PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jaroslav Niemi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Sanders (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Jaroslav Niemi has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Niemi
vs
Sanders

190 cm
18
240 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

195 cm
20
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Nemesis Cage Clothing
Pure Fight Science

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jaroslav Niemi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Josh Sanders!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Niemi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sanders moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Niemi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sanders avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nice sprawl there from Niemi as Sanders shoots in.
Sanders swats away the attempt to clinch by Niemi.
Niemi wants to clinch.
A combination from Niemi does no damage.
Niemi misses with a takedown attempt

and Sanders counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sanders.
Niemi being controlled here, momentarily.

Sanders has gone for a leg lock! Niemi slips out almost immediately though and dives into Sanders's guard.
Niemi wants to control from the top but Sanders keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niemi wanted to stand there but Sanders had control of the position.
Sanders is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sanders is controlling the pace.
Sanders stops Niemi from getting back to his feet.

Sanders looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Sanders looks gassed!

Sanders is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

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.
Niemi tries to roll over but Sanders keeps him under control.
Niemi is looking to escape.
Niemi is looking for a sweep. Sanders is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Niemi wants to sweep but Sanders has passed to side control!
Niemi is looking to reverse the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Niemi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Sanders clinches up against the cage.

Sanders manages to pull guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niemi trying to control but Sanders is working from the bottom.
Sanders trying to control the position here.
Niemi postures up in Sanders's guard and throws a big left but Sanders blocks it.
Niemi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sanders wants to stand up but Niemi is controlling him.
Sanders preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sanders lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Niemi!
Sanders controlling the position easily from mount.
Sanders lands a heavy elbow.

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.
Sanders controlling the pace for now.

Sanders has control of Niemi's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Niemi regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Niemi is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Sanders has taken his back.
Sanders lands a shot to the head.
Niemi wants to control his opponent's hands but Sanders gets his hands free.

Niemi is trying to get back to his feet. He's worked up on to his knees and now he's on his feet with his head on the canvas, trying to shake Sanders off. It looks like it's working - Sanders slides off, much to his dismay, and we're back to standing! Niemi displaying calm under pressure there.

Sanders bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Sanders dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Niemi throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sanders counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sanders trying to control but Niemi is working from the bottom.

Sanders thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Niemi wants to get back to his feet but Sanders is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Niemi being controlled here, momentarily.
Sanders is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Josh Sanders has got the better of the ground game so far.

Sanders drops back looking for a leg! Niemi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Niemi manages to kick Sanders off! Sanders jumps back into Niemi's guard.
Sanders is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niemi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanders is one step ahead there.
Sanders trying to control but Niemi is working from the bottom.
Sanders postures up and lands a big shot to Niemi's brow.
Sanders is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sanders with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Sanders decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Niemi, up you get!
Niemi looks to clinch

and Sanders counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sanders.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Niemi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Niemi throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanders passes Niemi's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Niemi moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sanders slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Niemi is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Sanders is controlling him well.
The referee asks Sanders politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Sanders prefers to stall for the moment though.
Niemi prevents Sanders from moving into mount.
Sanders trying to control the action but Niemi is working from the bottom.
Sanders working away.
Niemi tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sanders wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Niemi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Sanders counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niemi working a defensive guard here.
Niemi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sanders on the ground.
Niemi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sanders with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sanders trying to control but Niemi is working from the bottom.
Niemi has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Sanders has passed into side control.
Niemi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sanders wants to control but Niemi is keeping him busy.

Sanders looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Sanders is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Niemi has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sanders is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Niemi will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

Sanders decides to stand up, so the ref orders Niemi to his feet.
Niemi misses with a double jab

and Sanders counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Niemi!
Sanders works his way to his opponent's back.
Sanders gets his hands free as Niemi looks to control.
Niemi trying to get back to his feet but Sanders is in full control for now.
Niemi wants to escape the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Niemi holding both Sanders 's hands and preventing any damage.
Sanders trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Sanders showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Niemi scores with a punch to the head.
Niemi misses with a double jab

and Sanders counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Sanders breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Niemi misses with a few strikes there.
Niemi misses with a double jab

and Sanders counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sanders.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!

Sanders drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Niemi manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Sanders has Niemi in his guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sanders is on top in guard.
Sanders stays in close to Niemi's body and controls the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanders wants to control from the top but Niemi keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niemi 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.
Sanders advances to half guard.
Nice strikes from Sanders there.
Niemi works his way to full guard. Good work.
Sanders trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Niemi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sanders gets back to full guard.
Niemi trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanders is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Niemi tries to stand but Sanders is controlling from the bottom.
Sanders trying to keep a closed guard but Niemi is proving a slippery customer.
Niemi wants to get up but he can't break Sanders's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niemi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Sanders has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Niemi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sanders avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Niemi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Niemi wants to stand and escape but instead Sanders has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Niemi throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Niemi doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Niemi trying to keep a closed guard but Sanders is proving a slippery customer.
Niemi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sanders avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Niemi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niemi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Niemi is looking for a kimura here.

Sanders looking for submissions off his back.
Niemi trying to control the action but Sanders is working from the bottom.
Sanders regains full guard. Nicely done.

Sanders escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Niemi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sanders can't keep his opponent in guard - Niemi advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Sanders moves into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niemi throws a strike but Sanders rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sanders preventing the sweep.
Sanders has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Niemi looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sanders puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Sanders wants to lay and pray for a moment but Niemi keeps working.
Niemi tries to roll over but Sanders keeps him under control.
Niemi is trying to maintain the position but Sanders is very close to passing his half guard.
Niemi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sanders in particular looking to stall.
Jaroslav Niemi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sanders lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Sanders comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sanders winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 26:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 26:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Sanders!