PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kazushi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hector Palacios (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakuraba comes to the ring accompanied by Sakuraba Entrance. Palacios has chosen Journey - Don't Stop Believin' as his entrance music. Hector Palacios will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Sakuraba
vs
Palacios

183 cm
20
215 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

189 cm
18
217 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Red Light Clothing ►Amsterdam!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazushi Sakuraba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hector Palacios!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sakuraba could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Sakuraba gets the takedown into side control.
Sakuraba gets to mount! Palacios was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

Sakuraba is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Palacios is surviving well by controlling Sakuraba's body position as best he can.
Palacios is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sakuraba trying to control but Palacios is having none of it.

Palacios defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Sakuraba.

Sakuraba jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Palacios manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Who's going to make the next move?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba wants to lay and pray for a moment but Palacios keeps working.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Sakuraba is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Palacios knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Palacios tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sakuraba wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sakuraba working away.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Sakuraba tries to move to mount but Palacios blocks the move with his legs.
Palacios is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Sakuraba is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Palacios has escaped the position, nice work there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sakuraba has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Palacios finds it's way round the side to connect with Sakuraba's head.

It looks like Kazushi Sakuraba has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sakuraba shoots in and drives through. Palacios sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kazushi Sakuraba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakuraba is breathing heavily.
Palacios circles and sees the opportunity to plant his feet and throw a really nice straight left hand that drops Sakuraba to the canvas! Sakuraba doesn't know where he is but he's trying to survive - Palacios keeps piling on the pressure and forces the referee to step in! This one is aaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:21 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hector Palacios!