PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Noah Sampson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Black Beard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Black Beard enters the cage!

Sampson
vs
Beard

163 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

180 cm
25
134 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Noah Sampson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Black Beard!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, William Gold and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sampson wants to stall.
Sampson misses with an elbow over the top.
Sampson tries to stall but Beard uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Beard goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sampson prevents it.
Sampson wants a takedown but no success here.
Beard taking a breather.

Beard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Beard closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Beard is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Beard is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sampson controlling the action here for a moment.

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

Sampson moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Beard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Beard goes for a double leg but Sampson avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Sampson continues to drive forward.
Noah Sampson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Black Beard.

Beard shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sampson manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Sampson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Beard defends it easily.
Sampson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Beard controls the pace.
Sampson throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
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.
Beard keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sampson's head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Beard accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Beard gets to his feet - Sampson follows without any prompting.
Sampson slaps away a takedown attempt from Beard, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Beard moves into range and clinches up with Sampson.
Sampson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Sampson wants a takedown.
Sampson is trying to break the clinch but Beard has him pressed against the cage.
Beard is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Beard jumps guard but Sampson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Beard tries for a takedown. No joy.

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

Sampson clinches up against the cage.

Beard jumps into guard, dragging Sampson to the mat.
Sampson stopping the sweep attempt from Beard.
Beard looks winded!
Beard is striking from the bottom but Sampson uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Beard has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Beard is trying is best to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Beard slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sampson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Beard looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Beard looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Beard!

Beard decides to stand up, so the ref orders Sampson to his feet.
Beard shoots in for a takedown but Sampson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Sampson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sampson stalling against the cage.

Beard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Black Beard dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Beard clinches up with Sampson and pushes him back against the cage.
Beard scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Noah Sampson has been cut.
Sampson jumps guard but Beard turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Sampson is pushing Beard up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Beard wants a takedown but no success here.
Beard is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Sampson is defending well.
Sampson changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Beard fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Beard shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sampson as he avoids it easily.
Noah Sampson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Black Beard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Beard closes the distance and clinches.

Beard has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Sampson is trying to keep an underhook but Beard manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Beard not doing much here.
Beard is breathing heavily.

Beard is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sampson defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sampson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Beard is working away from the top position though.
Beard sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Sampson misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Beard is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Black Beard has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sampson is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Beard is working for a kimura but Sampson is defending it quite comfortably.
Beard wants to free his trapped foot but Sampson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Sampson is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Beard avoids the attempt from Sampson to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Beard scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Sampson?
Beard manages to capitalize on a mistake by Sampson to take his back!
Sampson trying to control but not successfully.

Sampson defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Beard's arms.

Beard has managed to slip his arm under Sampson's chin. This could be all over... yep, Sampson is tapping out! Submission win for Beard.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Black Beard!