PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Sunderland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Newson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sunderland comes into the arena with Placebo - Running up that hill blaring out of the sound system. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Sunderland
vs
Newson

186 cm
28
182 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

185 cm
23
180 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Sunderland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Newson!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Trevor Gratis and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sunderland scores with a head kick. Newson tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Newson swings for the body but Sunderland moves out of range.
Sunderland lands a head shot.
Decent striking displayed by Sunderland there.
Sunderland throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Newson tries to clinch up

and Sunderland counters with a head kick that drops Newson - he's looking to finish, following his stunned foe to the ground!

Newson is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sunderland stops Newson from getting back to his feet.
Newson is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Sunderland decides to return to a standing position.

Sunderland closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Newson tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sunderland stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Newson misses with a knee to the head.
Sunderland blocks an elbow strike from Newson.
Newson trying to stall but Sunderland improves his position.
Sunderland lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sunderland.
Newson misses with a knee strike.

Sunderland's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Sunderland drives through and clinches with Newson against the cage.
Sunderland pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Newson looking to stall.
Sunderland pressing his opponent against the cage.
Newson dodges an elbow strike from Sunderland.
Newson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sunderland has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Sunderland breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Newson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sunderland swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sunderland circles away from the clinch attempt
letting Sunderland counter with a right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sunderland uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Newson.

Sunderland moves into the clinch successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sunderland avoids it.
Sunderland stalling against the cage.
Newson throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Newson throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Newson tries to land knees in the clinch but Sunderland avoids the damage to the body.
Newson misses with a knee strike.
Newson comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Newson trying to land knees to the body.
Sunderland lands a good knee to the midsection. Newson won't want to take too many of those.
Sunderland lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Sunderland blocks the elbow strike.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sunderland.
Newson misses with an elbow strike.
Newson is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Sunderland is pushing Newson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sunderland.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sunderland avoiding damage as Newson throws knees to the body.
We've been informed that Newson has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Newson looking to throw knees to the head but Sunderland is blocking nicely.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Newson just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sunderland's brow.
Sunderland blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Sunderland stalling in the clinch.
Newson looking to throw knees to the head but Sunderland is blocking nicely.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Newson wants to stall.
Newson throws an elbow but it misses.
Sunderland with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Newson lands a nice elbow.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Newson throws a knee to the head but misses.
The referee is keeping an eye on Sunderland - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Sunderland for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Sunderland dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sunderland clinches up with Newson and pushes him back against the cage.
Sunderland slows down the pace here.
Newson throws an elbow but it misses.
Newson misses with a knee strike.
Sunderland slowing the pace effectively.
Sunderland throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sunderland blocks an elbow strike from Newson.
Newson throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Newson trying to land knees to the body.
Newson avoids a wild elbow strike from Sunderland.
Sunderland avoiding damage.
Newson misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Newson trying to land knees to the body.
Newson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sunderland has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Newson trying to stall but Sunderland improves his position.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Newson just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sunderland's brow.
Newson working Sunderland over with knees to the body.
Sunderland will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Newson up against the cage.
Newson tries to land a knee to the head but Sunderland blocks with his arms.
Sunderland's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Newson tries to land knees in the clinch but Sunderland avoids the damage to the body.
Newson throws an elbow but it misses.
Newson throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sunderland digs a right hand into Newson's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Newson's gas tank.
A bit of stalling here from Sunderland.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Newson looking to throw knees to the head but Sunderland is blocking nicely.

Sunderland pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sunderland chopping away at his opponent's legs.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Newson takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
James Sunderland seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Newson avoids the head kick by Sunderland.
Sunderland tries a head kick but it misses.
Newson on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Sunderland moves into the clinch.

Sunderland breaks from the clinch.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Sunderland.

Sunderland moves into range and clinches up with Newson.
Sunderland lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newson dodges an elbow strike from Sunderland.
Sunderland just leaning against Newson, taking a breather.
Newson tries to stall but Sunderland uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Sunderland manages to break the clinch.
Sunderland misses with a head kick.
Sunderland throws a sloppy head kick and Newson moves out of range easily.
Sunderland lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Sunderland moves into the clinch successfully.
Sunderland lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Newson.
Sunderland controlling the action here for a moment.
Newson wants to stall.
James Sunderland has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Come on Sunderland - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Newson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sunderland avoids it.
Sunderland trying to stall but Newson improves his position.
Newson lands a nice elbow.
Sunderland lands a hook to the side of the head.

Sunderland breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Sunderland.
Sunderland connects with an inside leg kick.
Newson misses the shot to the body.
Sunderland thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Newson if he has to take too many more of those.

Sunderland closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sunderland lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Newson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sunderland is defending well for now.
Sunderland controlling the action here for a moment.
Newson tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Sunderland dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Sunderland lands a head kick. Newson smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
James Sunderland is winning the standup battle so far.

Sunderland has closed the distance and engaged Newson in a clinch.
Sunderland dodges an elbow strike from Newson.
Sunderland's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Newson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sunderland.
Sunderland lands a left hand that snaps the head of Newson backwards.

Sunderland manages to break the clinch.
Sunderland misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Newson tries to clinch there but Sunderland circles away.
Sunderland throws a sloppy head kick and Newson moves out of range easily.
Sunderland chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Sunderland throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Sunderland lands with a kick to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Newson walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Sunderland throws a nice inside leg kick.
Newson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sunderland feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Newson's calf.
Newson blocks a head kick by Sunderland.
Sunderland goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Sunderland throws a head kick that lands with a deafening thwack! The crowd roars as Newson stumbles backwards and falls to the mat. Sunderland follows into mount!
Newson is still in real trouble! Can Sunderland finish him?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sunderland controlling the pace for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Newson seems to have recovered his senses.

The ref stands the fighters back up because James Sunderland just wasn't active enough.
Sunderland tries a head kick but it misses.
Sunderland is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Newson can do to turn this around?

Sunderland has Newson up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sunderland manages to break the clinch.
Sunderland lands with a slapping head kick.
Newson avoids the head kick by Sunderland.
Sunderland with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sunderland throws a head kick but Newson moves out of range.
Sunderland misses with the combination.
James Sunderland is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sunderland throws a sloppy head kick and Newson moves out of range easily.
Sunderland swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sunderland throws a head kick that Newson semi-blocks.
Sunderland lands a nice looking body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sunderland scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Newson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Newson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sunderland paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Left hook, right uppercut from Sunderland.
Newson takes a swing at Sunderland's ribcage but misses.
Sunderland lands with a slapping head kick.
Newson doesn't manage to clinch there - Sunderland circles away.
Newson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sunderland paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sunderland scores with a sloppy right hand. Newson should have avoided that one.
James Newson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Sunderland closes the distance and clinches.
Newson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sunderland blocks it with crossed arms.
Newson tries to land knees in the clinch but Sunderland avoids the damage to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Sunderland showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sunderland 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:26
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Sunderland!
James Sunderland thanked the fans post fight for their support.