PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Don Petersen (ranked 2148 p4p, 242 weight class) and Hayato Sakuraba (ranked 1720 p4p, 198 weight class). Petersen kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is James Brown- Living in America. Sakuraba has chosen Deetox - Headknocker as his entrance music. Hayato Sakuraba has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Petersen
vs
Sakuraba

180 cm
31
175 lbs
16 - 9 - 0

185 cm
26
177 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Freebok (85% Laundry)

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 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Don Petersen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hayato Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Columbo Gatti and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petersen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sakuraba throws out the jab.
Petersen throws a hook but Sakuraba avoids it easily.
Nice defenses there by Petersen.
Sakuraba pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Petersen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sakuraba uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Petersen.
Sakuraba lands a really nice looking cross but Petersen seems unphased.
Petersen moves out of range of the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A jab from Sakuraba misses.
It looked like Petersen wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Petersen looks to throw the jab but Sakuraba is out of range.
Sakuraba moves out of range of the body kick.
Sakuraba swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Petersen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sakuraba.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petersen misses with a body shot.
Petersen wants to clinch
and Sakuraba cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Petersen shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Petersen showed some decent athleticism there.
Sakuraba wants to get back to his feet.
Petersen content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sakuraba is trying to maintain the position but Petersen is very close to passing his half guard.
Sakuraba is holding on to half guard well.
Sakuraba manages to get to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba pulls Petersen in close to prevent any damage.
Petersen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sakuraba told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

Petersen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Sakuraba is looking to stand up but Petersen isn't so interested in that idea.
Sakuraba has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sakuraba really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Petersen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba kicks Petersen off and gets to his feet.
Sakuraba works the jab nicely.
Petersen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sakuraba throws out the jab.
Sakuraba has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Sakuraba there as he acknowledges the shot.
Sakuraba fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Sakuraba tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Petersen was well out of range. Poor timing from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Petersen slips a straight right by Sakuraba.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba misses with the combination.
Petersen lands a nice shot that snaps Sakuraba's head back.
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!
Sakuraba slips under a jab from Petersen.
Sakuraba misses with a right hand

and Petersen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Sakuraba makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Petersen looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Petersen misses with a straight left.
Petersen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba throws a shot from downtown. Petersen moves away and avoids it.
Sakuraba keeps the fight on the outside.
Petersen slips a jab from Sakuraba.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hayato Sakuraba dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nice straight punches there by Sakuraba. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Sakuraba.
Sakuraba looks to land a left hand but Petersen moved out of range nicely.
Sakuraba throws the left hand but Petersen avoids the punch easily.
Petersen goes for a double leg but Sakuraba avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Sakuraba continues to drive forward.
Petersen looks to land a left hand but Sakuraba moved out of range nicely.
Sakuraba avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Petersen looks to land a left hand but Sakuraba moved out of range nicely.
Sakuraba throws a poor cross that misses

and Petersen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Sakuraba is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Petersen presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Petersen tries for a takedown. No joy.

Sakuraba escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sakuraba misses with an uppercut. Petersen saw that one coming.
Hayato Sakuraba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sakuraba, as that shot connected.
Sakuraba lands a body shot.
Petersen avoids a punch combination nicely.

Petersen has taken the fight to the clinch.

Sakuraba pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A punch lands to the side of Petersen 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Nice straight punches there by Sakuraba. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Sakuraba.
Sakuraba throws the left hand but Petersen avoids the punch easily.
Petersen dives in for a single leg takedown but Sakuraba sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Don Petersen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba throws out a loose jab but Petersen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sakuraba misses with a lunging right hand
and Petersen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sakuraba has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Petersen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hayato Sakuraba seems to be getting the better of the standup.
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!
Petersen misses with a leg kick
and Sakuraba counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sakuraba swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Petersen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sakuraba pulls Petersen in close to prevent any damage.
Petersen wants to control from the top but Sakuraba keeps moving.
Sakuraba controls Petersen momentarily but Petersen frees himself.
Sakuraba wants to stand but Petersen is controlling the position.
Petersen trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakuraba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakuraba wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Hayato Sakuraba has got the better of the ground game so far.
Let's hope that Sakuraba has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Petersen tests Sakuraba's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sakuraba throws a lazy uppercut

and Petersen counters with a single leg into guard. Sakuraba didn't expect that.
Sakuraba is pulling down on Petersen's head. It's preventing any offense from Petersen, at least for the moment.
Sakuraba controls Petersen momentarily but Petersen frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba keeping moving, preventing Petersen from controlling successfully.
Sakuraba not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Petersen trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakuraba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sakuraba is looking to stand up but Petersen isn't so interested in that idea.
Sakuraba is adopting a defensive guard.
Petersen's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Sakuraba seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hayato Sakuraba showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Petersen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Sakuraba takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Sakuraba throws a jab but it's blocked by Petersen.
Petersen takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Petersen moves into range and connects with a jab.
Jab from Sakuraba.
Petersen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sakuraba.
Petersen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sakuraba circles away.
Petersen is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakuraba just misses with a punch to the body.
Petersen tries to close the distance and clinch but Sakuraba swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Sakuraba sends Petersen crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Sakuraba is motioning to the referee to let Petersen up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!

Petersen is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba falls off balance throwing a combination

and Petersen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Oh Petersen is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sakuraba is trying to keep Petersen in close.
Petersen seems to have got his legs back now.
Sakuraba is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Sakuraba has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Petersen off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Sakuraba throws a hook to the side of Petersen's head but Petersen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Petersen fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba throws a hook to the side of Petersen's head but Petersen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Petersen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Sakuraba to score with a decent uppercut.
Sakuraba fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Petersen manages to avoid it.
Sakuraba throws an off balance right hand
and Petersen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
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!
Sakuraba misses the shot to the body.
Sakuraba misses with a straight right.
Petersen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Petersen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Petersen throws a body punch but Sakuraba moves out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Petersen misses the target.
Sakuraba doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

Petersen scores with a takedown into Sakuraba's guard.
Sakuraba controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petersen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Sakuraba has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Petersen off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Sakuraba throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Petersen is looking to clinch but Sakuraba is avoiding it.
Sakuraba throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Petersen changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Don Petersen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hayato Sakuraba is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Hayato Sakuraba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sakuraba throws a jab but it's blocked by Petersen.
Sakuraba slips under a jab.
Petersen misses with an uppercut
and Sakuraba cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Petersen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sakuraba swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Petersen tries to counter with a takedown but Sakuraba is quick to defend against it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petersen misses the jab.
Sakuraba fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Petersen manages to avoid it.
Petersen appears to be looking for a big counter.
Petersen takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Petersen missing with a left hand there. Sakuraba was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sakuraba lands a jab to the nose.
Sakuraba lands with a right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Petersen lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Sakuraba lands with a good body shot.
Petersen throws a leg kick but Sakuraba sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Sakuraba jabs at Petersen's body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hayato Sakuraba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sakuraba 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hayato Sakuraba!
An out of breath Hayato Sakuraba thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.