PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fail Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hideo Kane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Sonnen
vs
Kane

180 cm
22
191 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Intelligent

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Fail Sonnen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hideo Kane!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Cecil Peabody and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sonnen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kane sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sonnen somewhat.

Kane fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sonnen sprawls well initially but Kane persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kane controlling the pace.
Sonnen trying to hold on to Kane's head to control him but Kane postures up.
Kane is pressing down on Sonnen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Sonnen is holding on for now.
Sonnen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kane is working away from the top position though.
Kane keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen tries to kick Kane off but Kane keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Kane shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Kane showed some decent athleticism there.

Kane is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Kane stalling.
I looks like Kane might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kane tries to pass the half guard into mount. Sonnen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kane takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Sonnen tries to roll over but Kane keeps him under control.
Sonnen trying to get back to full guard but Kane takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Kane controlling his opponent.
Sonnen trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kane takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Kane jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Sonnen manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Sonnen regains half guard.
Kane is controlling the pace.
Sonnen wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sonnen is looking for a sweep. Kane is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kane seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sonnen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kane perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Despite being in the dominant position, Hideo Kane just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sonnen shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Kane scores with a takedown into Sonnen's guard.
Sonnen is breathing heavily.
Kane looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kane trying to control but Sonnen is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hideo Kane dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kane shoots and misses

and Sonnen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Kane is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sonnen is looking to take a break and control but Kane is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sonnen thows a huge punch but Kane dodges it nicely.
Kane desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Kane avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sonnen.
Kane keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Kane is breathing heavily.
The fighters are battling for position here. Kane manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kane working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sonnen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sonnen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sonnen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Kane holds on and takes a little breather.
Kane is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kane looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kane is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sonnen looking to pass the guard.
Sonnen trying to control the position from guard on top but Kane is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sonnen fails in his attempt to clinch.

Kane shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Kane showed some decent athleticism there.

Sonnen kicks Kane off and gets back to his feet.
Sonnen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Kane shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sonnen manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Sonnen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kane stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sonnen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sonnen looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Kane is stalling in the full guard.

Sonnen pushes Kane off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Kane looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Sonnen!
Sonnen bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Kane keeping moving, preventing Sonnen from controlling successfully.
Kane is pulling down on Sonnen's head to control his posture.
Kane looking for a sweep. Not yet Kane, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hideo Kane will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sonnen wants to clinch.
Sonnen looks to land a body kick but Kane moved away.

Kane looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Sonnen wants to improve his position but Kane is controlling well.

Kane is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Hideo Kane has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sonnen keeping control of the position.
Sonnen is looking to improve his position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kane is keen to just control but Sonnen is a slippery customer.

Kane is looking for a kimura here.

Sonnen pushes Kane off and gets back to his feet.
Hideo Kane seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Sonnen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Sonnen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Kane tries to lock up and control but Sonnen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen misses with a head shot.
Sonnen wants to control the pace but Kane is squirming around nicely.
Sonnen looking to ground and pound but Kane is blocking nicely.
Kane tries to hold on but Sonnen postures up.
Kane gets back to half guard.
Kane is trying to control but can't.
Sonnen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Kane wants to improve his position but Sonnen is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen tries to stand but can't do so whilst Kane controls his leg.
Kane is controlling Sonnen's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Kane is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hideo Kane is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sonnen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kane does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kane keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kane tries for a takedown but Sonnen circles away easily

and Sonnen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kane won't be happy with that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Sonnen tries to stand but Kane is controlling his head.
Kane manages to work his way to half guard, despite Sonnen's best efforts.
Sonnen is looking to take a break and control but Kane is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sonnen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sonnen wants to take a breather but Kane is having none of it.
Sonnen is looking to advance position but Kane won't allow it.
Fail Sonnen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kane is controlling Sonnen's position as best he can from this difficult position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fail Sonnen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Kane has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!