PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jens Pulver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazushi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Pulver
vs
Sakuraba

180 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jens Pulver!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kazushi Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paul Aken and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba tries to clinch there but Pulver circles away.
Horrible takedown by Sakuraba or perhaps it was just good defense by Pulver which made him look bad.
Sakuraba rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pulver moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sakuraba circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sakuraba displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Pulver.
Pulver shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sakuraba defends it nicely.
Sakuraba misses with a takedown

so Pulver counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Pulver won't allow Sakuraba to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pulver wants to stand but Sakuraba has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Pulver forces his way into half guard.
Sakuraba is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba trying to control from the bottom.
Sakuraba tries to roll over but Pulver keeps him under control.
Sakuraba pushes Pulver off looking to stand but Pulver dives back in and keeps control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pulver lands with a kick to the ribs.
Sakuraba looks gassed!
Pulver throws a hook but Sakuraba avoids it easily.

Pulver looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Pulver tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pulver is stalling here. Sakuraba is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Pulver seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Sakuraba has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Pulver avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Sakuraba.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pulver is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Sakuraba is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Pulver is looking to get to half guard.
Sakuraba avoids the attempt from Pulver to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pulver is trying to escape the mount.
Sakuraba sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Pulver is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Pulver gets back to half guard.
Sakuraba prevents Pulver from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Pulver throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Sakuraba is thwarting Pulver's attempts to control the position.
Pulver moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sakuraba tries to free his leg and advance position but Pulver is retaining full guard.
Pulver keeping moving, preventing Sakuraba from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jens Pulver dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nice body kick there by Pulver.
The fighters circle momentarily. Sakuraba darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Sakuraba misses with a takedown

and Pulver counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Pulver not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Pulver working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Pulver decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Pulver shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
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!
Pulver tries to free his leg and advance position but Sakuraba is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba wants to stand and escape but Pulver is having none of it.
Pulver is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Pulver trying to control but Sakuraba is working from the bottom.
Pulver sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Pulver wants to control from the top but Sakuraba keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Pulver working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Pulver stands and throws Sakuraba's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Sakuraba tries to bench press Pulver off him but Pulver keeps the position.
Pulver controlling the position from side mount.
Pulver trying to control the action but Sakuraba is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pulver happy to just control the position for now.
Pulver tries to move to mount but Sakuraba blocks the move with his legs.
Jens Pulver overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Pulver decides to stand back up.

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.
Pulver tries to clinch but Sakuraba is having none of it.
Pulver shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sakuraba but Sakuraba pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sakuraba scores with a crisp jab that stopped Pulver in his tracks.

Pulver closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sakuraba tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pulver wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Pulver decides to stand back up. Pulver steps back and let's Sakuraba get back to his feet.
Sakuraba gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Pulver counters with a nice body kick.

Pulver is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Sakuraba's half guard.
Sakuraba trying to control but Pulver postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jens Pulver dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Pulver. Sakuraba does a little dance to reset his feet.

Pulver bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Sakuraba's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pulver wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sakuraba keeps working.
Sakuraba tries to improve position but can't.

Pulver stands up.
Pulver slaps away a takedown attempt from Sakuraba, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pulver looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Sakuraba!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pulver looking to control but Sakuraba is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sakuraba really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pulver. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pulver controlling the pace for now.
Pulver wants to control the pace but Sakuraba is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba tries to lock up and control but Pulver gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Pulver controlling the position easily from mount.
Sakuraba is squirming around, avoiding Pulver's attempts to control the action.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Jens Pulver just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Sakuraba circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Sakuraba trying to control the action but Pulver is working from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. Pulver manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Pulver is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Pulver keeping full guard, as Sakuraba tries to pass.
Sakuraba must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Sakuraba has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Pulver to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Sakuraba is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Pulver pulls down on the head and he's put Sakuraba to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Jens Pulver!