PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kazushi Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gancho Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gancho Santos has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sakuraba
vs
Santos

183 cm
20
190 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

184 cm
26
191 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazushi Sakuraba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gancho Santos!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Ren Mimura and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sakuraba closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Sakuraba lands in his opponent's guard.
Santos keeping full guard, as Sakuraba tries to pass.
Santos wants to stand and escape but Sakuraba is having none of it.
Santos is trying to keep Sakuraba in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakuraba throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Santos looking for a guillotine here but Sakuraba defends easily.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Sakuraba from controlling successfully.
Santos trying to keep a closed guard but Sakuraba is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sakuraba thows a big elbow that misses.
Santos avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sakuraba throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Sakuraba from controlling successfully.

Santos is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Santos being controlled here, momentarily.
Santos is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Santos trying to control the action but Sakuraba is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Santos perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Sakuraba works his way to full guard. Good work.

Sakuraba uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Sakuraba misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Santos scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Sakuraba works his way to full guard. Good work.
Santos won't allow Sakuraba to sweep him here.
Santos tries to free his leg and advance position but Sakuraba is retaining full guard.
Santos stopping the sweep attempt from Sakuraba.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakuraba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba looking for a sweep. Not yet Sakuraba, not yet.

Sakuraba looking for a guillotine here but Santos defends easily.
Sakuraba keeping full guard, as Santos tries to pass.
Santos stopping the sweep attempt from Sakuraba.

Sakuraba looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Santos trying to control but Sakuraba is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sakuraba utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sakuraba avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sakuraba keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Santos is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Gancho Santos was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Santos gets the takedown into side control.
Santos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sakuraba keeps working.
Santos working the ground and pound from side control.
Sakuraba defending against the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gancho Santos will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Santos shoots in and bounces Sakuraba off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Sakuraba has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Santos can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Santos is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Sakuraba is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Santos defends well.

Santos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakuraba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sakuraba is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Santos rolls with it to try and escape but Sakuraba cranks on the arm and Santos is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Kazushi Sakuraba!