PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Randy Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mayato Sakurai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Couture comes to the cage accompanied by Randy Couture. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Couture
vs
Sakurai

185 cm
23
220 lbs
9 - 1 - 0

185 cm
23
250 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Randy Couture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mayato Sakurai!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sakurai shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Couture tries to hold on but Sakurai postures up.
Couture is in all sorts of trouble here.
Couture tries to lock up and control but Sakurai gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Sakurai swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Couture is now in Sakurai's guard. A big mistake from Sakurai there, giving up the dominant position!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sakurai can do anything to dispel that myth.
Couture with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Couture slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Sakurai tries to improve position but can't.
Couture takes a little break here. Sakurai wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Sakurai is looking for a sweep.
Couture takes a little break here. Sakurai wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Sakurai is looking to regain half guard here but Couture keeps moving and retains side control.
Sakurai is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Couture off and has taken his back!
Sakurai not allowing Couture to control his hands.

Couture is having to fend off submission attempts from Sakurai, who is looking to sink in the choke. Sakurai doesn't have the hooks in though and Couture manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
Couture slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai keeping moving, preventing Couture from controlling successfully.
Couture seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Sakurai should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Couture trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakurai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Couture keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sakurai's head.

Sakurai working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Couture doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Couture manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sakurai looks gassed!
Sakurai looking to control but Couture passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai has hold of Couture's hands but Couture slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Couture content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Randy Couture just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Couture.
Couture shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Sakurai counters with a right hand to the body.
Couture throws a jab but it's blocked by Sakurai.
Couture has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Randy Couture. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Couture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Couture moves away.
Nice shot lands for Couture.

It looks like Mayato Sakurai has been cut.

Couture shoots in and bounces Sakurai off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Couture content to stall in guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Couture has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Couture dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mayato Sakurai'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.

Couture fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sakurai throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Sakurai gets caught flat footed, as Couture shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Couture pushing down on Sakurai's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Couture passes to full mount!
Couture working Sakurai over with strikes here.
Couture tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Couture lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Couture sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Randy Couture overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
A nice elbow there by Couture.
Sakurai is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture unloading with bombs!
Couture punishing his opponent with strikes.
Sakurai is working to get back to half guard.
Sakurai is bucking up trying to escape but Couture cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Couture unloading with bombs!
Couture scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Sakurai?
The referee warns Sakurai that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sakurai is working to get back to half guard.
Sakurai in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Couture is landing with some decent strikes but Sakurai is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Couture has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Couture content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture dominating with strikes here.
Couture controlling his opponent.
Couture looking to finish Sakurai with some ground and pound. This is bad for Sakurai!
Sakurai working to try and regain half guard.
Couture lands a heavy elbow.
Couture dominating with strikes here.
Sakurai is bucking up trying to escape but Couture cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Couture lands a big shot there that rocks Sakurai but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Couture working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Couture tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Couture cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Couture lands with some strikes.
Couture looking to finish Sakurai with some ground and pound. This is bad for Sakurai!
Couture lands a heavy elbow.
Couture landing strikes, looking to finish!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Couture lands a heavy elbow.

Sakurai is rocked!
Couture controlling the pace for now.
Couture's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Couture dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mayato Sakurai's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Couture changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sakurai looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sakurai is looking for a sweep.
A lull in the action here.
Couture lands a nice forearm strike.
Couture is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sakurai can do to turn this around?
You can see the frustration on Sakurai's face as Couture controls the position.
Couture works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Sakurai takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A lull in the action here as Couture stalls from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture cracks Sakurai with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Sakurai is looking to regain half guard here but Couture keeps moving and retains side control.
Couture controlling from side mount.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Randy Couture just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Sakurai looks up at the clock. Bad move! Couture lands a right hand from hell, dropping Sakurai. Couture pounces and finishes the fight with a flurry of punches and elbows.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Randy Couture!