PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Naruto Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve River (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). River has chosen Tom Petty - I Won't Back Down as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sakuraba
vs
River

175 cm
25
155 lbs
11 - 5 - 1

168 cm
24
160 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Fury Nutrition Inc.
Ruthless Violence Clothing Association

Fury Nutrition Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Naruto Sakuraba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve River!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Ian Loll and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
River tries to clinch there but Sakuraba circles away.
Sakuraba avoids the head kick by River.
Sakuraba misses with a series of wild punches.
River tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sakuraba manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
River throws a sloppy head kick and Sakuraba moves out of range easily.
Sakuraba misses with an uppercut
and River counters with a left and a right that stings Sakuraba.
River keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Sakuraba on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
River ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
River throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sakuraba counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakuraba is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
River is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sakuraba looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Sakuraba is working for a kimura but River is defending it quite comfortably.
River is refusing to be controlled, as Sakuraba sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sakuraba missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sakuraba moves into full mount! River won't be happy about that!
Sakuraba controlling from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakuraba looking to ground and pound but River is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
River is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Sakuraba wants to control the pace but River is squirming around nicely.
Sakuraba throws some wild stikes that River manages to avoid easily.
Sakuraba wants to take River's back but he can't do it this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba is working for a guillotine from mount but River frees his head quite easily.
Sakuraba takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
River prevents Sakuraba from getting a body triangle.
River trying to get back to his feet but Sakuraba is in full control for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sakuraba has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of River's body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Naruto Sakuraba dominated that round.
That's time! Sakuraba's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

River closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
River connects with a crisp jab.
Sakuraba showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from River.
River fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sakuraba fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
River throws a hook to the side of Sakuraba's head but Sakuraba sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
River throws a head kick but Sakuraba moves out of range.
River throws a sloppy head kick and Sakuraba moves out of range easily.
Sakuraba swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A head kick misses from River.
Sakuraba misses with a straight left.
Steve River seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sakuraba tries for a takedown but River circles away easily
and River makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
River takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Sakuraba shoots for a takedown but River saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Naruto Sakuraba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakuraba circles away from the clinch attempt.
River fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
River pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Sakuraba back to the cage. River follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
A punch lands to the side of Sakuraba 's head but he takes it in his stride.
The fighters circling - River throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sakuraba missing with a left hand there. River was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
River staying out of range there.
Sakuraba avoids the head kick by River.
River keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
The fight stays on the outside here - River looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba fails to land the takedown.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sakuraba jabbing away but nothing is landing.
River slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Sakuraba scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Steve River is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
River throws a sloppy head kick and Sakuraba moves out of range easily.
Sloppy strikes from River. Those never looked like landing.
River stuffs the takedown attempt from Sakuraba. Sakuraba gets slowly back to his feet.
Sakuraba has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by River.
River displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Sakuraba checks a leg kick.
River defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sakuraba.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
River takes one to the chin there.
River throws a good cross that connects.
Steve River seems to be getting the better of the standup.
River dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
River avoids the body shot from Sakuraba.
River connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
The fighters circling - Sakuraba throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
River scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
River lands a jab.
River misses with a two punch combination.
Good leg kick by River there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
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!
River moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Sakuraba is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Sakuraba throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sakuraba needs to keep his hands up - River had a free shot at his head there.

Sakuraba is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
River keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sakuraba.
Oh Sakuraba is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
River ducks under a wild hook from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba seems to have got his legs back now.
River defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sakuraba.
River misses with a body shot.
Sakuraba looks to land a combination but River avoids it well.
Sakuraba throws a body punch but River moves out of range.
Sakuraba avoids the head kick by River.
River scores with a nice head shot.
Sakuraba throws an ugly left hook that misses
and River counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
River tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
River misses with a head kick.
Sakuraba misses with a hook. River ducked under it nicely.
River tries to bum rush Sakuraba with a series of wild strikes but Sakuraba uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sakuraba misses with a takedown attempt - River sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve River showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

River's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and River duly obliges.
River throws a shot to the body.
Steve River is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
River scores with a head kick.
River takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
River throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
River throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Sakuraba stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
River uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sakuraba.
River gets cracked there but stands up to it.

River takes the fight into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

River manages to break the clinch.
River tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sakuraba swats him away and circles back towards the center.
River throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba scores with a jab. River acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
River scores with a head kick. Sakuraba tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
River tries to land a front kick but Sakuraba steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
River slips a jab and a cross from Sakuraba.
River misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
River throws a hook but Sakuraba blocks it.
River misses with a head kick.
River throws a right hand that Sakuraba ducks under and follows up with a left that Sakuraba also avoids with ease.
River fails to land with a series of punches.
River takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sakuraba looks to land a right hand but River moved out of range.
River scores with a hook to the body. Sakuraba takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
River tests Sakuraba's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sakuraba fails with the takedown
and River counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
River tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sakuraba swats him away and circles back towards the center.
River lands with a kick to the temple. Sakuraba shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
River throws the left hand but Sakuraba avoids the punch easily.
River throws a sloppy head kick and Sakuraba moves out of range easily.
River thows a leg kick but Sakuraba checks it

and Sakuraba counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Sakuraba is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for River!
Sakuraba throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for River because Sakuraba loaded up on that one.
Sakuraba sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Sakuraba trying to control but River is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
River is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
River is squirming around, avoiding Sakuraba's attempts to control the action.
Sakuraba looking to ground and pound but River is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba wants to control the action but instead River gets a body lock and reverses into Sakuraba's guard! Nice work!

Sakuraba is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. River is aware though and is defending well.
Sakuraba is looking to sweep but instead, River has passed into half guard.
Sakuraba is looking to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Steve River.
I think River has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Steve River!
Steve River gave a mention to Fury Nutrition Inc. in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).