PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Takashi Oshima (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eisen Sakurai (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.

Oshima
vs
Sakurai

168 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takashi Oshima!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Eisen Sakurai!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakurai shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Oshima as he avoids it easily.
Oshima goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Oshima checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

Sakurai shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Sakurai was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Oshima is looking to improve his position but Sakurai isn't that keen on the idea.
Sakurai avoids the attempt from Oshima to control.
Sakurai looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Oshima keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sakurai has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Oshima tries to hold on but Sakurai postures up.
Oshima working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakurai avoids the attempt from Oshima to control.
Oshima holds on for dear life.
Oshima is squirming around, avoiding Sakurai's attempts to control the action.
Oshima wants to hold on but Sakurai pushes him away.
Oshima keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sakurai scoring with strikes but Oshima is staying in there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sakurai lands a heavy elbow.
Sakurai is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Oshima is looking to improve his position but Sakurai isn't that keen on the idea.
Sakurai trying to control but Oshima is having none of it.
Oshima is working to get back to half guard.
Sakurai raining down shots from the mount!
Sakurai tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai landing punches.
Sakurai throwing strikes here but Oshima is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Sakurai unloading with bombs!
Sakurai lands a big shot there that rocks Oshima but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Oshima tries to hold on but Sakurai pushes him away.
Sakurai controlling the position easily from mount.
Oshima tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sakurai tries to control but Oshima wriggling away.
Oshima tries to hold on but Sakurai postures up.
Sakurai can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Oshima is looking to escape.
Sakurai is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Oshima can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Sakurai trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sakurai with good strikes from the mount here!
Oshima tries to reverse the position but Sakurai maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Oshima misses the shot to the body.
Oshima tries to clinch up.
Oshima tries to clinch up but Sakurai circles away and keeps his distance.
Sakurai shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Oshima sprawls well. Oshima wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sakurai gets slowly back to his feet.
Oshima scores with a push kick.
Oshima doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Sakurai counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Takashi Oshima seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Sakurai shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Sakurai is breathing heavily.
Sakurai is keen to just control but Oshima is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sakurai is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Oshima sees it coming and defends easily.
Oshima holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Oshima is trying to control but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Oshima is trying to stand up here but Sakurai is controlling him well.
Oshima wants to control but Sakurai is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Oshima is trying to get back to full guard.
Oshima is not content to let Sakurai control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Oshima tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Oshima tries to clinch up

and Sakurai counters with a takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oshima can't do much from the bottom here.
Oshima on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Sakurai creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Oshima sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Sakurai taking a breather here.
Oshima is looking to regain half guard here but Sakurai keeps moving and retains side control.
Sakurai takes a little break here. Oshima wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Sakurai has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Sakurai wants to lay and pray for a moment but Oshima keeps working.
Sakurai tries to score with some ground and pound. Oshima controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Sakurai tries to move into full mount but can't pass Oshima's legs.
Sakurai controls the position.
Oshima is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Sakurai's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Sakurai is trying to work for a kimura but Oshima is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakurai wants to control but Oshima is keeping him busy.
Oshima keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Sakurai wants to pass the guard but Oshima is defending well.
Oshima makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Oshima.
Oshima tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eisen Sakurai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Good leg kick by Oshima there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Oshima throws a quick inside leg kick.
Oshima chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A nice leg kick lands there from Oshima.
Oshima tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Sakurai counters with a one-two to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Oshima escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sakurai takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sakurai circles away from the clinch attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Oshima has Sakurai up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knees to the body from Oshima.
Oshima stalls.

Oshima jumps guard and drags Sakurai to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Oshima keeping moving, preventing Sakurai from controlling successfully.
Oshima looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Oshima not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sakurai working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sakurai wants to control from the top but Oshima keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Oshima preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

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

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sakurai scores with a jab to the body.
Oshima fails with an attempt to clinch.
Takashi Oshima is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sakurai misses with a few strikes there.

Oshima clinches up against the cage.
Sakurai drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The referee is keeping an eye on Oshima - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Oshima breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Oshima tries to clinch but Sakurai moves out of range.
Oshima tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sakurai paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Oshima tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sakurai sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Oshima somewhat.

Sakurai drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Oshima avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sakurai trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakurai with a flurry of punches that miss.
Oshima looking for a sweep. Not yet Oshima, not yet.
Sakurai being controlled here momentarily.
Oshima not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sakurai missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Oshima utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Oshima shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Sakurai counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Takashi Oshima has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eisen Sakurai is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sakurai scoring with punches to the head and body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takashi Oshima showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sakurai 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 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eisen Sakurai!