PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Saxton Hale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bill Annunaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Annunaki has chosen Tool - Aenima as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hale
vs
Annunaki

183 cm
23
192 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

185 cm
27
185 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

O'Brannigan's Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Saxton Hale!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bill Annunaki!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Luis Engracia and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hale tries to score a power double leg takedown but Annunaki sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hale somewhat.
Annunaki tries to score with a low kick but Hale moves his leg out of the way.
Annunaki lands a high kick!
Bill Annunaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hale checks the leg kick.
Annunaki tries to clinch but Hale moves out of range.
Annunaki tries to clinch up but Hale circles away and keeps his distance.
Annunaki throws a right and a left that Hale avoids nicely.
A slow jab from Annunaki misses its intended target.
Annunaki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hale swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Annunaki fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Hale.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hale checks a leg kick.
Bill Annunaki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Annunaki wants to clinch.
An inside leg kick lands from Annunaki.
Hale swats away the attempt to clinch by Annunaki.
Annunaki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Annunaki keeps the fight on the outside.
Annunaki fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hale manages to avoid it.

That's two 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.
Annunaki lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hale circles away quickly and effectively.
Annunaki tries a head kick but it misses.

Hale gets the takedown into side control.
Annunaki wants to get back to his feet.
Hale throws a strike aimed at the side of Annunaki's head but Annunaki avoids it well.
Hale prevents Annunaki from escaping the position.
Hale 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.
Hale scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Annunaki to see if he's OK.
Annunaki stops Hale from passing to mount.
Hale is working Annunaki over with some ground and pound from side control.
Annunaki looking for a sweep but Hale has passed into full mount! Oh no!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Annunaki keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The referee warns Annunaki that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Hale lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Hale pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Annunaki tries to hold on but Hale pushes him away.
Annunaki tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Annunaki wants to hold on but Hale pushes him away.
Annunaki taking shots to the head.
Hale with shots to the head and body - Annunaki looks very uncomfortable down there.
Annunaki really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hale with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Annunaki really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hale pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Annunaki bucks Hale off and manages to get back to his feet!
Annunaki wants to clinch

and Hale counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hale.
Hale tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Annunaki's elbow.
Hale goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Annunaki misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Annunaki lands a left hand.
Annunaki blocking some punches.
Hale misses with a body punch.
Hale misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hale misses with a short punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saxton Hale dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Annunaki tries to clinch but Hale moves away

so Hale counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Annunaki wants to sweep but no luck.
Hale is pushing down on Annunaki's leg trying to pass to half guard. Annunaki is fighting to maintain full guard but Hale has managed to sneak the leg through.
Hale wants to pass the guard but Annunaki is defending well.
Annunaki blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hale.
Hale wants to free his trapped foot but Annunaki is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hale winds up and cracks Annunaki with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Annunaki is looking to escape.
Annunaki has hold of Hale's hands but Hale slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Annunaki actively working from the bottom here.
Hale wants to free his trapped foot but Annunaki is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Annunaki is trying to get back to full guard.
Hale prevents Annunaki from standing back up.
Annunaki wants to improve his position but Hale is controlling well.
Annunaki is trying to stand back up but Hale is controlling him

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Annunaki drives through and clinches with Hale against the cage.
Annunaki misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hale.
Annunaki has a couple of punches blocked by Hale.
Annunaki with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Annunaki misses with a knee to the head.
Annunaki is breathing heavily.
Hale presses Annunaki against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hale.
Hale prevents a body shot from Annunaki.
Annunaki tries to land knees in the clinch but Hale avoids the damage to the body.

That's two 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.
Annunaki tries a knee to the head but Hale blocks it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hale.
Annunaki tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hale's elbow.
Annunaki with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hale misses with some punches.
Hale wants a takedown.
Hale doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Annunaki missing with knees to the body.
Annunaki tries to throw a body punch but Hale avoids it by throwing Annunaki back against the cage.
Annunaki throws a punch but it's blocked by Hale.
Hale misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hale can't find room to land a body shot as Annunaki controls the action.
Annunaki swings wildly with an uppercut but Hale uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hale managing to block the knees to the body from Annunaki.
Annunaki working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Hale digs a right hand underneath Annunaki's ribcage. Annunaki let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Annunaki prevents a body shot from Hale.
Annunaki looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hale tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Annunaki misses with an elbow strike.
Hale tries to throw a body punch but Annunaki avoids it by throwing Hale back against the cage.
Hale pushes Annunaki back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Hale tries a body shot but Annunaki blocks it.
Annunaki tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hale swings wildly with an uppercut but Annunaki uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice body punch from Annunaki.
Annunaki misses with an elbow over the top.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hale as Annunaki tries to tie him up.
Annunaki misses with a punch to the body.
Annunaki lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Hale backwards.
Hale takes an elbow to the temple.
Annunaki misses with a punch on the inside.
Hale on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hale tries to throw a body punch but Annunaki avoids it by throwing Hale back against the cage.
Annunaki has Hale pushed against the cage.

That's four 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.
Hale goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hale misses with a hook from the clinch.
Annunaki is trying to maintain a safe position but Hale gets an underhook and turns Annunaki into the cage.
Annunaki scores with a nice hook to the head.
Annunaki wants to stall.
Hale has a couple of punches blocked by Annunaki.
Hale tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Annunaki.
Annunaki throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Annunaki lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hale backwards.
Still in the clinch, Annunaki scores with a nice short uppercut.
Hale doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hale looking for a takedown.
Annunaki lands a body shot in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Annunaki creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Hale doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Annunaki working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Hale misses with a hook to the ribs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Saxton Hale will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Annunaki scores with a kick to the midsection.
Bill Annunaki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hale blocks the body kick.
A head kick misses from Annunaki.
Hale circles away from the clinch attempt

and Hale counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Hale wants to pass the guard but Annunaki is defending well.
Annunaki tries to get to full guard but Hale has control of the leg.
The fighters are battling for position here. Annunaki manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Annunaki has his feet on Hale's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Annunaki - that will leave a mark!
Hale drops his hands momentarily and Annunaki takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Annunaki - that will leave a mark!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Annunaki thows a left - swing and a miss!
Annunaki keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hale tries to clinch
and Annunaki counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hale steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Annunaki. That one must have hurt.
Hale with a poor takedown
and Annunaki counters with a big head kick but Hale shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Annunaki doesn't manage to clinch there - Hale circles away.
Hale fails with an attempt to clinch.
Annunaki lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hale tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Annunaki wants to clinch

and Hale counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hale throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Annunaki works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Annunaki is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Saxton Hale overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Annunaki pushes Hale off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Annunaki misses with a jab, cross combination.
Annunaki wants to clinch.
Annunaki misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The fight stays on the outside here - Annunaki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Annunaki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hale paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Annunaki thumps Hale with a low kick.
Annunaki lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
No joy there for Annunaki, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Annunaki fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Hale.
Annunaki tries to clinch up
and Hale counters with a stiff right hand.
Bill Annunaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Annunaki looks for the body kick but Hale saw that one coming.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bill Annunaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hale has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saxton Hale!
Saxton Hale retains his middleweight title!