PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Van Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ceaser Sarney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Henderson
vs
Sarney

180 cm
21
190 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

180 cm
23
190 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Van Henderson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ceaser Sarney!
The judges for this bout are , and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sarney tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Henderson was well out of range. Poor timing from Sarney.
Henderson shoots for a takedown but Sarney saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Henderson has closed the distance and engaged Sarney in a clinch.
Henderson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Henderson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sarney smiles and moves away.
Henderson misses with a head kick.
No luck for Henderson with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Van Henderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sarney throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sarney jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sarney tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Henderson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Sarney!
Henderson lands with some strikes.
Henderson content just to control the position here.
Sarney tries to buck Henderson off but he can't manage it.
Sarney is in all sorts of trouble here.
Henderson breaks from Sarney's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Sarney throwing hammer fists to the chest of Henderson. What's that going to do exactly?
Sarney keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sarney is bucking up trying to escape but Henderson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Henderson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sarney is looking to escape.
Sarney is trying to escape the mount.
Sarney bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Sarney postures up.
Sarney being controlled here momentarily.
Sarney would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Sarney must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sarney stopping the sweep attempt from Henderson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Henderson has his feet on Sarney's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Sarney lands a really nice looking cross but Henderson seems unphased.
Henderson takes a swing at Sarney's ribcage but misses.
Sarney fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Sarney misses with a series of wild punches.
Henderson misses with an attempted mid kick.
A cross from Sarney lands.
Sarney lands a jab.

Sarney gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Henderson to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Henderson preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sarney bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Henderson's guard.
Henderson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sarney pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Henderson is keeping the position for now.
Henderson is adopting a defensive guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sarney decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Henderson slips a jab from Sarney.
Henderson slips a jab from Sarney.
Ceaser Sarney is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice body kick from Henderson.
Sarney looks gassed!
Sarney throws a jab but it's blocked by Henderson.
Jab by Henderson.
Henderson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sarney.
Sarney tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.
Sarney loads up on a big right hand but Henderson slips the punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sarney connects with a nasty looking knee right to Henderson's face.

Henderson jumps into guard, dragging Sarney to the mat.

Sarney drops back, looking for a kneebar! Henderson looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Henderson looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Henderson!
Henderson cracks Sarney with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Henderson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
A jab from Sarney misses.
Henderson slips a jab from Sarney.
Henderson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sarney.
Sarney tries to clinch up

and Henderson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henderson is looking to take a break and control but Sarney is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Henderson works his way into full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Van Henderson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Henderson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sarney avoids it really well and circles away.
Henderson doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Sarney scores with a sloppy right hand. Henderson should have avoided that one.
Sarney slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Sarney misses the target.
Sarney jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sarney with a hook.
Sarney closes the distance but Henderson moves to the side

and Henderson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sarney looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Henderson puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Van Henderson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Henderson prevents Sarney from improving his position.
Henderson trying to control the action but Sarney is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sarney looking for submissions off his back.
Sarney is staying active underneath Henderson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sarney wants to get back to full guard but Henderson has mounted him!
Henderson lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Sarney is in all sorts of trouble here.
Henderson content just to control the position here.
Sarney really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

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.
Sarney takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Sarney working to try and regain half guard.
Sarney swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
BOOM! Henderson connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Henderson 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.
Sarney working to try and regain half guard.
Sarney is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sarney trying desperately to get to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henderson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sarney is desperately trying to improve his position but Henderson has a good base and remains in mount.
Henderson lands a big shot there that rocks Sarney but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sarney wants to try and get back to his feet.
Sarney is trying to escape the mount.
Henderson landing shots from mount.
A nice elbow there by Henderson.

Henderson looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Henderson has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Sarney's face.
Henderson connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Henderson with a couple of short strikes.
Sarney tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Henderson working the ground and pound effectively.
Sarney is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henderson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Henderson has control of Sarney's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Sarney regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Sarney is trying desperately to improve position.
Sarney wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Sarney is wriggling around trying to escape.
Henderson with good strikes from the mount here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Van Henderson dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Henderson closes the distance and pushes Sarney back into the cage.

Sarney is fighting off a takedown attempt but Henderson is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Sarney to the mat. Sarney regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Henderson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Sarney wants to sweep here but Henderson controlling him for the moment.
Henderson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Sarney is looking for a triangle but Henderson pushes his legs off easily.
Henderson stopping the sweep attempt from Sarney.
Henderson trying to control but Sarney is working from the bottom.
Sarney keeping full guard, as Henderson tries to pass.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sarney throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Henderson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson shoots in looking for a takedown. Sarney tries to sprawl out of it but Henderson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sarney manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Henderson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sarney defends it nicely.
Sarney tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Henderson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Sarney lands a body shot in the clinch.
Henderson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sarney is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Van Henderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sarney looking to slow down the pace here.
Sarney prevents the takedown attempt.
Henderson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sarney misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sarney is trying to maintain a safe position but Henderson gets an underhook and turns Sarney into the cage.
Sarney stalling in the clinch.
Sarney lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sarney tries a knee to the head but Henderson blocks it.
Sarney tries a knee to the head but Henderson blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sarney tries to land a knee to the head but Henderson blocks with his arms.
Sarney is pressed up against the cage. Henderson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Sarney down to the mat. Sarney avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Sarney fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sarney looks to clinch

so Henderson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Sarney is trying to stand and escape. In the scramble, Henderson has locked hold of an arm and he's managed to lock on an armbar - Sarney taps out instantly and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Van Henderson!
Van Henderson is the new middleweight champion!