PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between francisco tagalog (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taylor Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

tagalog
vs
Sakuraba

199 cm
21
265 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

192 cm
22
265 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, francisco tagalog!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taylor Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick from tagalog lands but Sakuraba takes it in his stride.
tagalog throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Sakuraba drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
tagalog looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sakuraba trying to control but tagalog is working from the bottom.
tagalog avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sakuraba with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sakuraba throwing strikes but missing.
tagalog wants to stand and escape but Sakuraba is having none of it.
Sakuraba controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba scoring with some ground and pound.
tagalog keeping moving, preventing Sakuraba from controlling successfully.
tagalog can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sakuraba controls the pace.
Sakuraba wants to stand and escape but instead tagalog has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Sakuraba throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
tagalog wants to control from the top but Sakuraba keeps moving.
Sakuraba controls tagalog momentarily but tagalog frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A slapping body kick lands there for tagalog.
tagalog with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sakuraba decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in tagalog's guard.

tagalog pushes Sakuraba off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
A head kick from tagalog lands but Sakuraba takes it in his stride.
tagalog stuffs the takedown.
francisco tagalog seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sakuraba looks gassed!
tagalog darts in trying to clinch

and Sakuraba counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sakuraba.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
tagalog is trying to control the position from the bottom.
tagalog trying to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba's corner is telling him to maintain position.
tagalog wants to stand and escape but Sakuraba is having none of it.
Sakuraba trying to control but tagalog is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sakuraba wanted to stand there but tagalog had control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taylor Sakuraba dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Taylor Sakuraba's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sakuraba takes a head kick and keeps coming.
A head kick from tagalog lands but Sakuraba takes it in his stride.
tagalog scores with a head kick.
Sakuraba fails with an attempt to clinch.

tagalog forces Sakuraba back against the cage and clinches.
Sakuraba tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. tagalog smiles and moves away.
tagalog looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
tagalog throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sakuraba takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Sakuraba avoids the head kick by tagalog.
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as tagalog sprawls well. tagalog wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sakuraba gets slowly back to his feet.

Sakuraba shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. tagalog is trying to defend but Sakuraba finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Sakuraba is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
tagalog is concentrating on defense, preventing Sakuraba from advancing position.

tagalog kicks Sakuraba off and gets back to his feet.
tagalog plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

tagalog has Sakuraba up against the cage in a clinch.
tagalog working hard to break the clinch.
tagalog working hard to break the clinch.
tagalog is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Sakuraba jumps into guard, dragging tagalog to the mat.
Sakuraba has a closed guard, preventing tagalog from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba controls tagalog momentarily but tagalog frees himself.
tagalog not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sakuraba throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
tagalog wants to control from the top but Sakuraba keeps moving.
tagalog is fighting to break Sakuraba's control of his arms but Sakuraba is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
tagalog preventing the sweep.
Sakuraba is looking to stand back up but tagalog counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Sakuraba.
Sakuraba wants to get back to full guard.
tagalog slows the pace down in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sakuraba tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

tagalog stands up and beckons Sakuraba to join him on the feet.
tagalog misses with a takedown

and Sakuraba counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
tagalog has control of Sakuraba's left arm, preventing Sakuraba from doing any damage.
tagalog looking for a sweep. Not yet tagalog, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Taylor Sakuraba will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Taylor Sakuraba's cut.
That's time! tagalog's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

tagalog lands with a kick to the temple. Sakuraba shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
tagalog throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
tagalog fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
tagalog throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Sakuraba.
tagalog doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Sakuraba counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
tagalog is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sakuraba scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sakuraba tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
tagalog is not content to let Sakuraba control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
tagalog is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sakuraba is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so tagalog is just riding it out for now. Sakuraba eventually gives up the hold.

tagalog makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
tagalog throws a head kick that half lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
tagalog looks to land a combination. Sakuraba sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
tagalog lands a head kick!
Sakuraba avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
tagalog throws a combination. Sakuraba tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
tagalog shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sakuraba sprawls well. Sakuraba wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. tagalog gets slowly back to his feet.
tagalog lands a high kick!
tagalog is looking to clinch but Sakuraba is avoiding it.
tagalog lands with a slapping head kick.
Sakuraba takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Sakuraba misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
tagalog plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
tagalog scores with a head kick.
francisco tagalog is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
tagalog lands with a slapping head kick.
tagalog throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
tagalog throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Sakuraba shoots in for a takedown but tagalog shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
francisco tagalog has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Taylor Sakuraba.
Sakuraba takes a kick to the side of the head.
tagalog stalks Sakuraba and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Sakuraba's face. Sakuraba staggers backwards, shaken.
tagalog tries to close the distance and clinch but Sakuraba swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
tagalog throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Sakuraba takes a head kick and keeps coming.
tagalog connects with a high kick.
tagalog connects with a high kick.
tagalog moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Sakuraba fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but tagalog avoids it really well and circles away.
tagalog lands a jab to Sakuraba's midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A left and a right from tagalog both land. Nice combination.
A slapping leg kick lands for tagalog.
tagalog lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
tagalog throws a nice head kick!
tagalog goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
A head kick from tagalog lands but Sakuraba takes it in his stride.
tagalog throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
francisco tagalog is winning the standup battle so far.
tagalog scores with a three punch combo!
Sakuraba takes a head kick and keeps coming.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
tagalog lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
tagalog throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
tagalog connects with a high kick.
francisco tagalog has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taylor Sakuraba is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
tagalog lands with a nice body kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
francisco tagalog showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sakuraba 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!