PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ishiihara Sakuraba (ranked 2009 p4p, 206 weight class) and Sebastian Shot (ranked 2776 p4p, 277 weight class). Ishiihara Sakuraba has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sakuraba
vs
Shot

165 cm
28
145 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

162 cm
40
145 lbs
27 - 22 - 2

Great wrestler
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ishiihara Sakuraba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 22 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sebastian Shot!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Chris Saunders and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shot throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Sakuraba drops down looking for a counter takedown but Shot sprawls and moves away.

Sakuraba closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sakuraba works his foot free and advances to mount.
Sakuraba takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Shot is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sakuraba putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sakuraba tries to control but Shot wriggling away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakuraba takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Sakuraba avoids the attempt from Shot to control.
Shot manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shot is looking to control Sakuraba's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Shot avoid being mounted?
Sakuraba scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Shot slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sakuraba is in close to Shot's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sakuraba passes Shot's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Sakuraba missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sakuraba working over Shot with some ground and pound. Shot looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Well, if Sakuraba is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Shot kicks off Sakuraba and gets to his feet.
Shot fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sakuraba manages to avoid it.
Sakuraba attempts a counter takedown but Shot avoids it well and moves away.
Sebastian Shot is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba fails with a takedown attempt.

Sakuraba throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Shot was covering up waiting for the punch and Sakuraba finishes the takedown easily into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sakuraba trying to control but Shot is working from the bottom.
Sakuraba scoring with some ground and pound.
Sakuraba won't allow Shot to get back to his feet.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sakuraba postures up.
Sakuraba pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shot is keeping the position for now.
Shot wants to stand and escape but Sakuraba is having none of it.
Sakuraba controlling from the top position.
Sakuraba stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shot swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sakuraba throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shot works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sakuraba stopping the sweep attempt from Shot.
Sakuraba trying to control the position from guard on top but Shot is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shot looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sakuraba scoring with punches to the head and body.
Shot is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sakuraba works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Shot defends it easily.
Shot postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Shot trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Shot trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakuraba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Sakuraba is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Shot is aware though and is defending well.
Sakuraba keeping moving, preventing Shot from controlling successfully.
Shot throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sakuraba works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sakuraba looking to control.
Shot trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakuraba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shot not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sakuraba misses with a takedown
and Shot counters with a stiff right hand.
The fighters circling - Shot throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sakuraba shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Shot defends it nicely.
Sakuraba shoots in for a double leg but Shot sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ishiihara Sakuraba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakuraba gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Shot counters with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shot throws a jab but it's blocked by Sakuraba.
Sakuraba shoots and misses
and Shot counters with a stiff right hand.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sakuraba.
Shot looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shot lands a lovely overhand right.
Sakuraba misses with a takedown
and Shot counters with a stiff right hand.
Sakuraba fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Shot scores with a crisp jab that stopped Sakuraba in his tracks.
Shot looks to land a right hand but Sakuraba moved out of range.
No luck for Sakuraba with that takedown attempt.
Shot lands with a nice combination. Sakuraba backs away looking to recover.
Sakuraba throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Shot's waist but Shot gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sakuraba off to one side.
Shot swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Shot throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba 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 throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Shot lunges at Sakuraba with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Sakuraba's hand.
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!
The fight stays on the outside here - Shot looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shot throws a looping overhand right but Sakuraba ducks down to avoid it.
A telegraphed right hand from Shot misses the target.
Sakuraba throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Shot's waist but Shot gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sakuraba off to one side.
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown but Shot shows good takedown defense.
Sakuraba shoots in but Shot avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sakuraba misses with a takedown
and Shot counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shot stuns Sakuraba with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A head kick misses from Shot.
Sakuraba drops down looking for a counter takedown but Shot sprawls and moves away.
Horrible takedown attempt by Sakuraba or perhaps it was just good defense by Shot, which made it look bad.
Shot sizes up Sakuraba with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Shot scores with a nice strike.
Sakuraba keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've been informed that Shot has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Shot might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
A telegraphed right hand from Shot misses the target.
Shot throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nice defenses there by Shot.
Shot has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Shot listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Sakuraba throws a right hand that misses
and Shot counters with a straight right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba with a poor takedown
and Sakuraba takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sakuraba shoots in looking for a takedown but Shot manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Sakuraba's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Sakuraba fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
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!
Shot scores with a decent looking hook.
Sakuraba dives in and grabs Shot's left leg, looking for a takedown. Shot pushes down on Sakuraba's head and hops out.
Sakuraba fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A countering left hand to the body from Shot misses.
Shot throws out a loose jab but Sakuraba uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shot looks to score with a jab to the body but Sakuraba is just out of range.
Sakuraba feinted with a counter takedown.
Sakuraba takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
No luck for Sakuraba with that takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sebastian Shot showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Sakuraba throws a lazy right hand but Shot sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sakuraba slips under a jab from Shot.
Shot tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sakuraba half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Shot fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sakuraba darts in looking for a takedown but Shot gets double underhooks and turns Sakuraba into the cage.
Shot throws a head kick but Sakuraba moves out of range.
Sakuraba fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sakuraba fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ishiihara Sakuraba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shot waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sakuraba.
Shot scores with a nice right hand.
Sakuraba slips a jab from Shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Shot throws a lazy right hand but Sakuraba sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sakuraba dives in for a single leg takedown but Shot sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Shot lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Good standup being displayed there by Shot as he connects with a hook.
Sakuraba is trying hard to land a takedown here. Shot sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Shot as he jumps to the side.
Shot unleashes a big counter combination but Sakuraba bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
A big left from Shot misses.
Shot jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sakuraba avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Sakuraba fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Shot sprawls well initially but Sakuraba persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Sakuraba missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Shot manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Sakuraba keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shot is pushing Sakuraba up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Shot is looking to control Sakuraba's arms but Sakuraba gets an underhook and turns him. Now Shot has his back to the cage.
Shot with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Sakuraba tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Shot with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Sakuraba escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Shot misses with a straight right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba tries to score a power double leg takedown but Shot sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sakuraba somewhat.
A countering left hand to the body from Shot misses.
Shot cracks Sakuraba with a good jab.
Shot tries to clinch but Sakuraba is having none of it.
Shot cracks Sakuraba with an open hand slap.
Sakuraba tries for a takedown but Shot circles away easily
and Shot cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Shot slips a straight right by Sakuraba.
Sakuraba is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Sebastian Shot seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Shot as he jumps to the side.
It seemed like Shot was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Sakuraba fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Shot fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Shot 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.
Sakuraba throws a body shot but no joy.
Shot swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Sakuraba swats away the attempt to clinch by Shot.
Shot lands with an overhand left.
Shot lands the left hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sebastian Shot comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shot 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 27:29
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sebastian Shot!
A victorious Sebastian Shot thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.