PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brutus Fulgore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshimitzu Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakuraba has chosen Pride theme song blares through the speaker as fireworks erupt as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fulgore
vs
Sakuraba

209 cm
26
280 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

191 cm
26
272 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brutus Fulgore!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Yoshimitzu Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Anthony Taglia and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba has a takedown stuffed.
Brutus Fulgore seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fulgore lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sakuraba circles away quickly and effectively.

Sakuraba scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Sakuraba is looking to take a break and control but Fulgore is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fulgore is trying to get back to full guard.
Sakuraba missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sakuraba lands a nice short elbow.
Sakuraba lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakuraba thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Fulgore actively working from the bottom here.
Sakuraba throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Fulgore on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Fulgore tries to get out of the position.
Sakuraba lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba is trying to control the action in half guard but Fulgore is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fulgore wants to improve his position but Sakuraba is controlling well.
Sakuraba is trying to control. Fulgore wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ground and pound from Sakuraba.
Fulgore taking some punishment here, with Sakuraba in his half guard.
Sakuraba throwing shots but Fulgore is blocking nicely.
Fulgore wants to control but Sakuraba is keeping busy.
Fulgore is looking to improve his position.
Fulgore is trying to control but can't.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Fulgore is looking to escape.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Sakuraba loads up on a big right hand but Fulgore slips the punch.
A big left from Fulgore misses.
Fulgore lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

It looks like Yoshimitzu Sakuraba has been cut.
Fulgore keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Fulgore throws a lazy right hand but Sakuraba sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Fulgore scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sakuraba doesn't seem bothered though.
Sakuraba throws a hook to the side of Fulgore's head but Fulgore sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Fulgore turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Fulgore misses with a lunging right hand

and Sakuraba counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sakuraba.
Fulgore knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sakuraba on the ground.

Fulgore looking for a guillotine here but Sakuraba defends easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakuraba working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba throws a big elbow that misses.

Fulgore looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sakuraba should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Fulgore looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sakuraba is one step ahead there.
Sakuraba lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Sakuraba is working Fulgore over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Fulgore has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sakuraba can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Fulgore looking for a sweep. Not yet Fulgore, not yet.
Sakuraba content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sakuraba lands a couple of elbows.
Sakuraba connects with a couple of short punches.
Sakuraba in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Sakuraba got a little sloppy there for a moment and Fulgore has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sakuraba has managed to get both his arms back between Fulgore's legs - danger averted.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Sakuraba working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Sakuraba working some strikes from top position.
Sakuraba postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sakuraba's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Fulgore working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sakuraba doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sakuraba manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Fulgore working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sakuraba.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fulgore is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sakuraba working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshimitzu Sakuraba dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Yoshimitzu Sakuraba's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Fulgore sprawls well. Fulgore wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sakuraba gets slowly back to his feet.
It looked like Fulgore wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Fulgore throws a lazy right hand but Sakuraba sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Fulgore looks to land a combination but Sakuraba avoids it well.

Sakuraba fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Fulgore sprawls well initially but Sakuraba persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sakuraba lands a nice short elbow.
Fulgore is looking to improve his position.
Fulgore regains full guard. Nicely done.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakuraba is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.

Fulgore has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Sakuraba is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Fulgore.
Sakuraba is working Fulgore over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Sakuraba is working Fulgore over with some ground and pound from side control.
Sakuraba lands some shots froms side control.
Fulgore misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Sakuraba works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

It looks like Brutus Fulgore has been cut.
Sakuraba working the ground and pound from side control.
Fulgore tries to improve position but can't.
Fulgore looks to move to half guard but instead Sakuraba has passed into mount! Damn!
Fulgore taking shots to the head.

Fulgore is rocked!
Fulgore takes a big shot to the dome and his eyes have rolled back in his head! Sakuraba's killer instinct has kicked in as he finishes the fight with more strikes. Impressive finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Yoshimitzu Sakuraba!
After the fight, Yoshimitzu Sakuraba was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.