PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hideo Sakurai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Deshawn Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sakurai
vs
Michaels

173 cm
18
158 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hideo Sakurai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Deshawn Michaels!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Michaels rushes Sakurai and presses him up against the cage.
Sakurai blocks the elbow strike.
Sakurai takes an elbow to the temple.
Michaels lands an elbow just above Sakurai 's eye.
Sakurai wants to get back to striking at distance but Michaels won't allow it.
Michaels gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
With the fighters up against the cage, Michaels throws an elbow but misses.
Michaels lands an elbow inside that Sakurai shrugs off.
Sakurai takes an elbow to the forehead.
With the fighters up against the cage, Michaels throws an elbow but misses.
Michaels stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Michaels throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Come on Michaels - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Sakurai wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Sakurai wants to break the clinch but can't.
Stalling in the clinch from Michaels.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Michaels just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sakurai's brow.
Sakurai can't break the clinch.
Michaels pushes off an throws an elbow but Sakurai leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Michaels comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Michaels lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Michaels lands an elbow inside.
Sakurai wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sakurai misses with a punch on the inside.
Michaels stalling.
Michaels misses with an elbow over the top.
Sakurai blocks the elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai dodges an elbow strike from Michaels.
Michaels creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sakurai's defenses.
Michaels manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Michaels misses with an elbow strike.
Sakurai tries to circle away but Michaels has him pinned against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Sakurai scores with a nice short uppercut.
Sakurai blocks the elbow strike.
Sakurai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Michaels misses with an elbow over the top.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Michaels throws an elbow but it misses.
Michaels misses with an elbow strike.
Michaels leaning against his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels lands an elbow just above Sakurai 's eye.
Michaels lands an elbow inside that Sakurai shrugs off.
Michaels throws an elbow that misses.
Michaels effectively controlling the action here.
Sakurai letting Michaels take a breather here.
Michaels receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Michaels misses with an elbow over the top.
Michaels content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Sakurai blocks an elbow strike from Michaels.
Michaels looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Michaels lands a nice elbow.
Sakurai is trying to break the clinch but Michaels has him pressed against the cage.
Michaels lands an elbow inside.
Michaels keeps control of Sakurai as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai takes an elbow to the forehead.
Sakurai misses with a punch on the inside.
Sakurai being controlled against the cage.
Michaels leaning his opponent against the cage.
Sakurai being controlled against the cage.
Michaels continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Michaels misses with an elbow over the top.
Sakurai takes an elbow to the temple.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Deshawn Michaels dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Michaels has managed to clinch.
Michaels pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Michaels has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Michaels stalling in the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Michaels.
Michaels lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Michaels pushes off an throws an elbow but Sakurai leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Deshawn Michaels seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Michaels pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Nice elbow from Michaels.
Michaels pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Michaels creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sakurai's defenses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Sakurai blocks an elbow strike.
Sakurai takes an elbow to the temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai misses with a punch on the inside.
Sakurai tries to break the clinch but Michaels is controlling the position.
Sakurai wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Michaels lands an elbow just above Sakurai 's eye.
Michaels throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
With the fighters up against the cage, Michaels throws an elbow but misses.
Sakurai taking a breather.
Michaels throws an elbow that misses.
Sakurai dodges an elbow strike from Michaels.
Michaels stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Michaels lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Michaels keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Sakurai's efforts to push away.
Michaels avoiding damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai avoids a wild elbow strike from Michaels.
Sakurai can't break the clinch.
Michaels comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Michaels holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Michaels pressing his opponent against the cage.
Sakurai blocks an elbow strike from Michaels.
Michaels misses with an elbow strike.
Sakurai letting Michaels take a breather here.
Sakurai blocks an elbow strike from Michaels.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai dodges an elbow strike from Michaels.
Michaels content to slow the pace in the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Michaels just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sakurai's brow.
Michaels blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Michaels.
Michaels pressing his opponent against the cage.
Sakurai avoids a wild elbow strike from Michaels.
Michaels throws an elbow but it misses.
Michaels has Sakurai pushed against the cage.
Michaels just leaning against Sakurai, taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Deshawn Michaels.
Michaels is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Sakurai.
Michaels blocks a jab.
Hideo Sakurai is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sakurai looks to land a right hand but Michaels moved out of range.
Michaels drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Michaels moves into the clinch.
Michaels lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
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!
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Michaels.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Michaels.
Michaels throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Michaels just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sakurai's brow.
Michaels throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Michaels creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Sakurai takes an elbow to the forehead.
Michaels lands an elbow inside.
Michaels lands a damaging elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Deshawn Michaels showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Michaels moves to clinch but Sakurai breaks away
and Sakurai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sakurai works the jab nicely.

Michaels clinches with his opponent.
Sakurai tries to circle away but Michaels has him pinned against the cage.
Sakurai is trying to push Michaels away but Michaels has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Sakurai is trying to break the clinch but Michaels is controlling him.
Sakurai can't break the clinch.
Sakurai takes an elbow to the forehead.
Michaels has Sakurai pushed against the cage.
Michaels manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michaels lands an elbow inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai wants to break free but Michaels has control.
Michaels lands an elbow just above Sakurai 's eye.
Nice elbow from Michaels.
With the fighters up against the cage, Michaels throws an elbow but misses.
Michaels creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sakurai's defenses.
Michaels lands an elbow that stopped Sakurai in his tracks for a moment.
A bit of stalling here from Michaels.
Michaels lands an elbow that stopped Sakurai in his tracks for a moment.
Michaels creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sakurai's defenses.
Michaels stalling.
Michaels lands an elbow inside.
Sakurai can't break the clinch.
Michaels throws an elbow but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michaels lands a damaging elbow.
Michaels creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Sakurai blocks an elbow strike from Michaels.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakurai wants to break the clinch but can't.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Michaels.
Sakurai takes an elbow to the forehead.
Sakurai avoids a wild elbow strike from Michaels.
Sakurai wants to break free but Michaels has control.
The referee is keeping an eye on Michaels - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Sakurai wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Michaels has him pressed against the cage.
Michaels lands an elbow just above Sakurai 's eye.
Michaels is stalling here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai avoids the elbow strike from Michaels, against the cage.
Michaels dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Michaels just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sakurai's brow.
Michaels's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Deshawn Michaels is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Michaels throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Sakurai looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sakurai tries to circle away but Michaels has him pinned against the cage.
Hideo Sakurai has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Michaels blocking some punches.
Michaels creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Sakurai tries to circle away but Michaels has him pinned against the cage.
Sakurai is trying to break the clinch but Michaels has him pressed against the cage.
Sakurai has had enough of the clinch but Michaels keeps him there for the moment.
Sakurai is trying to break the clinch but Michaels is controlling him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sakurai swings wildly with an uppercut but Michaels uses good head movement to avoid it.
Michaels lands an elbow just above Sakurai 's eye.

And that's the end of the fight!
Deshawn Michaels comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Michaels 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Deshawn Michaels!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Deshawn Michaels!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Deshawn Michaels!

Deshawn Michaels wins by unanimous decision!