PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dong Kong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takanari Sakuraba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kong comes to the cage accompanied by Surrender To Me. Dong Kong has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Kong
vs
Sakuraba

178 cm
25
183 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

177 cm
23
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dong Kong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takanari Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shirou Masuda and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba throws a right and a left that Kong avoids nicely.
Kong misses with a body shot.
Sakuraba misses with a two punch combination.
Sakuraba fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Danga de danga de dang - Sakuraba scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Dong Kong has been cut.
Kong avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sakuraba looks for a takedown but Kong sprawls well.
Sakuraba throws a series of punches but Kong avoids them all with ease.
Sakuraba scores with a shot to the body.
Sakuraba throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sakuraba throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kong.
Sakuraba avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sakuraba throws a right and a left that Kong avoids nicely.
A combination from Sakuraba does no damage.
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!
Sakuraba fails to land with a series of punches.
Sakuraba throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sakuraba looks winded!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kong displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sakuraba throws out the jab.
Kong slips a jab and a cross from Sakuraba.
Sakuraba misses with a double jab.
Kong looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sakuraba misses with a series of wild punches.

Kong closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Sakuraba's guard.
Kong stands up over Sakuraba, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Kong scoring with punches to the head and body.
Kong is looking to work some ground and pound but Sakuraba has wrist control.
Kong trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kong stands up over Sakuraba, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Kong wants to control from the top but Sakuraba keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kong wants to pass the guard but Sakuraba is keeping the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kong is working Sakuraba over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Kong controls from within his opponent's guard.
Kong works over Sakuraba with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kong trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Kong 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.
Kong wants to control from the top but Sakuraba keeps moving.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Kong's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Kong missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kong showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kong loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kong sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kong chips away with some ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kong stands and throws Sakuraba's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Kong landing strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dong Kong dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dong Kong's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sakuraba fails to land with a series of punches.
Sakuraba looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sakuraba misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kong throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sakuraba dips to his left and cracks Kong with an uppercut!
Sakuraba throws a series of punches but Kong moves out of range.
Sakuraba throws a series of punches but Kong moves out of range.
Sakuraba throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kong misses with a few strikes there.
Kong misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sakuraba falls off balance throwing a combination

and Kong counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sakuraba won't be happy with that.
Sakuraba takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kong lands a decent elbow from side control.
Sakuraba is breathing heavily.
Kong prevents Sakuraba from escaping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Kong tries for a kimura but Sakuraba is defending well.
A lull in the action here as Kong stalls from top position.

Kong wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sakuraba, who protects the arm well.
Sakuraba takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kong controls the position.
Kong working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Kong trying to control the action but Sakuraba is working from the bottom.
Kong looks up at the clock and then as Sakuraba takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Kong smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Sakuraba takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kong landing a few strikes.
Sakuraba parries the strikes from Kong easily there. Kong is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sakuraba to escape.
Kong working the ground and pound.
Kong has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Kong is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sakuraba has escaped the position, nice work there.
Kong sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Sakuraba is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Dong Kong overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kong postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Kong lands a nice forearm strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kong lands a few punches from side control.
Sakuraba parries the strikes from Kong easily there. Kong is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sakuraba to escape.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sakuraba taking punishment in the form of punches.
The ground and pound from Kong seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Sakuraba is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Kong throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Kong controlling the position.
Kong misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dong Kong dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dong Kong's cut.
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 hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kong drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
An elbow from Kong crashes against the mat.
Kong sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Sakuraba is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Kong lands an elbow.
Kong throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Kong is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sakuraba can do to turn this around?

Kong looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Kong controls the position.
Sakuraba takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kong in side control, throwing shots but Sakuraba defends.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kong lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Kong creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Kong lands a decent elbow from side control.
Kong landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

Kong goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Sakuraba rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Kong's guard! Nice work there by Sakuraba!
Kong is adopting a defensive guard.
Kong has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Kong is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba stopping the sweep attempt from Kong.
Kong on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kong tries to get out of the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kong has Sakuraba pulled in close to control his posture.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Kong feints and as Sakuraba raises his hands in defense, Kong changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sakuraba keeping moving, preventing Kong from controlling successfully.
Kong throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kong scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kong lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Kong throwing strikes but missing.

Kong drops back looking for a leg! Sakuraba is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Sakuraba manages to kick Kong off! Kong jumps back into Sakuraba's guard.
Sakuraba keeping moving, preventing Kong from controlling successfully.
Kong lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Dong Kong is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kong is stalling in the full guard.
Kong throwing strikes from guard but Sakuraba blocks nicely.
Kong lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kong engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Takanari Sakuraba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Sakuraba has his foot on Kong's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kong works his way back into a safe position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dong Kong showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kong, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:26
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:26
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dong Kong!
A very excited looking Dong Kong 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.