PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sanji Sanpun (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Riviere Hinds (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sanpun comes to the cage accompanied by Snacktime - Barenaked Ladies. 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.

Sanpun
vs
Hinds

178 cm
24
157 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

165 cm
26
145 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sanji Sanpun!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Riviere Hinds!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Igor Prikhodko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sanpun closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Hinds quickly recovers to half guard.
Sanpun seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hinds does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hinds wants to improve his position but Sanpun is controlling well.
Sanpun wants to control but Hinds is keeping him busy.
Hinds trying to control from the bottom.
Hinds is trying to get back to full guard.
Hinds is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Sanpun is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hinds has managed to free his arm - good work.
Hinds taking some punishment here, with Sanpun in his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sanpun seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Hinds has recovered full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hinds preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sanpun wants to control from the top but Hinds keeps moving.
Sanpun is looking to work some ground and pound but Hinds has wrist control.
Sanpun will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sanpun with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hinds trying to control the position.
Hinds manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sanpun manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanpun looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sanpun 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.
Hinds with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Hinds is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sanpun controls Hinds momentarily but Hinds frees himself.

Sanpun escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hinds gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanpun wants to sweep but no luck.
Hinds must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hinds with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sanpun keeping moving, preventing Hinds from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanpun manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hinds manages to get himself to full guard.
Hinds 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.
Sanpun trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Sanpun is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hinds is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hinds has escaped and now he's on top!
Sanpun avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sanpun utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hinds working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanpun 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.
Sanpun looking to control.
Hinds sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hinds throws a big elbow that misses.

Sanpun is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hinds is aware though and is defending well.
Sanpun looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanpun, not yet.
Sanpun keeping full guard, as Hinds tries to pass.
Hinds landing with the ground and pound.
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.
Hinds wants to control from the top but Sanpun keeps moving.
Sanpun manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hinds throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sanpun takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Hinds dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Sanpun throws out a loose jab but Hinds uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hinds swats away the attempt to clinch by Sanpun.
Hinds sizes up Sanpun with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Sanpun looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hinds is fending him off so far but Sanpun persists. Nope, Hinds circles away and we're back to standing.

Sanpun instigates a clinch.
Sanpun lands a right hand.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sanpun just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hinds's brow.
Hinds managing to block the knees to the body from Sanpun.
Sanpun with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Sanpun lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Sanpun.
Sanpun blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sanpun tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hinds avoiding damage as Sanpun throws knees to the body.
Sanpun blocks an uppercut.
Sanpun tries a knee to the head but Hinds blocks it.
Sanpun throws an elbow that misses.
Hinds tries to work over Sanpun's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A frustrated look appears on Hinds's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Sanpun working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Hinds avoids a wild elbow strike from Sanpun.
A bit of stalling here from Hinds.
Sanpun lands a hook that snaps the head of Hinds backwards.
Sanpun lands a knee to the body.
Sanpun can't find room to land a body shot as Hinds controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanpun lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hinds backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sanpun.
Hinds stalling in the clinch but Sanpun improves position.
Sanpun lands a hook to the side of the head.
Hinds takes an elbow to the temple.
Nice body punch from Sanpun.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hinds is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Sanpun breaks from the clinch.
Hinds checks a leg kick.
Riviere Hinds seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hinds swings for the body but Sanpun moves out of range.
Hinds misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanpun throws a jab but it's blocked by Hinds.
Hinds lands a jab to the head.
Sanpun throws a lazy right hand but Hinds sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hinds fails with the takedown.
Sanpun cracks Hinds with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Hinds moves away from the strike by Sanpun.
Hinds takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sanpun throws an overhand right that lands on Hinds's shoulder, as Hinds tries to avoid the shot.
Sanpun tries to clinch up.
Sanpun shoots in and drives through. Hinds sprawls well.
Sanpun shoots and misses

and Hinds counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sanji Sanpun. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hinds is taking a breather. Sanpun says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Sanpun trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanpun is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Hinds missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sanpun moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hinds throws a big elbow that misses.
Hinds working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sanpun working a defensive guard but Hinds manages to pass into side control anyway.
Sanpun is trying to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sanpun is not content to let Hinds control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sanji Sanpun dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Hinds pivots, looking for a leg kick but Sanpun is out of range and Hinds settles back down.
Hinds misses with an uppercut.
Sanpun takes a jab right on the kisser.
Sanpun throws an overhand right that lands on Hinds's shoulder, as Hinds tries to avoid the shot.
Hinds changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Hinds shoots in for a double leg but Sanpun sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hinds stuns Sanpun with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Sanpun misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hinds.
Hinds throws a shot from downtown. Sanpun moves away and avoids it.
Nice straight punches there by Sanpun. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Sanpun.
Sanpun avoids the body shot from Hinds.
Hinds throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hinds misses with a kick to the body.
Sanji Sanpun is winning the standup battle so far.
Sanpun uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hinds.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanpun misses the shot to the body.

Sanpun moves into the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Hinds fails to land.
Sanpun pushes Hinds back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Knees to the body from Sanpun.
Sanpun working hard to break the clinch.
Sanpun throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hindss head.
Hinds working aggressively here.
Sanpun is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hinds is defending well for now.
A right hook to the body lands for Sanpun.
Sanpun working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Hinds is trying to stall.
A knee to the head by Sanpun.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Sanpun.
Sanpun lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hinds has a couple of punches blocked by Sanpun.
Sanpun softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Sanpun throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hinds blocks it with crossed arms.
Sanpun lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Sanpun has a couple of punches blocked by Hinds.
Hinds blocks an uppercut.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Sanpun lands with a right to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hinds.
Sanpun with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Sanpun missing with knees to the body.
Riviere Hinds has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanpun lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Hinds lands a body shot.
Sanpun pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Hinds is trying to maintain a safe position but Sanpun gets an underhook and turns Hinds into the cage.
Sanji Sanpun has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Hinds is pushing Sanpun up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Hinds avoiding damage as Sanpun throws knees to the body.
Sanpun swings wildly with an uppercut but Hinds uses good head movement to avoid it.

Sanpun has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Hinds regains guard immediately.
Sanpun throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Hinds is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hinds working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sanpun.
Sanpun pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hinds is keeping the position for now.
Sanpun with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sanji Sanpun is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hinds keeping moving, preventing Sanpun from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sanpun throws a big right hand that misses.
Sanpun trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sanji Sanpun showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sanpun has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sanji Sanpun!
After winning the bout, Sanji Sanpun thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.