PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Peter Barnkvist (ranked 2668 p4p, 286 weight class) and Hayato Sakuraba (ranked 1649 p4p, 192 weight class). Sakuraba comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Deetox - Headknocker kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Barnkvist
vs
Sakuraba

183 cm
27
184 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

185 cm
25
177 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

Freebok (85% Laundry)

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 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Peter Barnkvist!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hayato Sakuraba!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Albert Achterberg and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakuraba throws a body punch but Barnkvist moves out of range.
Sakuraba fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barnkvist manages to avoid it.
Peter Barnkvist seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barnkvist tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sakuraba swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The crowd cheers as Barnkvist lands an impressive looking overhand right. Sakuraba doesn't seem phased though.
Barnkvist ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sakuraba moves away.
Sakuraba misses with a looping left.
Barnkvist throws a shot from downtown. Sakuraba moves away and avoids it.
Sakuraba throws out a counter right but Barnkvist avoids it with no problem.
Sakuraba throws a poor cross that misses
and Barnkvist cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Barnkvist shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Barnkvist working over Sakuraba with some ground and pound. Sakuraba looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Barnkvist lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
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!
Barnkvist working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba controlling the position well.
Sakuraba is trying to stand back up but Barnkvist is controlling him
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barnkvist scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Sakuraba manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Barnkvist tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sakuraba let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Barnkvist throws a shot from downtown. Sakuraba moves away and avoids it.
Sakuraba misses with a double jab
and Barnkvist counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sakuraba swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Barnkvist counters with a takedown into side control.
Barnkvist working the ground and pound.
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 takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Barnkvist grinds an elbow into Sakuraba's temple.
Sakuraba struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
What's Sakuraba going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
We've been hearing that Barnkvist has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Barnkvist scores with punches from side control.
Barnkvist working the head and body with strikes.
Barnkvist throws a strike aimed at the side of Sakuraba's head but Sakuraba avoids it well.
Barnkvist landing strikes.
Barnkvist is looking to take a break and control but Sakuraba is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barnkvist works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Sakuraba tries to escape but Barnkvist is in control.
Barnkvist lands a few punches from side control.
Barnkvist throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Barnkvist works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Sakuraba looks to move to half guard but instead Barnkvist has passed into mount! Damn!
Sakuraba is working to get back to half guard.
Barnkvist is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Sakuraba can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Sakuraba really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
BOOM! Barnkvist connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Barnkvist looking to finish Sakuraba with some ground and pound. This is bad for Sakuraba!
Sakuraba is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sakuraba is bucking up trying to escape but Barnkvist cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Barnkvist lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Sakuraba is rocked!
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!
Barnkvist lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Sakuraba is still in real trouble! Can Barnkvist finish him?
Barnkvist lands a big elbow - Sakuraba is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Sakuraba is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Peter Barnkvist!
A victorious Peter Barnkvist thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
The defeated Hayato Sakuraba had this to say: 'All i want is you!!'.