PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kazushi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jay Wilkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wilkins has chosen Eminem - Survival as his entrance music. This should be fireworks!

Sakuraba
vs
Wilkins

183 cm
32
175 lbs
26 - 16 - 0

182 cm
32
179 lbs
20 - 26 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter fighter
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Project Mayhem

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 26 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazushi Sakuraba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jay Wilkins!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yuuki Gou and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wilkins misses with a jab, cross combination.

Wilkins changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sakuraba looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sakuraba is trying to improve his position.
Wilkins tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Sakuraba has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Wilkins is chipping away with strikes.
Wilkins lands a nice forearm strike.
Sakuraba is looking to reverse the position.
Wilkins lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sakuraba down.
Wilkins cracks Sakuraba with a big elbow.
Wilkins cracks Sakuraba with a big right hand but Sakuraba just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
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!
Wilkins lands some shots froms side control.
Wilkins wants to control but Sakuraba is keeping him busy.
Sakuraba is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Wilkins's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Sakuraba wants to improve his position but Wilkins is controlling well.
Wilkins looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sakuraba looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Wilkins controlling the pace.
Wilkins looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Sakuraba with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakuraba has hold of Wilkins's hands but Wilkins slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Wilkins prevents Sakuraba from improving his position.
Wilkins throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sakuraba wants to get back to full guard.
Wilkins looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Sakuraba with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Wilkins missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sakuraba wants to get back to full guard.
Wilkins looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Wilkins looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Sakuraba with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Wilkins lands a nice short elbow.
Wilkins looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba is defending against the submission attempts here by Wilkins.
Wilkins not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sakuraba tries to get to full guard but Wilkins has control of the leg.

Sakuraba is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Wilkins pulls his head out easily.
Sakuraba is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Wilkins's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Wilkins's back!
Sakuraba controlling well, preventing Wilkins from escaping the position.
Sakuraba scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Wilkins tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

Sakuraba is working for a guillotine from mount but Wilkins frees his head quite easily.
Wilkins in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Wilkins tries to reverse the position but Sakuraba maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilkins keeps trying to improve his position.
Sakuraba unloading with bombs!
Wilkins keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sakuraba tries to control but Wilkins wriggling away.
A nice elbow there by Sakuraba.
Sakuraba with good strikes from the mount here!
Wilkins is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Wilkins is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sakuraba lands a heavy elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sakuraba postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Wilkins looks a forlorn figure.
Sakuraba raining down shots from the mount!

Wilkins is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilkins is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sakuraba unloads with some vicious shots from mount and Wilkins wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Sakuraba celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kazushi Sakuraba!
Our winner, Kazushi Sakuraba, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.