PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hiroshimo Sakamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felix Sturm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Sakamoto
vs
Sturm

168 cm
30
155 lbs
26 - 11 - 1

180 cm
28
158 lbs
18 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)
Hellbent

Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hiroshimo Sakamoto!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Felix Sturm!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Steven Brown and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Sakamoto. Sturm shrugs it off though.
Sturm tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Sakamoto slips a jab and a cross from Sturm.
Sakamoto half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
The crowd cheers as Sturm lands an impressive looking overhand right. Sakamoto doesn't seem phased though.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Sakamoto.
Sakamoto defending well as Sturm loads up on a big left hand.
Sakamoto bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Sturm takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sakamoto connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sakamoto misses with a leg kick
and Sturm counters with a thumping low kick.
Sakamoto drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

It looks like Hiroshimo Sakamoto has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sakamoto jabs at Sturm's body.
Sakamoto throws a leg kick
and Sturm counters with a straight right hand.
Sakamoto dives in for a single leg takedown but Sturm sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Sakamoto scores with a sloppy right hand. Sturm should have avoided that one.
Sturm tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Sakamoto takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Sturm lands with an uppercut that bounces Sakamoto off the cage and back into range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakamoto lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Sturm takes one on the button.
Sakamoto lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A low kick from Sakamoto is predictable there
and Sturm counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sturm avoids the body shot from Sakamoto.
We've been informed that Sturm has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Sakamoto misses with a wild body shot.
Sakamoto keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
A good leg kick by Sakamoto.
Sturm uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sakamoto.
Sturm has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Sturm jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hiroshimo Sakamoto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sakamoto scores with a sloppy right hand. Sturm should have avoided that one.
Sakamoto has been working on his boxing with his coaches at White Eagle in the buildup to the fight.
Sturm scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sakamoto doesn't seem bothered though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sturm throws a shot from downtown. Sakamoto moves away and avoids it.
Sakamoto fires out a quick counter leg kick but Sturm just manages to avoid it.
Sakamoto throws out a leg kick but Sturm moves out of range and Sakamoto only half commits.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sturm. Sakamoto does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sakamoto swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakamoto thuds a left hand into Sturm's body.
Sakamoto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sturm now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Good work by Sturm as he checks the leg kick.
Sakamoto throws a lazy right hand but Sturm sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sturm takes a swing at Sakamoto's ribcage but misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sakamoto.
Sakamoto lands a jab.
Sakamoto misses with a low kick.
Sakamoto misses with a jab to the body
and Sakamoto takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sakamoto misses with a low kick as Sturm jumps back.
Sakamoto lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Sturm throws a body shot but no joy.
Sturm lands with a straight right. Sakamoto didn't see that one coming.
Sturm tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sakamoto was well out of range. Poor timing from Sturm.
Sakamoto finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Sturm misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sturm lands an overhand right.
Sakamoto connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Sakamoto cracks Sturm with an open hand slap.
Sturm checks the leg kick.
Sturm scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sakamoto doesn't seem bothered though.
Sturm looks to score with a jab to the body but Sakamoto is just out of range.
Felix Sturm is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice uppercut lands for Sturm. That snapped Sakamoto's head back.
Sakamoto scores with a jab to the head.
Sakamoto paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Sturm scores with a decent looking hook.

Hiroshimo Sakamoto's cut is getting worse.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sakamoto ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sturm moves away.
Sturm lands a jab to Sakamoto's midsection.
Sturm misses with a straight left.
An attempted straight right counter from Sakamoto misses the target.
Sakamoto is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sturm.
Sturm throws out a counter right but Sakamoto avoids it with no problem.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sturm. Sakamoto does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sturm throws a hook to the side of Sakamoto's head but Sakamoto sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sturm takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Sakamoto throws a big shot that misses.
A slow jab from Sakamoto misses its intended target.
Sturm throws out a counter right but Sakamoto avoids it with no problem.
A shot to the body from Sakamoto misses
and Sturm counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sturm throws a lazy uppercut
and Sturm takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sakamoto takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Sturm lands a jab to the nose.

Sakamoto is rocked!

Hiroshimo Sakamoto's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Sturm misses with a wild body shot.
Oh Sakamoto is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sturm avoids the body shot from Sakamoto.
Sakamoto seems to have got his legs back now.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Sturm crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Sakamoto - the referee stops the clock and Sturm gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Sakamoto. Sturm manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Sturm works Sakamoto's body with a nice hook.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sturm throws a solid leg kick but Sakamoto takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Sturm.
It looked like Sakamoto wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Sakamoto lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Sakamoto throws a chopping leg kick but Sturm manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Sturm lands a nice shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Felix Sturm will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Hiroshimo Sakamoto's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sakamoto uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sturm.
Sakamoto waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sturm.
Sturm on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Sakamoto throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Sturm makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sakamoto lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Sakamoto throws a leg kick
and Sturm counters with a straight right hand.
A big left from Sakamoto misses.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Sturm! But no joy.
Sakamoto throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Sturm counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sakamoto lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sturm's sensitive parts.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Sakamoto. Sturm shrugs it off though.
Sakamoto throws a leg kick which misses Sturm's front leg but catches the back leg as Sturm tries to avoid it.
Sturm's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Sturm chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sakamoto can pounce on him.
Sturm lands with an overhand left.
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!
Sakamoto dodges the punch combination from Sturm.
Sturm connects with a nice looking jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sturm thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sturm throws a sloppy body shot
and Sakamoto connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sturm ducks under a wild hook from Sakamoto.
Sakamoto lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Sturm is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Sakamoto wants to land a leg kick but Sturm is out of range.
Sakamoto tried to score with a low kick but Sturm checks it.
Sturm throws a predictable looking body shot
and Sakamoto counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sturm throws an overhand right that lands on Sakamoto's shoulder, as Sakamoto tries to avoid the shot.
Sturm uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sakamoto.
Sturm throws a shot from downtown. Sakamoto moves away and avoids it.
Sakamoto fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Sturm.
Sakamoto throws a low kick but it's checked well by Sturm.
Sturm tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sakamoto was well out of range. Poor timing from Sturm.
Sturm clobbers Sakamoto with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sturm stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sturm wants it to stay on the feet.
Sturm takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sturm misses with a looping right.
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!
Sturm stuns Sakamoto with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Sturm throws out a loose jab but Sakamoto uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sturm lunges at Sakamoto with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Sakamoto's hand.

Jeez, Hiroshimo Sakamoto's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Sakamoto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sturm.
And Sakamoto counters with a quick kick to the body but Sturm blocks it.
Sakamoto just misses with a punch to the body.
Sturm tried to score with a low kick but Sakamoto checks it.
Sakamoto throws a nice outside leg kick.
Sturm throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sakamoto connects with a solid leg kick.
Sturm throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A quick step to the side and Sakamoto tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sakamoto thuds his right hand into Sturm's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Sturm works the jab nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakamoto lands a jab to the nose.
Sakamoto clobbers Sturm with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Sakamoto swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sakamoto lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sturm. Sakamoto does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sakamoto scores with a hook to the body. Sturm takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Sakamoto thumps Sturm with a low kick.
Sturm displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sakamoto throws out the jab.
Sakamoto tries to move into range but Sturm moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Hiroshimo Sakamoto's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Felix Sturm!
Felix Sturm is the new lightweight champion!
Our winner, Felix Sturm, 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.
Hiroshimo Sakamoto was interviewed post fight and said 'It had to be my goofy eyes!!'.