Post by The Sandmen on Aug 26, 2014 14:14:27 GMT -5
Ferocious staredown by The Phenom while Herb Dean recites the rules.
Kazushi Sakuraba raises his fists in his corner. He seems confident.
This is the first time they meet inside the cage
Sakuraba is the fighter that will win today if we pay attention to the bets.
The referee of the bout is Herb Dean.
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Round 1
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The bell announces the first round!
Vitor Belfort tries to take the action to his favourite field as he tries to grapple
Great move by Vitor Belfort who pushes his opponent forward with a double underhooks.
The clock says 0:25 in the 1 round
Both fighters are tied in a clinch.
Vitor Belfort grapple with Kazushi Sakuraba and tries a Outer Leg Sweep
nice takedown Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba tries to show some ground skills
The Phenom uses his strength to keep The Phenom at a disadvantage
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba is cooling the fight on the ground
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
The Phenom works on the ground with his fingers over Sakuraba's face
He seems to have encountered the eye! What a classless move!
Herb Dean has seen that!
Herb Dean takes away one point from Vitor Belfort for eye poke.
Herb Dean halts the fight to give Sakuraba time to recover. Kazushi Sakuraba seems to be ready to fight again. The fight resumes with both fighters standing.
Both fighters continue the fight on their feet. You can hear how the people agree with that decision.
Vitor Belfort leans forwards and tries to grapple with Sakuraba
The Phenom shows his clinching skills. Both fighters are clinching now.
Kazushi Sakuraba pushes away The Phenom trying to keep the fight at striking range
The Phenom doesn't want to break the clinch as he still is grappling with Kazushi Sakuraba
Both fighters are tied in a clinch.
The Phenom grapple with Kazushi Sakuraba and tries a Inner leg Sweep
Kazushi Sakuraba falls hard on the mat with Vitor Belfort on top of him
Sakuraba ribs are getting hammered, they look bad!
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom use some of his wrestling skills to escape from the closed guard!
After a few tentative moves, he jumps to side mount! The crowd in Coliseo Amauta (Lima, Peru) is cheering him!
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort hovers above Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba stops him from throwing strikes.
The Phenom misses a step and Kazushi Sakuraba sees an opportunity to counter him!
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts to trap Vitor Belfort in his guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba manages to switch to half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to open up Kazushi Sakuraba's defense faking a few punches.
He is aggressively and repeatedly punching Sakuraba in the side of the head
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba launches a few punches to The Phenom's cheek from the guard.
Those punches sure are annoying because The Phenom tries to cover his face,
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort tries to pass Kazushi Sakuraba's guard...
Vitor Belfort passes momentarily but Kazushi Sakuraba regains half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort tries to free his leg...
Vitor Belfort uses some of his skill by jumping out of Sakuraba's guard. He moves quickly to full mount!
The clock says 2:25 in the 1 round
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba measures the resilience of The Phenom's ribs with a couple of big punches from guard.
The Phenom blocks the hits as he works on the ground.
Sakuraba clumsily fails here and it's time for Vitor Belfort to fight back!
Vitor Belfort hovers above Sakuraba
Good punches to Sakuraba's body.
Sakuraba ribs are getting hammered, they look bad!
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts to trap Vitor Belfort in his guard.
Vitor Belfort keeps control and remains in side mount.
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts to trap Vitor Belfort in his guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba manages to switch to full guard.
Vitor Belfort is in open guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to jump to side mount.
Kazushi Sakuraba closed his guard around Vitor Belfort.
The clock says 3:05 in the 1 round
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort looks to mount Kazushi Sakuraba...
Vitor Belfort slides his knee across and gets to mount.
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba is using some of his ground skills to escape from this...
He pushes The Phenom's knee away and tries to roll! Nice move to get half guard!
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Kazushi Sakuraba fakes some punches
then lands a big punch to The Phenom's face!
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba fires a barrage of punches at The Phenom's head!
This is bad! Sakuraba is just pounding on Vitor Belfort's head like he's a training dummy! The referee looks on anxiously!
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Vitor Belfort attempts to move to full guard
Vitor Belfort manages to switch to full guard.
The clock says 3:55 in the 1 round
Kazushi Sakuraba is in open guard over The Phenom
Vitor Belfort doesn't want to continue the fight in this position and tries to get back on his feet
He moves fast and now he is standing
Herb Dean halts the fight to stand up Vitor Belfort. The fight resumes with both fighters standing.
Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing. The people who are watching this in Coliseo Amauta (Lima, Peru) are cheering for the fighters.
The Phenom pushes Kazushi Sakuraba and moves away from him. He seems to be recovering his breath.
The Phenom goes to the body...
his punches graze Sakuraba's arm.
The Phenom steps backwards away from Kazushi Sakuraba. He seems to be cooling down the fight a bit.
The Phenom decides to launch some tentative punches
Vitor Belfort takes the best of a brief punching exchange.
Kazushi Sakuraba takes a few seconds to recover his breath...
The clock says 4:55 in the 1 round
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts a sweep single...
Kazushi Sakuraba catches Vitor Belfort's far ankle and trips him to the mat! Slick takedown by Sakuraba.
The Phenom ribs are getting hammered, they look bad!
The buzzer sounds, marking the end of the round. The ref tells the fighters to go to their corner.
I don't think either fighter got the better of their opponent that round.
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Round 2
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Crisp uppercut by Sakuraba followed by a hard jab
The Phenom deflects the blows.
The Phenom is trying to counter now!
The Phenom tries some clinching in order to control the fight...
Well done. The Phenom is clinching with Sakuraba.
Both fighters are tied in a clinch.
Vitor Belfort slightly pushes Sakuraba into the fence and tries to calm down the action.
Herb Dean sees a lack of activity in the clinch and separates the fighters.
The Phenom wants to take the fight to his advantage and tries to clinch.
The Phenom moves forward and holds Sakuraba
Both fighters are tied in a clinch.
Vitor Belfort is in good position and is looking to change levels for the takedown...
The Phenom catches an ankle and Sakuraba is tripped to the mat!
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
Sakuraba switches to high guard just before trying to sink a triangle!
The Phenom struggles and his head turns red from the choke, but he manages to slip his head of the lock!
The clock says 1:00 in the 2 round
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort tries to pass Kazushi Sakuraba's guard...
Vitor Belfort manages to get his leg free and moves to half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort pushes Sakuraba's leg and tries to move to full mount.
Nice move by The Phenom who is in full mount! Sakuraba is in trouble now!
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
You can hear the excitement from the crowd. Kazushi Sakuraba can end the fight with his ground and pound.
Kazushi Sakuraba launches a few punches to The Phenom's cheek from the guard.
Those punches sure are annoying because The Phenom tries to cover his face,
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba is using some of his ground skills to escape from this...
Vitor Belfort pushes Kazushi Sakuraba down and prevents his attempts to escape
The Phenom tries to get some advantage after his opponent miss move...
Vitor Belfort takes a deep breath as he passes his arm over Kazushi Sakuraba shoulder and pushes his arm againts the mat!
Kazushi Sakuraba breaks that americana attempt!
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort throws the leg over and rolls it over into an armbar!
Sakuraba breaks the lock showing some skills...
The clock says 1:50 in the 2 round
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort hovers above Sakuraba
Good punches to Sakuraba's body.
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba doesn't want to continue the fight in this position and tries to get back on his feet
He can't do it because of The Phenom's moves.
The clock says 2:15 in the 2 round
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
You can hear the excitement from the crowd. Kazushi Sakuraba can end the fight with his ground and pound.
Kazushi Sakuraba launches a few punches to The Phenom's cheek from the guard.
Those punches sure are annoying because The Phenom tries to cover his face,
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort throws a lot of punches
some strikes get through.
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort throws the leg over and rolls it over into an armbar!
Sakuraba breaks the lock showing some skills...
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba tries to roll to his side and trap Vitor Belfort in his guard...
Kazushi Sakuraba moves to half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Good looking punches from Vitor Belfort on the ground
deflected by Sakuraba.
Sakuraba is trying to counter now!
Kazushi Sakuraba slides his legs high and tries to apply a triangle!
Vitor Belfort cuts to the side and manages to pass to side mount!
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts to trap Vitor Belfort in his guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba manages to switch to half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom launches a few fake punches and tries to escape!
Sakuraba is covering himself! The Phenom tries to force the situation and Sakuraba clumsily gives his back!
The Phenom is in rear mount over Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba doesn't want to continue the fight in this position and tries to get back on his feet
He moves fast and now he is standing
The Phenom tries to stand up!
he is now on his feet
Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing. The people who are watching this in Coliseo Amauta (Lima, Peru) are cheering for the fighters.
The clock says 3:55 in the 2 round
Sakuraba launches a furious low kick!
The Phenom blocks.
Kazushi Sakuraba and The Phenom engage in a wild exchange of punches!
Both fighters are connecting and this could be ending soon if either lands a lucky punch.
Sakuraba grabs his opponent by the waist and tries to take the fight to the ground
Great takedown by Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba is in open guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba leans back...
The Phenom eyes him warily.
The Phenom tries to get some advantage after his opponent miss move...
Vitor Belfort isolates an arm in a kimura attempt!
Sakuraba blocks the hold and uses the opportunity to pass The Phenom's guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Vitor Belfort launches a few punches to Sakuraba's cheek from the guard.
Those punches sure are annoying because Sakuraba tries to cover his face,
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Vitor Belfort tries to turn in and scramble out. Kazushi Sakuraba timed him perfectly and locks up a guillotine!
Vitor Belfort slips his head out and manages to gain top control.
Vitor Belfort is in open guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to jump to side mount.
Kazushi Sakuraba closed his guard around Vitor Belfort.
The ref stops the action. The round is over.
I would be surprised if the judges didn't see that round for Sakuraba.
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Round 3
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Vitor Belfort goes with a looping right hand while Kazushi Sakuraba jumps back and jabs
The Phenom only hits air and the subsequent exchange is fruitless.
Sakuraba throws a hook
He fails to land it.
The Phenom is trying to counter now!
Quick hook by Vitor Belfort
Good shot! Sakuraba has reasons to be worried.
Sakuraba's Mouth is beginning to swell
Sakuraba is holding Vitor Belfort's left leg... He's trying to take him down.
Vitor Belfort shows great balance while pushing away Kazushi Sakuraba
The Phenom jumps over his opponent and tries to grapple
Vitor Belfort pushes his opponent against the fence in a plum position
The fighters are clinching.
The Phenom tries to take Kazushi Sakuraba down... Sakuraba stumbles backwards and Vitor Belfort launches a few punches...
One swing hits hard Sakuraba's jaw!
The fighters are clinching.
The Phenom tries to take Kazushi Sakuraba down... Sakuraba stumbles backwards and Vitor Belfort launches a few punches...
One swing hits hard Sakuraba's jaw!
The fighters are clinching.
Sakuraba pushes his opponent down and launches a heavy knee to his head in an unorthodox move...
The Phenom easily blocks and looks for a counter!
The Phenom tries to get some advantage after his opponent miss move...
Some counter punches against Kazushi Sakuraba
land while he's on his bicycle.
The clock says 1:35 in the 3 round
Shovel hook by Kazushi Sakuraba
goes nowhere.
Kazushi Sakuraba moves forward looking for a hole in his opponent's defense.
Kazushi Sakuraba takes a few seconds to recover his breath...
Sakuraba launches a furious low kick!
The Phenom blocks.
Sakuraba clumsily fails here and it's time for Vitor Belfort to fight back!
The Phenom dodges a strike and counters with a crushing hook
that almost lifts Sakuraba from the ground!
Kazushi Sakuraba circles around The Phenom
Kazushi Sakuraba fakes a move and launches a liver kick!
The Phenom blocks and pushes his opponent.
The Phenom goes for a low kick..
Faster than a blinking eye, he follows up with a high kick!
That punishment by Vitor Belfort has left Sakuraba staggered! Vitor Belfort should try push forward now and finish this!
Sakuraba launches a stiff jab!
That barely hits The Phenom's face but it seems like one finger has poked his eye! Does the referee see that?
Herb Dean has seen that!
Herb Dean allows The Phenom time to recover... The fight resumes with both fighters standing.
Vitor Belfort has found an opening in the defense of Sakuraba, launching a big uppercut
Kazushi Sakuraba is fast enouigh to dodge that uppercut.
Vitor Belfort gets sloppy and Kazushi Sakuraba tries to take advantage...
Sakuraba wants to take the fight to his advantage and tries to clinch.
Sakuraba moves forward and holds The Phenom
The fighters are clinching.
The Phenom struggles and launches a few punches to Sakuraba's head
Nothing from this... Vitor Belfort seems frustrated.
The clock says 2:55 in the 3 round
The fighters are clinching.
The Phenom struggles and launches a few punches to Sakuraba's head
Those punches are hitting! Sakuraba covers his head!
The fighters are clinching.
The Phenom gets double underhooks and looks for the takedown...
The Phenom blocks Kazushi Sakuraba's knee and hits a perfectly executed knee tap! Nice move.
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to improve his position on the ground as he sits on his knees and tries to break the closed guard.
Vitor Belfort fakes a few punches and then slips one leg to get the half mount.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom launches a few fake punches and tries to escape!
Sakuraba is covering himself! The Phenom tries to force the situation and Sakuraba clumsily gives his back!
The Phenom is in rear mount over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort tries to get his arm under Kazushi Sakuraba's chin but can't do it. He locks his arms over Kazushi Sakuraba's neck and tries to finish him with a neck crank!
Kazushi Sakuraba easily defends the attempt.
Vitor Belfort gets sloppy and Kazushi Sakuraba tries to take advantage...
Sakuraba has The Phenom controlling his back while on the ground. He tries to roll and find an escape...
The Phenom is unable to move under Sakuraba control.
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
Sakuraba works on the ground with his fingers over The Phenom's face
The Phenom shakes his head and continues fighting on the ground.
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba is cooling the fight on the ground
The clock says 3:55 in the 3 round
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort is taking out his mouthpiece to breathe...
The Phenom tries to improve his position on the ground as he sits on his knees and tries to break the closed guard.
Vitor Belfort fakes a few punches and then slips one leg to get the half mount.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort was tooling Kazushi Sakuraba for the whole fight. I don't know if it's because Kazushi Sakuraba lack of fighting spirit or just of skill.
Kazushi Sakuraba overhooks an arm and starts cranking! Interesting meneuver.
The Phenom pulls his arm out of danger.
The Phenom is trying to counter now!
The Phenom tries to open up Kazushi Sakuraba's defense faking a few punches.
Kazushi Sakuraba wraps his arms around The Phenom's arms and counters the punches.
Herb Dean stands the fighters up due to a lack of activity.
Both fighters continue the fight on their feet. You can hear how the people agree with that decision.
Sakuraba pushes Vitor Belfort and moves away from him. He seems to be recovering his breath.
Vitor Belfort tries to bring the fight to the ground
Sakuraba won't budge, forcing The Phenom to pull guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in closed guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba is in closed guard... The Phenom tries to roll on the ground!
Nice reversal! He is now in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba!
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort was tooling Kazushi Sakuraba for the whole fight. I don't know if it's because Kazushi Sakuraba lack of fighting spirit or just of skill.
The Phenom fakes a few punches and after a brief struggle he catches Kazushi Sakuraba's arm and tries an armbar!
Sakuraba hold his own hand and breaks The Phenom's lock. He rolls over himself and launches over Vitor Belfort.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in side mount over Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort attempts to trap Kazushi Sakuraba in his guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba keeps control and remains in side mount.
The buzzer sounds, marking the end of the round. The ref tells the fighters to go to their corner.
Vitor Belfort has to be confident that he won that round.
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Round 4
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The Phenom steps forward
Kazushi Sakuraba catches him with an uppercut to the face!
The clock says 0:25 in the 4 round
The Phenom seems hesitant as if he would give the initiative to his opponent.
Vitor Belfort fakes a punch and shows some footwork moving aside.
Sakuraba has a high cardio that helps him make great performances.
Kazushi Sakuraba tries to take the fight to the ground with a one leg takedown...
The Phenom is unable to remain on his feet and falls to the ground
Kazushi Sakuraba is in open guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba tries to move to full mount
Sakuraba succeeds
Kazushi Sakuraba is in full mount over Vitor Belfort
Kazushi Sakuraba throws the leg over and rolls it over into an armbar!
Crippling lock!
That Armbar looks tight...
That Armbar looks tight...
The Phenom breaks the lock showing some skills...
Kazushi Sakuraba is in full mount over Vitor Belfort
The Phenom tries to move on the ground and escape from the full mount!
He successfully moves to half guard!
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba shifts to north-south position and tries to finish with a lock!
The Phenom pushes Kazushi Sakuraba forward against his back and breaks the lock!
The clock says 1:30 in the 4 round
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to open up Kazushi Sakuraba's defense faking a few punches.
Kazushi Sakuraba wraps his arms around The Phenom's arms and counters the punches.
The Phenom clumsily fails here and it's time for Kazushi Sakuraba to fight back!
Kazushi Sakuraba overhooks an arm and starts cranking! Interesting meneuver.
The Phenom pulls his arm out of danger.
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to improve his position on the ground as he sits on his knees and tries to break the closed guard.
Vitor Belfort fakes a few punches and then slips one leg to get the half mount.
The clock says 1:55 in the 4 round
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Sakuraba reaches under and rolls for a kneebar!
The Phenom struggles to free himself
That Kneebar from Kazushi Sakuraba appears to be unbreakable
The Phenom struggles to free himself
Punishing hold!
The Phenom blocks the attempt and uses the opportunity to seize half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort tries to free his leg
Vitor Belfort uses some of his skill by jumping out of Sakuraba's guard. He moves quickly to side mount!
The clock says 2:20 in the 4 round
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to stand up!
Sakuraba doesn't allow him!
The clock says 2:30 in the 4 round
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba sure knows how to turn you into a pretzel. He can finish the fight anytime while on the ground.
Sakuraba tries to show some ground skills
Kazushi Sakuraba put The Phenom in half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts to move to full guard
Kazushi Sakuraba manages to switch to full guard.
The clock says 2:55 in the 4 round
Vitor Belfort is in open guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort doesn't want to continue the fight in this position and tries to get back on his feet
He can't do it because of Sakuraba's moves.
Vitor Belfort is in open guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to stand up!
he is now on his feet
Herb Dean halts the fight to stand up Vitor Belfort. The fight resumes with both fighters standing.
Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing. The people who are watching this in Coliseo Amauta (Lima, Peru) are cheering for the fighters.
Kazushi Sakuraba paws at The Phenom.
The Phenom answers with solid punches!
The clock says 3:20 in the 4 round
Sakuraba pushes Vitor Belfort and moves away from him. He seems to be recovering his breath.
The two exchange wildly
Both fighters are missing terribly.
Shovel hook by Kazushi Sakuraba
tags The Phenom.
The Phenom's Left eye is bruised after the punishement he's received!
Sakuraba is holding Vitor Belfort's right leg... He's trying to take him down.
Vitor Belfort loses balance and goes to the ground.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in side mount over Vitor Belfort
The Phenom launches a few weak punches
Sakuraba blocks them effectively.
Sakuraba tries to get some advantage after his opponent miss move...
Sakuraba tries to move to full mount!
Nice move. He is in full mount now.
The clock says 4:15 in the 4 round
Kazushi Sakuraba is in full mount over Vitor Belfort
Sakuraba goes for an armbar!
Punishing hold!
That Armbar from Kazushi Sakuraba appears to be unbreakable
Crippling lock!
Punishing hold!
The Phenom Hyper-extended his arm
The Phenom struggles to free himself
Punishing hold!
The Phenom struggles to free himself
Vitor Belfort breaks the lock and pushes away Kazushi Sakuraba, who rolls over his back and gets to standing position.
Herb Dean halts the fight to stand up Kazushi Sakuraba. The fight resumes with both fighters standing.
Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing. The people who are watching this in Coliseo Amauta (Lima, Peru) are cheering for the fighters.
Sakuraba tries to grapple
He puts The Phenom in a double underhook!
The clock says 4:35 in the 4 round
Both fighters are tied in a clinch.
Sakuraba goes for a scissor takedown. thats unusual
Vitor Belfort is down after that takedown and they are scrambling for position. Kazushi Sakuraba gets the advantage
Kazushi Sakuraba is in open guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba tries to improve position.
He frees a leg.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Kazushi Sakuraba pushes The Phenom's leg and tries to move to full mount.
Nice move by Sakuraba who is in full mount! The Phenom is in trouble now!
The buzzer sounds, marking the end of the round. The ref tells the fighters to go to their corner.
I can't give the advantage to either fighter in that round.
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Round 5
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Kazushi Sakuraba moves forward and launches a high kick!
The Phenom ducks under.
Vitor Belfort moves forward looking for a hole in his opponent's defense.
Vitor Belfort tries to show his boxing skills with a one-two combo
Kazushi Sakuraba's knows what to do here and blocks them
Sakuraba is holding Vitor Belfort's right leg... He's trying to take him down.
Vitor Belfort loses balance and goes to the ground.
The Phenom Hyper-extended his arm
Kazushi Sakuraba is in side mount over Vitor Belfort
Sakuraba tries to move to full mount!
Nice move. He is in full mount now.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in full mount over Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort tries to roll to his side and trap Kazushi Sakuraba in his guard...
Kazushi Sakuraba keeps good control and remains in full mount.
The clock says 1:05 in the 5 round
Kazushi Sakuraba is in full mount over Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort tries to roll to his side and get to half guard...
Kazushi Sakuraba rolls Vitor Belfort to his stomach and takes his back!
The clock says 1:15 in the 5 round
Sakuraba is in rear mount over The Phenom
Deep breaths from Vitor Belfort who tries a hammer punch to Sakuraba's ribs.
That hit Sakuraba who moves on the ground in order to protect himself
The clock says 1:25 in the 5 round
Sakuraba is in rear mount over The Phenom
Kazushi Sakuraba isolates an arm looking for an armbar from the back...
The Phenom locks his hands and forces his weight on top of Kazushi Sakuraba unil he can pull his arm free! Sakuraba lost his dominant position.
Kazushi Sakuraba gets sloppy and Vitor Belfort tries to take advantage...
The Phenom measures the resilience of Sakuraba's ribs with a couple of big punches from guard.
Sakuraba blocks the hits as he works on the ground.
Sakuraba is in rear mount over The Phenom
Sakuraba fires a barrage of punches at The Phenom's head!
This is bad! Sakuraba is just pounding on Vitor Belfort's head like he's a training dummy! The referee looks on anxiously!
Sakuraba is in rear mount over The Phenom
Kazushi Sakuraba tries to get his arm under Vitor Belfort's chin but can't do it. He locks his arms over Vitor Belfort's neck and tries to finish him with a neck crank!
That Neck Crank looks tight...
That Neck Crank from Kazushi Sakuraba appears to be unbreakable
That Neck Crank looks tight...
The Phenom struggles to free himself
Sakuraba is locking that Neck Crank...
Sakuraba is locking that Neck Crank...
Sakuraba secures the lock while Vitor Belfort refuses to tap... Herb Dean jumps in and breaks the lock!
Winner is Kazushi Sakuraba by Submission (Neck Crank) at 1:54 Round 5
Statistics: Vitor Belfort
Punches 13/26 (50%)
Kicks 2/2 (100%)
Clinch strikes 5/13 (38%)
Takedowns 2/3 (67%)
GnP strikes 14/36 (39%)
Submissions 6/6 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 3/3 (100%)
Time on the ground 760 s
Statistics: Kazushi Sakuraba
Punches 11/17 (65%)
Kicks 0/4 (0%)
Clinch strikes 1/3 (33%)
Takedowns 5/6 (83%)
GnP strikes 15/23 (65%)
Submissions 11/11 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 1/1 (100%)
Time on the ground 760 s
Sakuraba's toughness saved his ass in this fight. Belfort was doing heavy damage and typically would have taken over the fight with a lesser opponent, but Sakuraba is one of ManMMA's toughest and he brought it back on strong after a brief round recovery.
Kazushi Sakuraba raises his fists in his corner. He seems confident.
This is the first time they meet inside the cage
Sakuraba is the fighter that will win today if we pay attention to the bets.
The referee of the bout is Herb Dean.
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Round 1
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The bell announces the first round!
Vitor Belfort tries to take the action to his favourite field as he tries to grapple
Great move by Vitor Belfort who pushes his opponent forward with a double underhooks.
The clock says 0:25 in the 1 round
Both fighters are tied in a clinch.
Vitor Belfort grapple with Kazushi Sakuraba and tries a Outer Leg Sweep
nice takedown Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba tries to show some ground skills
The Phenom uses his strength to keep The Phenom at a disadvantage
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba is cooling the fight on the ground
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
The Phenom works on the ground with his fingers over Sakuraba's face
He seems to have encountered the eye! What a classless move!
Herb Dean has seen that!
Herb Dean takes away one point from Vitor Belfort for eye poke.
Herb Dean halts the fight to give Sakuraba time to recover. Kazushi Sakuraba seems to be ready to fight again. The fight resumes with both fighters standing.
Both fighters continue the fight on their feet. You can hear how the people agree with that decision.
Vitor Belfort leans forwards and tries to grapple with Sakuraba
The Phenom shows his clinching skills. Both fighters are clinching now.
Kazushi Sakuraba pushes away The Phenom trying to keep the fight at striking range
The Phenom doesn't want to break the clinch as he still is grappling with Kazushi Sakuraba
Both fighters are tied in a clinch.
The Phenom grapple with Kazushi Sakuraba and tries a Inner leg Sweep
Kazushi Sakuraba falls hard on the mat with Vitor Belfort on top of him
Sakuraba ribs are getting hammered, they look bad!
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom use some of his wrestling skills to escape from the closed guard!
After a few tentative moves, he jumps to side mount! The crowd in Coliseo Amauta (Lima, Peru) is cheering him!
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort hovers above Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba stops him from throwing strikes.
The Phenom misses a step and Kazushi Sakuraba sees an opportunity to counter him!
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts to trap Vitor Belfort in his guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba manages to switch to half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to open up Kazushi Sakuraba's defense faking a few punches.
He is aggressively and repeatedly punching Sakuraba in the side of the head
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba launches a few punches to The Phenom's cheek from the guard.
Those punches sure are annoying because The Phenom tries to cover his face,
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort tries to pass Kazushi Sakuraba's guard...
Vitor Belfort passes momentarily but Kazushi Sakuraba regains half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort tries to free his leg...
Vitor Belfort uses some of his skill by jumping out of Sakuraba's guard. He moves quickly to full mount!
The clock says 2:25 in the 1 round
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba measures the resilience of The Phenom's ribs with a couple of big punches from guard.
The Phenom blocks the hits as he works on the ground.
Sakuraba clumsily fails here and it's time for Vitor Belfort to fight back!
Vitor Belfort hovers above Sakuraba
Good punches to Sakuraba's body.
Sakuraba ribs are getting hammered, they look bad!
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts to trap Vitor Belfort in his guard.
Vitor Belfort keeps control and remains in side mount.
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts to trap Vitor Belfort in his guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba manages to switch to full guard.
Vitor Belfort is in open guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to jump to side mount.
Kazushi Sakuraba closed his guard around Vitor Belfort.
The clock says 3:05 in the 1 round
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort looks to mount Kazushi Sakuraba...
Vitor Belfort slides his knee across and gets to mount.
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba is using some of his ground skills to escape from this...
He pushes The Phenom's knee away and tries to roll! Nice move to get half guard!
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Kazushi Sakuraba fakes some punches
then lands a big punch to The Phenom's face!
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba fires a barrage of punches at The Phenom's head!
This is bad! Sakuraba is just pounding on Vitor Belfort's head like he's a training dummy! The referee looks on anxiously!
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Vitor Belfort attempts to move to full guard
Vitor Belfort manages to switch to full guard.
The clock says 3:55 in the 1 round
Kazushi Sakuraba is in open guard over The Phenom
Vitor Belfort doesn't want to continue the fight in this position and tries to get back on his feet
He moves fast and now he is standing
Herb Dean halts the fight to stand up Vitor Belfort. The fight resumes with both fighters standing.
Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing. The people who are watching this in Coliseo Amauta (Lima, Peru) are cheering for the fighters.
The Phenom pushes Kazushi Sakuraba and moves away from him. He seems to be recovering his breath.
The Phenom goes to the body...
his punches graze Sakuraba's arm.
The Phenom steps backwards away from Kazushi Sakuraba. He seems to be cooling down the fight a bit.
The Phenom decides to launch some tentative punches
Vitor Belfort takes the best of a brief punching exchange.
Kazushi Sakuraba takes a few seconds to recover his breath...
The clock says 4:55 in the 1 round
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts a sweep single...
Kazushi Sakuraba catches Vitor Belfort's far ankle and trips him to the mat! Slick takedown by Sakuraba.
The Phenom ribs are getting hammered, they look bad!
The buzzer sounds, marking the end of the round. The ref tells the fighters to go to their corner.
I don't think either fighter got the better of their opponent that round.
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Round 2
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Crisp uppercut by Sakuraba followed by a hard jab
The Phenom deflects the blows.
The Phenom is trying to counter now!
The Phenom tries some clinching in order to control the fight...
Well done. The Phenom is clinching with Sakuraba.
Both fighters are tied in a clinch.
Vitor Belfort slightly pushes Sakuraba into the fence and tries to calm down the action.
Herb Dean sees a lack of activity in the clinch and separates the fighters.
The Phenom wants to take the fight to his advantage and tries to clinch.
The Phenom moves forward and holds Sakuraba
Both fighters are tied in a clinch.
Vitor Belfort is in good position and is looking to change levels for the takedown...
The Phenom catches an ankle and Sakuraba is tripped to the mat!
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
Sakuraba switches to high guard just before trying to sink a triangle!
The Phenom struggles and his head turns red from the choke, but he manages to slip his head of the lock!
The clock says 1:00 in the 2 round
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort tries to pass Kazushi Sakuraba's guard...
Vitor Belfort manages to get his leg free and moves to half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort pushes Sakuraba's leg and tries to move to full mount.
Nice move by The Phenom who is in full mount! Sakuraba is in trouble now!
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
You can hear the excitement from the crowd. Kazushi Sakuraba can end the fight with his ground and pound.
Kazushi Sakuraba launches a few punches to The Phenom's cheek from the guard.
Those punches sure are annoying because The Phenom tries to cover his face,
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba is using some of his ground skills to escape from this...
Vitor Belfort pushes Kazushi Sakuraba down and prevents his attempts to escape
The Phenom tries to get some advantage after his opponent miss move...
Vitor Belfort takes a deep breath as he passes his arm over Kazushi Sakuraba shoulder and pushes his arm againts the mat!
Kazushi Sakuraba breaks that americana attempt!
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort throws the leg over and rolls it over into an armbar!
Sakuraba breaks the lock showing some skills...
The clock says 1:50 in the 2 round
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort hovers above Sakuraba
Good punches to Sakuraba's body.
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba doesn't want to continue the fight in this position and tries to get back on his feet
He can't do it because of The Phenom's moves.
The clock says 2:15 in the 2 round
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
You can hear the excitement from the crowd. Kazushi Sakuraba can end the fight with his ground and pound.
Kazushi Sakuraba launches a few punches to The Phenom's cheek from the guard.
Those punches sure are annoying because The Phenom tries to cover his face,
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort throws a lot of punches
some strikes get through.
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort throws the leg over and rolls it over into an armbar!
Sakuraba breaks the lock showing some skills...
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba tries to roll to his side and trap Vitor Belfort in his guard...
Kazushi Sakuraba moves to half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Good looking punches from Vitor Belfort on the ground
deflected by Sakuraba.
Sakuraba is trying to counter now!
Kazushi Sakuraba slides his legs high and tries to apply a triangle!
Vitor Belfort cuts to the side and manages to pass to side mount!
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts to trap Vitor Belfort in his guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba manages to switch to half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom launches a few fake punches and tries to escape!
Sakuraba is covering himself! The Phenom tries to force the situation and Sakuraba clumsily gives his back!
The Phenom is in rear mount over Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba doesn't want to continue the fight in this position and tries to get back on his feet
He moves fast and now he is standing
The Phenom tries to stand up!
he is now on his feet
Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing. The people who are watching this in Coliseo Amauta (Lima, Peru) are cheering for the fighters.
The clock says 3:55 in the 2 round
Sakuraba launches a furious low kick!
The Phenom blocks.
Kazushi Sakuraba and The Phenom engage in a wild exchange of punches!
Both fighters are connecting and this could be ending soon if either lands a lucky punch.
Sakuraba grabs his opponent by the waist and tries to take the fight to the ground
Great takedown by Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba is in open guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba leans back...
The Phenom eyes him warily.
The Phenom tries to get some advantage after his opponent miss move...
Vitor Belfort isolates an arm in a kimura attempt!
Sakuraba blocks the hold and uses the opportunity to pass The Phenom's guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Vitor Belfort launches a few punches to Sakuraba's cheek from the guard.
Those punches sure are annoying because Sakuraba tries to cover his face,
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Vitor Belfort tries to turn in and scramble out. Kazushi Sakuraba timed him perfectly and locks up a guillotine!
Vitor Belfort slips his head out and manages to gain top control.
Vitor Belfort is in open guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to jump to side mount.
Kazushi Sakuraba closed his guard around Vitor Belfort.
The ref stops the action. The round is over.
I would be surprised if the judges didn't see that round for Sakuraba.
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Round 3
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Vitor Belfort goes with a looping right hand while Kazushi Sakuraba jumps back and jabs
The Phenom only hits air and the subsequent exchange is fruitless.
Sakuraba throws a hook
He fails to land it.
The Phenom is trying to counter now!
Quick hook by Vitor Belfort
Good shot! Sakuraba has reasons to be worried.
Sakuraba's Mouth is beginning to swell
Sakuraba is holding Vitor Belfort's left leg... He's trying to take him down.
Vitor Belfort shows great balance while pushing away Kazushi Sakuraba
The Phenom jumps over his opponent and tries to grapple
Vitor Belfort pushes his opponent against the fence in a plum position
The fighters are clinching.
The Phenom tries to take Kazushi Sakuraba down... Sakuraba stumbles backwards and Vitor Belfort launches a few punches...
One swing hits hard Sakuraba's jaw!
The fighters are clinching.
The Phenom tries to take Kazushi Sakuraba down... Sakuraba stumbles backwards and Vitor Belfort launches a few punches...
One swing hits hard Sakuraba's jaw!
The fighters are clinching.
Sakuraba pushes his opponent down and launches a heavy knee to his head in an unorthodox move...
The Phenom easily blocks and looks for a counter!
The Phenom tries to get some advantage after his opponent miss move...
Some counter punches against Kazushi Sakuraba
land while he's on his bicycle.
The clock says 1:35 in the 3 round
Shovel hook by Kazushi Sakuraba
goes nowhere.
Kazushi Sakuraba moves forward looking for a hole in his opponent's defense.
Kazushi Sakuraba takes a few seconds to recover his breath...
Sakuraba launches a furious low kick!
The Phenom blocks.
Sakuraba clumsily fails here and it's time for Vitor Belfort to fight back!
The Phenom dodges a strike and counters with a crushing hook
that almost lifts Sakuraba from the ground!
Kazushi Sakuraba circles around The Phenom
Kazushi Sakuraba fakes a move and launches a liver kick!
The Phenom blocks and pushes his opponent.
The Phenom goes for a low kick..
Faster than a blinking eye, he follows up with a high kick!
That punishment by Vitor Belfort has left Sakuraba staggered! Vitor Belfort should try push forward now and finish this!
Sakuraba launches a stiff jab!
That barely hits The Phenom's face but it seems like one finger has poked his eye! Does the referee see that?
Herb Dean has seen that!
Herb Dean allows The Phenom time to recover... The fight resumes with both fighters standing.
Vitor Belfort has found an opening in the defense of Sakuraba, launching a big uppercut
Kazushi Sakuraba is fast enouigh to dodge that uppercut.
Vitor Belfort gets sloppy and Kazushi Sakuraba tries to take advantage...
Sakuraba wants to take the fight to his advantage and tries to clinch.
Sakuraba moves forward and holds The Phenom
The fighters are clinching.
The Phenom struggles and launches a few punches to Sakuraba's head
Nothing from this... Vitor Belfort seems frustrated.
The clock says 2:55 in the 3 round
The fighters are clinching.
The Phenom struggles and launches a few punches to Sakuraba's head
Those punches are hitting! Sakuraba covers his head!
The fighters are clinching.
The Phenom gets double underhooks and looks for the takedown...
The Phenom blocks Kazushi Sakuraba's knee and hits a perfectly executed knee tap! Nice move.
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to improve his position on the ground as he sits on his knees and tries to break the closed guard.
Vitor Belfort fakes a few punches and then slips one leg to get the half mount.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom launches a few fake punches and tries to escape!
Sakuraba is covering himself! The Phenom tries to force the situation and Sakuraba clumsily gives his back!
The Phenom is in rear mount over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort tries to get his arm under Kazushi Sakuraba's chin but can't do it. He locks his arms over Kazushi Sakuraba's neck and tries to finish him with a neck crank!
Kazushi Sakuraba easily defends the attempt.
Vitor Belfort gets sloppy and Kazushi Sakuraba tries to take advantage...
Sakuraba has The Phenom controlling his back while on the ground. He tries to roll and find an escape...
The Phenom is unable to move under Sakuraba control.
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
Sakuraba works on the ground with his fingers over The Phenom's face
The Phenom shakes his head and continues fighting on the ground.
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba is cooling the fight on the ground
The clock says 3:55 in the 3 round
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort is taking out his mouthpiece to breathe...
The Phenom tries to improve his position on the ground as he sits on his knees and tries to break the closed guard.
Vitor Belfort fakes a few punches and then slips one leg to get the half mount.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort was tooling Kazushi Sakuraba for the whole fight. I don't know if it's because Kazushi Sakuraba lack of fighting spirit or just of skill.
Kazushi Sakuraba overhooks an arm and starts cranking! Interesting meneuver.
The Phenom pulls his arm out of danger.
The Phenom is trying to counter now!
The Phenom tries to open up Kazushi Sakuraba's defense faking a few punches.
Kazushi Sakuraba wraps his arms around The Phenom's arms and counters the punches.
Herb Dean stands the fighters up due to a lack of activity.
Both fighters continue the fight on their feet. You can hear how the people agree with that decision.
Sakuraba pushes Vitor Belfort and moves away from him. He seems to be recovering his breath.
Vitor Belfort tries to bring the fight to the ground
Sakuraba won't budge, forcing The Phenom to pull guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in closed guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba is in closed guard... The Phenom tries to roll on the ground!
Nice reversal! He is now in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba!
Vitor Belfort is in full mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort was tooling Kazushi Sakuraba for the whole fight. I don't know if it's because Kazushi Sakuraba lack of fighting spirit or just of skill.
The Phenom fakes a few punches and after a brief struggle he catches Kazushi Sakuraba's arm and tries an armbar!
Sakuraba hold his own hand and breaks The Phenom's lock. He rolls over himself and launches over Vitor Belfort.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in side mount over Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort attempts to trap Kazushi Sakuraba in his guard.
Kazushi Sakuraba keeps control and remains in side mount.
The buzzer sounds, marking the end of the round. The ref tells the fighters to go to their corner.
Vitor Belfort has to be confident that he won that round.
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Round 4
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The Phenom steps forward
Kazushi Sakuraba catches him with an uppercut to the face!
The clock says 0:25 in the 4 round
The Phenom seems hesitant as if he would give the initiative to his opponent.
Vitor Belfort fakes a punch and shows some footwork moving aside.
Sakuraba has a high cardio that helps him make great performances.
Kazushi Sakuraba tries to take the fight to the ground with a one leg takedown...
The Phenom is unable to remain on his feet and falls to the ground
Kazushi Sakuraba is in open guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba tries to move to full mount
Sakuraba succeeds
Kazushi Sakuraba is in full mount over Vitor Belfort
Kazushi Sakuraba throws the leg over and rolls it over into an armbar!
Crippling lock!
That Armbar looks tight...
That Armbar looks tight...
The Phenom breaks the lock showing some skills...
Kazushi Sakuraba is in full mount over Vitor Belfort
The Phenom tries to move on the ground and escape from the full mount!
He successfully moves to half guard!
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba shifts to north-south position and tries to finish with a lock!
The Phenom pushes Kazushi Sakuraba forward against his back and breaks the lock!
The clock says 1:30 in the 4 round
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to open up Kazushi Sakuraba's defense faking a few punches.
Kazushi Sakuraba wraps his arms around The Phenom's arms and counters the punches.
The Phenom clumsily fails here and it's time for Kazushi Sakuraba to fight back!
Kazushi Sakuraba overhooks an arm and starts cranking! Interesting meneuver.
The Phenom pulls his arm out of danger.
Vitor Belfort is in closed guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to improve his position on the ground as he sits on his knees and tries to break the closed guard.
Vitor Belfort fakes a few punches and then slips one leg to get the half mount.
The clock says 1:55 in the 4 round
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Sakuraba reaches under and rolls for a kneebar!
The Phenom struggles to free himself
That Kneebar from Kazushi Sakuraba appears to be unbreakable
The Phenom struggles to free himself
Punishing hold!
The Phenom blocks the attempt and uses the opportunity to seize half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort tries to free his leg
Vitor Belfort uses some of his skill by jumping out of Sakuraba's guard. He moves quickly to side mount!
The clock says 2:20 in the 4 round
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to stand up!
Sakuraba doesn't allow him!
The clock says 2:30 in the 4 round
Vitor Belfort is in side mount over Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba sure knows how to turn you into a pretzel. He can finish the fight anytime while on the ground.
Sakuraba tries to show some ground skills
Kazushi Sakuraba put The Phenom in half guard.
Vitor Belfort is in half guard over Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba attempts to move to full guard
Kazushi Sakuraba manages to switch to full guard.
The clock says 2:55 in the 4 round
Vitor Belfort is in open guard over Sakuraba
Vitor Belfort doesn't want to continue the fight in this position and tries to get back on his feet
He can't do it because of Sakuraba's moves.
Vitor Belfort is in open guard over Sakuraba
The Phenom tries to stand up!
he is now on his feet
Herb Dean halts the fight to stand up Vitor Belfort. The fight resumes with both fighters standing.
Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing. The people who are watching this in Coliseo Amauta (Lima, Peru) are cheering for the fighters.
Kazushi Sakuraba paws at The Phenom.
The Phenom answers with solid punches!
The clock says 3:20 in the 4 round
Sakuraba pushes Vitor Belfort and moves away from him. He seems to be recovering his breath.
The two exchange wildly
Both fighters are missing terribly.
Shovel hook by Kazushi Sakuraba
tags The Phenom.
The Phenom's Left eye is bruised after the punishement he's received!
Sakuraba is holding Vitor Belfort's right leg... He's trying to take him down.
Vitor Belfort loses balance and goes to the ground.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in side mount over Vitor Belfort
The Phenom launches a few weak punches
Sakuraba blocks them effectively.
Sakuraba tries to get some advantage after his opponent miss move...
Sakuraba tries to move to full mount!
Nice move. He is in full mount now.
The clock says 4:15 in the 4 round
Kazushi Sakuraba is in full mount over Vitor Belfort
Sakuraba goes for an armbar!
Punishing hold!
That Armbar from Kazushi Sakuraba appears to be unbreakable
Crippling lock!
Punishing hold!
The Phenom Hyper-extended his arm
The Phenom struggles to free himself
Punishing hold!
The Phenom struggles to free himself
Vitor Belfort breaks the lock and pushes away Kazushi Sakuraba, who rolls over his back and gets to standing position.
Herb Dean halts the fight to stand up Kazushi Sakuraba. The fight resumes with both fighters standing.
Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing. The people who are watching this in Coliseo Amauta (Lima, Peru) are cheering for the fighters.
Sakuraba tries to grapple
He puts The Phenom in a double underhook!
The clock says 4:35 in the 4 round
Both fighters are tied in a clinch.
Sakuraba goes for a scissor takedown. thats unusual
Vitor Belfort is down after that takedown and they are scrambling for position. Kazushi Sakuraba gets the advantage
Kazushi Sakuraba is in open guard over The Phenom
Sakuraba tries to improve position.
He frees a leg.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in half guard over The Phenom
Kazushi Sakuraba pushes The Phenom's leg and tries to move to full mount.
Nice move by Sakuraba who is in full mount! The Phenom is in trouble now!
The buzzer sounds, marking the end of the round. The ref tells the fighters to go to their corner.
I can't give the advantage to either fighter in that round.
=========================================
Round 5
=========================================
Kazushi Sakuraba moves forward and launches a high kick!
The Phenom ducks under.
Vitor Belfort moves forward looking for a hole in his opponent's defense.
Vitor Belfort tries to show his boxing skills with a one-two combo
Kazushi Sakuraba's knows what to do here and blocks them
Sakuraba is holding Vitor Belfort's right leg... He's trying to take him down.
Vitor Belfort loses balance and goes to the ground.
The Phenom Hyper-extended his arm
Kazushi Sakuraba is in side mount over Vitor Belfort
Sakuraba tries to move to full mount!
Nice move. He is in full mount now.
Kazushi Sakuraba is in full mount over Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort tries to roll to his side and trap Kazushi Sakuraba in his guard...
Kazushi Sakuraba keeps good control and remains in full mount.
The clock says 1:05 in the 5 round
Kazushi Sakuraba is in full mount over Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort tries to roll to his side and get to half guard...
Kazushi Sakuraba rolls Vitor Belfort to his stomach and takes his back!
The clock says 1:15 in the 5 round
Sakuraba is in rear mount over The Phenom
Deep breaths from Vitor Belfort who tries a hammer punch to Sakuraba's ribs.
That hit Sakuraba who moves on the ground in order to protect himself
The clock says 1:25 in the 5 round
Sakuraba is in rear mount over The Phenom
Kazushi Sakuraba isolates an arm looking for an armbar from the back...
The Phenom locks his hands and forces his weight on top of Kazushi Sakuraba unil he can pull his arm free! Sakuraba lost his dominant position.
Kazushi Sakuraba gets sloppy and Vitor Belfort tries to take advantage...
The Phenom measures the resilience of Sakuraba's ribs with a couple of big punches from guard.
Sakuraba blocks the hits as he works on the ground.
Sakuraba is in rear mount over The Phenom
Sakuraba fires a barrage of punches at The Phenom's head!
This is bad! Sakuraba is just pounding on Vitor Belfort's head like he's a training dummy! The referee looks on anxiously!
Sakuraba is in rear mount over The Phenom
Kazushi Sakuraba tries to get his arm under Vitor Belfort's chin but can't do it. He locks his arms over Vitor Belfort's neck and tries to finish him with a neck crank!
That Neck Crank looks tight...
That Neck Crank from Kazushi Sakuraba appears to be unbreakable
That Neck Crank looks tight...
The Phenom struggles to free himself
Sakuraba is locking that Neck Crank...
Sakuraba is locking that Neck Crank...
Sakuraba secures the lock while Vitor Belfort refuses to tap... Herb Dean jumps in and breaks the lock!
Winner is Kazushi Sakuraba by Submission (Neck Crank) at 1:54 Round 5
Statistics: Vitor Belfort
Punches 13/26 (50%)
Kicks 2/2 (100%)
Clinch strikes 5/13 (38%)
Takedowns 2/3 (67%)
GnP strikes 14/36 (39%)
Submissions 6/6 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 3/3 (100%)
Time on the ground 760 s
Statistics: Kazushi Sakuraba
Punches 11/17 (65%)
Kicks 0/4 (0%)
Clinch strikes 1/3 (33%)
Takedowns 5/6 (83%)
GnP strikes 15/23 (65%)
Submissions 11/11 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 1/1 (100%)
Time on the ground 760 s
Sakuraba's toughness saved his ass in this fight. Belfort was doing heavy damage and typically would have taken over the fight with a lesser opponent, but Sakuraba is one of ManMMA's toughest and he brought it back on strong after a brief round recovery.