PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sai Fukuta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hideaki Murakami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Fukuta
vs
Murakami

175 cm
20
155 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

171 cm
24
148 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sai Fukuta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hideaki Murakami!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murakami shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fukuta as he avoids it easily.
Fukuta fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Fukuta dives in and scores a takedown into Murakami's guard.
Murakami has a closed guard, preventing Fukuta from standing up.
Fukuta 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.
Murakami wants to hit a switch here but Fukuta passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Murakami there!
Murakami tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Murakami is trying to stand.
Fukuta avoids the attempt from Murakami to control.

Fukuta swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Murakami is now in Fukuta's guard. A big mistake from Fukuta there, giving up the dominant position!
Murakami throwing strikes from guard but Fukuta blocks nicely.

Murakami is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fukuta looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Murakami passes into side control.
Fukuta defending against the ground and pound.
Fukuta manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Murakami is trying to work for a kimura but Fukuta is defending well.
Fukuta striking from the bottom.
Fukuta works his way to full guard. Good work.
Fukuta working a defensive guard here.

Fukuta looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Murakami trying to control but Fukuta is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fukuta working for a triangle but Murakami defends it easily.
Murakami stands and throws Fukuta's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Fukuta wants to control but Murakami postures up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Murakami is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Fukuta has escaped the position, nice work there.
The strikes coming from Murakami are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Fukuta gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Fukuta looks like he's trying to stand up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Fukuta makes his way to full guard, as Murakami worked for a kimura.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fukuta wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Murakami is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Fukuta trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Fukuta working for a triangle but Murakami defends it easily.
Murakami throws an elbow that misses. Fukuta uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Murakami's guard. Nice move by Fukuta!
Fukuta trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Fukuta is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Murakami is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Fukuta defends well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Fukuta thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Fukuta stops Murakami from standing up.
Fukuta wants to control from the top but Murakami keeps moving.
Murakami working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Fukuta.
Fukuta loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Murakami lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Fukuta!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fukuta tries to hold on but Murakami postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
BOOM! Murakami connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Fukuta really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Sai Fukuta will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Murakami moves in looking to clinch but Fukuta pushes him off.
Murakami tries to clinch up.
Murakami just misses with a punch to the body.

Murakami feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Fukuta manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Murakami tries to improve his position but instead Fukuta has taken his back!

Fukuta patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Fukuta has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Murakami manages to reverse the position and now he's in Fukuta's guard. Nice work there by Murakami.
Fukuta looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Murakami tries to free his leg and advance position but Fukuta is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fukuta wants to sweep but no luck.
Murakami looking to pass the guard.
Fukuta manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Murakami manages to get himself to full guard.
Fukuta looking to pass the guard.
Fukuta trying to control but Murakami is working from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Fukuta scoring with some ground and pound.
Sai Fukuta overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Murakami trying to control the position.
Murakami keeping moving, preventing Fukuta from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Sai Fukuta.
Murakami slips a jab and a cross from Fukuta.
Murakami tries a low kick but Fukuta avoids it.

Fukuta gets the takedown into side control.

Fukuta is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Murakami knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Murakami is trying to get back to his feet.
Murakami is looking for a sweep.

Fukuta goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Murakami rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Fukuta's guard! Nice work there by Murakami!
Murakami lands a couple of digs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Murakami stands up from Fukuta's guard - Murakami perhaps looking for a knockout.

Fukuta gets a double leg takedown into Murakami's guard.

Fukuta thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Fukuta trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Fukuta wants to control from the top but Murakami keeps moving.
Fukuta slips nicely into half guard.
Murakami tries to get to full guard but Fukuta has control of the leg.

Fukuta is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murakami tries to get to full guard but Fukuta has control of the leg.
Murakami moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Fukuta stands up and waves to Murakami to follow him.

Murakami rushes Fukuta and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Fukuta breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murakami closes the distance and clinches up with Fukuta, looking for a takedown. Murakami pushes Fukuta against the cage but Fukuta circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Fukuta. No joy for Murakami on that attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sai Fukuta dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Fukuta leaves Murakami with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Murakami shoots and misses
and Fukuta counters with a low kick, right behind Murakami 's knee.
Murakami fails to land the takedown.
Sai Fukuta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hideaki Murakami.
Murakami tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Fukuta manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Murakami lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Fukuta circles away quickly and effectively.
Fukuta misses with a double jab.

Fukuta instigates a clinch.
Fukuta stops a takedown attempt from Murakami.

Fukuta gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Fukuta lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Fukuta controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Fukuta wants to pass the guard but Murakami is keeping the position.
Fukuta advances to half guard.
Murakami takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
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!
Fukuta moves into full mount! Murakami won't be happy about that!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fukuta looking to control and managing it successfully.
Fukuta with shots to the head and body - Murakami looks very uncomfortable down there.
Fukuta pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Fukuta pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Murakami tries to reverse the position but Fukuta maintains control.
Fukuta with a couple of short strikes.

Murakami has left one of his arms exposed and Fukuta doesn't need a second invitation. He's isolated it and locked on a tight armbar. Murakami screams and taps out, obviously in a lot of pain. Hopefully there isn't permanent damage to that arm.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Sai Fukuta!
A very excited looking Sai Fukuta made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.