakumi is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sakumi moves in looking to clinch but Duran pushes him off.
Sakumi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Duran's waist but Duran gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sakumi off to one side.
Duran wants to clinch.
Duran throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Duran has managed to clinch.
Duran controlling the action here for a moment.
Sakumi fails to pull guard.
Sakumi is looking for a takedown.
Duran fails to pull guard.
Duran keeps control of Sakumi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sakumi has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Duran tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sakumi smiles and moves away.
Duran shoots for a double leg takedown but Sakumi sprawls well. He's pushed Duran's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duran is looking to clinch.
Duran misses with a wild body shot.
Duran throws a head kick but Sakumi moves out of range.
Sakumi fails with a takedown attempt.
Duran closes the distance and clinches up with Sakumi, looking for a takedown. Duran pushes Sakumi against the cage but Sakumi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Sakumi moves into the clinch.
Sakumi is trying to pull guard but Duran turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Duran prevents the takedown attempt.
Sakumi tries to break free but Duran pushes him back against the cage.
Duran goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sakumi prevents it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Duran breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Sakumi.
Sakumi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Duran.
Sakumi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Duran's waist but Duran gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sakumi off to one side.

Sakumi closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Duran's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sakumi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sakumi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Duran looking to control.
Duran is breathing heavily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Duran is striking from the bottom but Sakumi uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Liuzzi Sakumi will probably get the nod.
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.

Sakumi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Duran was well out of range. Poor timing from Sakumi.
Sakumi moves out of range of the strikes.
Irvin Duran is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sakumi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Duran as he jumps to the side.
Sakumi slaps away a takedown attempt from Duran, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sakumi tries to work over Duran's front leg with a kick but Duran checks it.
Duran tries to clinch there but Sakumi circles away.
Duran tries to clinch but Sakumi is having none of it.

Duran has Sakumi up against the cage in a clinch.
Duran is trying to pull guard but Sakumi has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Duran.
Duran lands with a left to the head.
Sakumi is trying to pull guard but Duran turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Sakumi is looking for a takedown.
Irvin Duran has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liuzzi Sakumi.
Sakumi taking a breather.
Sakumi tries to break free but Duran pushes him back against the cage.
Sakumi is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Duran is defending well.
Sakumi is looking for a takedown.

Duran's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Duran looks for a takedown but Sakumi sprawls well.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Duran.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duran fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A lazy left from Duran finds it's target.
Sakumi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Duran defends it nicely.
Duran stuffs the takedown attempt from Sakumi. Sakumi gets slowly back to his feet.
Duran tries to clinch up but Sakumi circles away and keeps his distance.
Sakumi throws a combination that misses
and Duran counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Horrible takedown by Duran or perhaps it was just good defense by Sakumi which made him look bad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duran shoots in but Sakumi avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Sakumi gets a takedown into half guard.

Sakumi is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Duran defends it well.

Sakumi is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Duran is just riding it out for now. Sakumi eventually gives up the hold.
Duran avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sakumi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duran has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sakumi is working away from the top position though.
Sakumi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sakumi is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Duran trying to hold on to Sakumi's head to control him but Sakumi postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Liuzzi Sakumi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Duran shoots in for a double leg but Sakumi sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Duran misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Sakumi closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sakumi moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Duran is not content to let Sakumi control the position.

Sakumi tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Sakumi wants to stand but Duran is controlling his arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duran tries to improve position but can't.
Duran gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Sakumi controlling from the full mount.
Sakumi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sakumi content just to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Liuzzi Sakumi hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Nice sprawl there from Sakumi as Duran shoots in.
Sakumi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Duran tries to clinch there but Sakumi circles away.
Duran stuffs the takedown.
Sakumi doesn't manage to clinch there - Duran circles away.
Duran shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Irvin Duran. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sakumi gets the takedown into side control.
Sakumi tries to stand but Duran is controlling his head.
Sakumi throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakumi taking a breather here.
Sakumi tries to advance to mount but can't.
Duran gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Liuzzi Sakumi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sakumi misses with a head shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Duran tries to reverse the position but Sakumi maintains control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sakumi punching from mount but Duran doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Irvin Duran has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Liuzzi Sakumi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Poor strikes thrown by Sakumi there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

And that's the end of the fight!
Liuzzi Sakumi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sakumi winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Liuzzi Sakumi!