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CWC 289 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the featherweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of Las Vegas, with a TWGC record of 14 wins and 8 losses; Reijo Halli! And in the blue corner, fighting out of Amsterdam, with a TWGC record of 26 wins and 22 losses; Ishiihara Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.
The official calls the fighters to the middle and the contest is under way.
Sakuraba manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Halli on his heels. He'll look to pass Halli's guard now, I'm sure. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Halli (0) vs (2) Sakuraba
Sakuraba controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
It looks like Sakuraba might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Sakuraba has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Clark's Champion's. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Halli not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakuraba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've been hearing good reports from Halli's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba trying to control but Halli is working from the bottom.
Sakuraba is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakuraba got a little sloppy there for a moment and Halli has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sakuraba has managed to get both his arms back between Halli's legs - danger averted.
Sakuraba stands and throws Halli's legs to the side, diving into side control. Score +3 for passing guard: Halli (0) vs (5) Sakuraba
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba wants to lay and pray for a moment but Halli keeps working.
Sakuraba happy to just control the position for now.
Halli 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 is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Sakuraba tries to move to mount but Halli blocks the move with his legs.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba wants to lay and pray for a moment but Halli keeps working.
Sakuraba is staying tight to Halli's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Halli is trying to control Sakuraba's posture but Sakuraba avoids it.
Sakuraba wants to lay and pray for a moment but Halli keeps working.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Sakuraba trying to control the position but Halli is working away.
Halli tries to improve position but can't.
Sakuraba wants to take a breather but Halli manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Sakuraba.
Sakuraba slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba trying to control but Halli is working from the bottom.
Halli is trying to control the position but Sakuraba postures up.
Sakuraba is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Halli has control of Sakuraba's left arm, preventing Sakuraba from doing any damage.
Halli is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Halli looking for a guillotine here but Sakuraba defends easily.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Halli keeping moving, preventing Sakuraba from controlling successfully.
Sakuraba not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Halli is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Halli will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sakuraba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sakuraba slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba trying to control the position from guard on top but Halli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sakuraba is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Sakuraba avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sakuraba content to stall in guard here.
Sakuraba trying to control but Halli is working from the bottom.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sakuraba got a little sloppy there for a moment and Halli has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sakuraba has managed to get both his arms back between Halli's legs - danger averted.
Sakuraba sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sakuraba wants to pass the guard but Halli is keeping the position.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is still trying to improve position.
Sakuraba is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Sakuraba looking to pass the guard.
Sakuraba trying to control the position from guard on top but Halli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Halli has an active guard here but Sakuraba has managed to pass into half guard.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is looking for a kimura here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Halli is trying to maintain the position but Sakuraba is very close to passing his half guard.
Sakuraba wants to control but Halli is keeping him busy.
Sakuraba is figuring out what he wants to do next.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is trying to control the action in half guard but Halli is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sakuraba not doing much here.
Sakuraba is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Halli defends it well.
Sakuraba is trying to control. Halli wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Halli is not content to let Sakuraba control the position.
Halli looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sakuraba looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is continuing to stall.
Halli is not content to let Sakuraba control the position.
Sakuraba takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The adventures of Sakuraba the control monster continue. Boring.
And that's the end of the fight!
Sakuraba wins on points by 5 to 0.
Ishiihara Sakuraba spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant. |
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